Authorities say Florida resident Daniel Slater planned to blame the murders of his ex-girlfriend and two of her family members on the Black Lives Matter movement.
Slater was seeking a hitman to murder his ex-girlfriend, her sister and brother-in-law, reported The Washington Post. He was upset about the demise of their relationship and blamed his ex-girlfriend’s relatives for the breakup.
Authorities started tracking Slater in February 2020 while investigating the death of one of his associates, Brianne Slabaugh. During a hearing, a prosecutor said Slater reportedly recruited Slabaugh to spy on his ex and kidnap and kill “multiple individuals associated with” his former lover. Fortunately, Slabaugh was “unable to go through with the murder.”
Her body was later discovered in the Everglades, and her death was ruled an accidental overdose. The Slabaugh investigation led the FBI to another associate of Slater’s, who agreed to cooperate with the investigation.
The associate was outfitted with recording devices and scheduled a meeting with Slater in June 2020. During the rendezvous, he detailed how he wanted his ex-girlfriend to die.
“Throw acid on her face” and “beat the (expletive) out of her, knock her teeth out, break her (expletive) nose,” Slater said in the recording, according to The Latin Times.
He also drove the person to the home of his other intended victims.
“Slater pointed out a window in the home, explained how [the sister] and her [husband] sat in their living room at specific times and told the [associate] to shoot the victims through the window during one of those times,” read a criminal complaint.
He also told the associate to spray paint “Black Lives Matter” on their home to shift the blame. At the time, protests were occurring over the death of George Floyd.
The associate connected Slater with the undercover agent, who later produced photoshopped pictures to convince him the deed was done. He paid the agent and his associate $400 and promised more money later.
Slater was arrested three days after the exchange. He was charged with murder for hire, conspiracy to possess and possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance. He was facing 90 years in prison until he accepted a plea deal. Under the agreement, the maximum sentence is 10 years in prison.
Slater will be sentenced on September 16.
