PHOENIX - A murder for hire plot uncovered here in the Valley as investigators say a man tried to pay someone to kill his ex wife.
Police say Stephen Sawins, who shares a daughter with the woman he planned to kill, is in jail and it's all thanks to the mother of the man hired to commit the crime. Police say she just happened to get involved.
Police say Sawins, 33, works at Supplement and Nutrition Technologies and that is where he became friends with the would be accomplice, along with the man's mother.
Police say Sawins gave the man a .22 caliber pistol several weeks ago.
The two allegedly agreed the man would murder the defendants ex-wife for monetary gain, $50,000 from the woman's insurance policy.
Court papers state Sawins even gave explicit instructions telling his would-be accomplice to fire one or two shots to the backside of her head.
Police say the man decided not to go through with the plan, so he packed up the gun in a box and gave it to his mother asking her to return it back to Sawins.
Police, along with the man's help, were able to record a phone conversation with Sawins about what they were planning to do.
Officials took Sawins into custody on Tuesday night.
Neighbors of the suspects ex-wife are understandably relieved.
