Crime & Safety

Inmate Accused Of Trying To Hire Hit Man To Kill Ex-Girlfriend

An inmate at the Pinellas County Jail has been charged after deputies say he tried to hire a hit man to kill his former girlfriend.

Christopher Butler
Christopher Butler (Pinellas Sheriff)

CLEARWATER, FL -- An inmate at the Pinellas County Jail has been charged with solicitation to commit murder after deputies say he tried to hire a hit man to kill his ex-girlfriend.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said Christopher Butler, 39, was in jail on charges of aggravated assault with a firearm against his former girlfriend when a confidential informant reported that he was trying to hire someone to kill her.

The sheriff's office said he wrote down information about the woman and signed over his 2002 Ford Windstar to the informant as a down payment for the hit. The informant also recorded Butler telling him to kill the woman.

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Butler admitted it was his voice on the recordings, but said he made the statements out of anger.

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