A couple who blamed their troublesome 20-year-old son for their eviction tried to hire a hitman to kill him, police said.
Elton and Sandra Maben were in jail Saturday, two days after they offered Detective Jack Ballentine $2,000 to kill Gerald Fitzgerald, police said.The couple was to be arraigned Sunday on charges of conspiracy to commit murder.
The Mabens were being evicted from their trailer and apparently blamed Fitzgerald, Mrs. Maben's son from a previous relationship.
"These people were so coldblooded about it," Ballentine said. "I said I would shoot him in the head with a gun. They thought that was just great."
Fitzgerald was unruly and would shoot pigeons with a BB gun, neighbors said. Ballentine asked the Mabens whether they'd tried to discipline Fitzgerald.
"Elton told me, `I tried to control him. I grabbed his lips with a pair of pliers and squeezed, but it did no good,' " Ballentine said.