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Police: Central Fla. Couple Offered Hit Man $100 To Kill Grandkids

POSTED: Thursday, June 1, 2006

Two grandparents in Lake County, Fla., were arrested for allegedly offering a hit man $100 to kill their three grandchildren, daughter-in-law and the family's pet dog, WKMG-TV in Orlando reported.

Lake County deputies said Robert Jackson, 60, and his wife, Versie, 59, traveled to a Best Western hotel Tuesday to meet a hit man -- who was an undercover law enforcement officer.

"(The couple) met with the so-called hit man, where they paid the hit man $100 in cash as a down payment for the murder of the wife and her three children," Lake County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Christie Mysinger said.

According to an arrest affidavit, Versie Jackson made contact with the undercover agent while her husband stayed in the car because he was reportedly too afraid the meet the person who would kill his grandchildren and daughter-in-law.

The couple was taken into custody after the money was exchanged.

After an investigation, authorities said the couple's son, Jason Jackson, 31, concocted the alleged murder-for-hire plan from jail and asked his parents to seal the deal, Bolden said.

The 31-year-old is awaiting trial in a sexual molestation case, and his wife and children were scheduled to testify against him.

Investigators said the rest of the money was to be paid to the hit man after the family members were killed Tuesday night.

The daughter-in-law, Karen Jackson, was shocked to hear about the plan to kill her, her children and pet dog, WKMG reported.

"I never saw this coming," Jackson said. "I loved (him) with all my heart. (He) was good to me and good to the kids. (He) was a nice guy, everybody's friend. (He was) like a Ted Bundy charmer. He has to be a psychopath."

Jackson said after her husband's arrest last year, her in-laws stopped speaking with her.

She said she plans to testify against her husband and both in-laws.

Both grandparents remain in the Lake County Jail without bond.

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