An Air National Guardsman from Toledo named Josiah Ernesto Garcia went to www.rentahitman.com, a website as a joke, looking for a job as a murder-for-hire professional. The website was actually a parody site with false testimonials and a form where people could request hitman services. Garcia submitted his resume and indicated his willingness to kill people, leading him to get a job interview with an undercover FBI agent. The agent paid Garcia $2,500 to kill a man who didn’t exist, leading to Garcia’s arrest and guilty plea for using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison at his sentencing in February 2025.
Garcia, who needed money to support his family, submitted his resume to rentahitman.com, claiming to be an expert marksman with military experience. However, the website was originally created as an advertisement for a cyber security startup and eventually became a parody site. Despite warnings from the site administrator, individuals continue to submit absurd requests for murder-for-hire services, leading to arrests and prosecutions. Along with Garcia, other individuals have been caught by hitman websites, including a New Mexico man and a Miami woman who attempted to hire hitmen through similar websites. Despite the warnings, these individuals persist in trying to solicit violence, leading to legal consequences.
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