Seattle Post-Intelligencer
KING COUNTY, Wa. — An inmate in the King County Jail has been charged with solicitation to commit murder after police learned that he reportedly tried to recruit two inmates to kill his ex-wife.
Anthony F. Billera, 50, of Whidbey Island was serving a yearlong jail sentence for violating a court protection order. Bitter about his incarceration and divorce, he allegedly offered large sums of cash and a motorcycle to someone willing to kill the mother of his two children, court documents say.
Both inmates turned him down, court documents say.
“You don’t have to have an agreement. Just the solicitation to commit murder is a enough,” sheriff’s Sgt. John Urquhart said.
Billera is set to be arraigned Tuesday in King County Superior Court. Initially on track for release this fall, he is now being held on the new charge with bail set at $2 million.
He would face a minimum of 16 years in prison if convicted, and likely longer because of previous criminal history, according to Washington state’s sentencing guidelines.
Billera has five convictions for violating no-contact orders and recently tracked down his ex-wife and son’s whereabouts, despite the fact that they had changed names and moved away, court documents say.
P-I reporter Scott Gutierrez can be reached at 206-903-5396 or scottgutierrez@seattlepi.com.