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Crime, Law and Justice
Tim Nelson

Charges: Minnesota murder for hire plot went awry, thwarted by BCA agent

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A 38-year-old Sauk Centre, Minn., man is facing a first-degree murder conspiracy charge, after allegedly trying twice to hire a hitman to kill a family member, and possibly going through with a payment two years ago. 

Robert Charles Thomas Sr. was arrested Monday, the second time the killing was planned to have taken place.

According to a criminal complaint filed against him in Todd County, Thomas had repeatedly expressed an interest in killing a family member, from whom he believed he might inherit substantial property and who allegedly had a romantic relationship with Thomas’ wife. The target was not identified in any other detail.

An informant told local authorities Thomas had already hired a person to carry out the killing for $10,000 in 2021, but the person did not follow through.

Local investigators brought in an agent from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, who met with Thomas in a grocery store parking lot in Long Prairie, Minn., identifying himself as a potential killer-for-hire.

The complaint says Thomas laid out his plan in detail, during an hour-long conversation recorded on video as the two sat together in a vehicle. The undercover agent and Thomas shook hands on the deal and agreed to have the crime take place after Easter weekend, unless Thomas changed his mind and called it off.

Thomas said he would sell off his inherited assets and give the killer $50,000, according to the charge. He also allegedly said the payment he made to the first purported killer would be a bonus. Thomas also allegedly told the agent he’d previously made plans to carry out the killing himself — prompting the agent to warn Thomas not to carry out that plan.

He was arrested Monday at his work, after telling the agent there was no need to wait to carry out the killing and that he was sure he wanted it done. After his arrest, Thomas admitted to the plot, according to the Todd County Attorney’s Office.

Thomas made his first court appearance in Long Prairie on Wednesday and is scheduled to be back in court May 1.