William Lawrence, Murder for Hire, Missouri 2012

MAPLEWOOD, MO – In a shocking case of attempted murder, William Lawrence, a Maplewood man, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for placing a Craigslist ad offering $1 million in exchange for the death of any Maplewood police officer.

According to court documents, the crime occurred on February 6, 2012, when Maplewood police officers responded to a neighborhood disturbance. Lawrence, who was the subject of an outstanding warrant, was arrested and later found to be in possession of a marijuana cultivation operation, a shotgun with no serial number, and a .22 caliber rifle.

Following his release from custody, Lawrence repeatedly contacted the Maplewood police to demand the return of his firearms. However, he was consistently advised that the guns were being retained as evidence and would not be returned.

On March 1, 2012, the Maplewood police received a telephone call from a neighboring police department, who had located an advertisement on Craigslist.com that offered money in exchange for the murder of Maplewood police officers. An investigation revealed that the IP address associated with the advertisement was linked to Lawrence’s residence.

Lawrence previously pled guilty to using the internet in furtherance of murder for hire. He appeared before United States District Judge Carol E. Jackson for sentencing.

The case was investigated by the Maplewood Police Department.

Lawrence’s sentence of 72 months in prison is a serious consequence for his attempted murder for hire. The Maplewood police department’s swift action in responding to the Craigslist ad and linking it to Lawrence’s IP address ultimately led to his conviction.

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