Big Bob Bashara, who became a household name in Metro Detroit, pleaded guilty today to hiring a hitman to kill his wife's suspected killer Joseph Gentz.
The Free Press reported that the burly Bashara read a statement in Wayne County Circuit Court saying in June he “foolishly and regrettably” tried to hire a Detroit appliance dealer Steve Tibaudo to carry out the hit on Gentz, who was being housed in the Wayne County Jail where he awaits trial on charges of murdering Jane Bashara.
Gentz was a handyman for Bashara’s rental properties and has told authorities that he killed Jane Bashara in January at the direction of Bashara.
Authorities had theorized that Bashara had tried to put out the hit so that Gentz could not testify against him in the death of his wife Jane. Bashara has not been charged in the murder of his wife, but has long been considered a person of interest.
The Freep reported that Bashara is slated to be sentenced Nov. 20. The paper reported that the prosecutors will push for a sentence between 81 to 135 months in prison, while Bashara's attorney Mark Kriger says it should be more like 51 to 85 months.
The judge will ultimately decide.
