Report: Police Have Bob Bashara Murder Solicitation On Tape
GROSSE POINTE PARK (WWJ) - As the Wayne County Prosecutor plans to announce charges in the case, Bob Bashara's attorney is responding to reports that authorities have him on tape soliciting the murder of Joe Gentz.
Police said Gentz, who is charged in the murder of Bashara's wife Jane, told investigators that Bob told him to kill her.
More details will be are expected to be revealed Wednesday when charges will be announced against Barshara, who was arrested Monday evening for allegedly putting a hit on Gentz, who had worked for him as a handyman.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy will hold a news conference at 11 a.m.
Meantime, talking to WWJ Newsradio 950, Griem maintains that his client is being set up.
"His last words to me as our meeting ended at the Grosse Pointe Park Police Department was, 'David, I was set up. I was set up here'," Griem said.
Griem said it's one thing question witnesses, but evidence on a tape recording presents something much different.
"I'm not a ventriloquist, I can't cross-examine a tape recording," said Griem.
"All that I can do is turn that tape recording upside down to check the authenticity of that tape and to look at the details that led up to the making of that tape," he said.
Gentz's defense attorney, Susan Reed, said she was somewhat taken by surprised by Bashara's arrest, but not completely.
Reed told WWJ's Sandra McNeil she had heard rumors of a threat to her client about a month ago.
"The message I got was that there's a hit out on Joe. There was no name given as to who wanted it or anything of that nature," said Reed. "But, just sort of using common sense, trying to figure out who would want to hurt Joe, I had only one person in mind."
Reed said that, even without any details, she thought took the threat seriously and reported what she'd heard to police.
The body of Jane Bashara, a marketing executive and mother of two, was found in the back of her Mercedes-Benz SUV parked in an alley at Pinewood and Annott in Detroit on Jan. 25. Her husband reported her missing the night before. An autopsy showed that she had extensive bruising to her upper body, a crushed windpipe and missing fingernails.
In March, authorities charged Bob Bashara's former handyman Joseph Gentz with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the death of Jane Bashara. Gentz reportedly told Grosse Pointe Park investigators back in January that he was hired to kill Jane Bashara and paid by her husband.
Grosse Pointe Park Police have not commented on Bashara's arrest.
