Suwannee Democrat

February 3, 2010

Murder-for-hire plot foiled, say police

Hamilton man, Madison woman charged

By Stephenie Livingston, Reporter

A Hamilton County man has been charged with criminal solicitation to commit murder after allegedly asking members of the Hispanic community in Madison County to kill an individual. The would-be victim was not identified by police.

Leroy Dennett Cruce was arrested last week by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office after investigators from Madison County Sheriff's Office learned from informants that someone had been soliciting Hispanics in Madison County to commit a murder, according to a MCSO press release.

Authorities say they later discovered that Cruce along with Jeanette Thomkins, a Madison resident, had been trying to hire someone to commit a murder.

Further information was not available.

Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, Madison County Sheriff's Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Third Circuit State Attorney's Office collaborated on the case.

Cruce is being held at the Madison County Jail without bail.