Florida Man Tried To Blame Black Lives Matter For Murder-For-Hire Plot, Officials Say
A Florida man accused of hiring a hitman to kill his ex-girlfriend and her family planned to accuse Black Lives Matter of the murders, federal officials say.
51-year-old Daniel Slater, of Jupiter, was arrested in 2020 on charges of murder for hire, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to possess. According to NBC News, he is accused of soliciting an associate to help him kill his ex-girlfriend, her sister and her sister’s husband in the foiled hit.
Slater thought his girlfriend’s family had ruined their relationship as he offered to give his associate money and drugs for carrying out the crime, a criminal complaint alleges. Slater was arrested after the associate began working for the FBI.
According to the Latin Times, authorities started investigating Slater in February 2020 after a 26-year-old woman’s body was found in Everglades National Park. She was identified as Brianne Slabaugh.
The criminal complaint alleges Slater asked Slabaugh to conduct surveillance of his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend. Slater instructed her to become close with the boyfriend “and then kill him,” however she didn’t go through with the crime.
The Sun-Sentinel reports that Slabaugh died from an accidental drug overdose.
During a June 2020 meeting with the associate working with the FBI, Slater detailed how he wanted the associate to kill his ex-girlfriend. The associate was told to knock out the woman’s teeth, break her nose and throw acid on her face.
The associate was also instructed to kill the ex-girlfriend’s sister and her husband, according to the complaint.
"Slater pointed out a window in the home, explained how [the sister] and her [husband] sat in their living room at specific times, and told the [associate] to shoot the victims through the window during one of those times," the complaint reads.
Slater told the associate to spray paint "Black Lives Matter" on the home after the planned murders to "make it appear as if members with that movement were responsible," the complaint said. The alleged plot was to play out during protests that were taking place nationwide following the death of George Floyd.
Initially, Slater pleaded not guilty, however during a court hearing last week, he changed his plea to guilty as a part of a plea deal.
A judge scheduled sentencing for September 16.
