A Texas army sergeant was extradited to Connecticut last week after he allegedly assisted his brother in an attempted murder for hire plot targeting a woman, her two children and her boyfriend.
Jeremiah Peikert, 30, was escorted from Fort Worth to the New London Superior Court where he was arraigned and held on a $500,000 bond.
Jeremiah's arrest comes months after his brother's ex-cellmate first contacted a woman and informed her that she was the subject of a murder-for-hire conspiracy. The former inmate sent a handwritten letter to the 29-year-old woman that "detailed a possible 'murder for hire' plot," according to the Connecticut State Police.
Jeremiah's brother, Joshua Peikert, allegedly "disclosed" to his cellmate that he wanted the woman, her one and 10-year-old daughters and her 23-year-old boyfriend killed.
"I told Josh that I knew a few people that could have that taken care of for him," the witness said, according to a warrant released by the Connecticut State Police.
The witness alleged that Joshua was willing to pay $10,000 for someone to kill each of the would-be victims and a $250 finder's fee to his cellmate.
"At no time did I have any intention of hiring a hitman or committing any violence toward [the victims]," the witness wrote.
Law enforcement officials allege that Jeremiah paid the witness for the killings and discussed making payments while on the phone with both his brother and the witness. Upon interrogation, Jeremiah told police that he "reluctantly" agreed to help his brother who had "violent tendencies." Jeremiah also told police that he did not realize Joshua wanted to target children.
Joshua was arrested on April 1. He is also being held on $500,000 bond.
