Tennessee Air National Guardsman Arrested After Applying Online To Be A Hitman

Air National Guardsman Arrested After Applying Online To Be A Hitman

Air National Guardsman was arrested last week after applying to be a hitman on a parody website. Josiah Ernesto Garcia, 21, was charged on Thursday with the use of interstate facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire by using the fake hitman website “Rentahitman.com.”

Garcia explored the site when he “needed money to support his family” and “began searching online for contract mercenary jobs,” according to a press release from the US Attorney’s Office- Middle District of Tennessee.

Garcia first made contact with the site on Feb. 16, when he filed an employment inquiry form indicating he was interested in “obtaining employment as a hitman.” He noted his “military experience and rifle expertise” in the form while also requesting an in-depth job description, according to court documents filed on April 12.

The hopeful hitman remained in contact with the website over the next several days, providing his Tennessee driver’s license, a headshot, and a resume.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Daily Loud (@daily_loud)

Following an order from the FBI, the website’s owner, Bob Innes, responded to Garcia, saying “Josiah, a Field Coordinator will be in touch in the near future. You will receive a message when they are ready. Timing is based on client needs.”

An undercover FBI agent was assigned to pose as an agent for the website and contacted Garcia for a phone interview, which led to the two meeting for an in-person where Garcia said he was “looking into [killing people for money] for a while.”

On April 12, Garcia was scheduled to meet with the undercover agent to discuss a potential “target” that would pay $5,000 for taking out the client’s abusive husband. Garcia was given the first half of the payout along with images of the fake target.

Upon receiving the payment, Garcia asked if photo evidence of the murdered target was required before the FBI made the arrest. Garcia faces up to 10 years in prison.