An inmate at the Polk County Jail for lewd acts on a child younger than 12 years old tried to hire someone to kill his victim and witnesses, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said.
Richard Palmer asked a cellmate if he knew anyone willing to murder the child and witnesses in exchange for $15,000 and a sports car, according to the sheriff’s office.
"Just when you think this man can't get any lower, after being arrested for doing horrible things to a child, now he's trying to hire someone to kill her and the witnesses,” Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement, “There's not one bit of remorse in this man for what he's done."
Palmer, 26, of Winter Haven is charged with charged with two counts of solicitation to commit murder and one count of solicitation to commit arson.
According to the sheriff’s office, Palmer also wanted a hitman to burn the victim and witnesses’ home down “to destroy evidence.”
Palmer told the cellmate that he didn't want his intended victims to come to court, and he didn't want to spend the rest of his life in prison.
The sheriff’s office said the cellmate turned over Palmer's hand-drawn map of the targeted residence, complete with landmarks and an interior layout.
Palmer's first appearance in court is set for Thursday.
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