Grandview Plaza man convicted in murder-for-hire plot

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The Manhattan Mercury, Kan.
·1 min read
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May 5—A jury convicted a Grandview Plaza man on 21 charges stemming from a murder-for-hire plot in 2018, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Tuesday.

Jurors found Samuel Ibarra-Chu, 31, guilty on all 21 counts, including two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, two counts of criminal solicitation and 17 counts of violating a protective order. The conviction came in Geary County District Court after a five-day trial in Geary County District Court.

According to court documents, Ibarra-Chu conspired between July 11, 2018, and August 21, 2018, with co-defendants Amanda Lynn Edison and Gregory Eliase Rodriguez to hire a hitman to murder an assistant Geary County attorney and a confidential informant. Schmidt said officials discovered the plot before the murders could be carried out.

Judge Courtney Boehm accepted the verdict and scheduled sentencing for 1:30 p.m. June 25.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation helped investigate the case, as well as the Geary County Drug Task Force, which comprises the Junction City Police Department, Grandview Plaza Police Department and Geary County Sheriff's Office.

Edison has a sentencing hearing scheduled for May 17, and Rodriguez will appear for a status hearing on Friday.

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