Laurel Man Charged In Murder-For-Hire Plot To Kill Wife

LAUREL, Md. (WJZ) -- A Laurel man faces murder charges after he was arrested Tuesday for allegedly paying an undercover cop to kill his wife in a murder-for-hire plot, according to Howard County police.

Aafaq Manejwala, 36, of Polished Pebble Way, was booked on charges of solicitation of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder into the Howard County Detention Center where he's being held without bond.

Manejwala came under scrutiny after investigators received a tip that he was looking for someone who would be willing to kill his wife in exchange for cash, according to police. Then a police informant introduced the suspect to an undercover detective who was posing as a hitman.

During three meetings in March, Manejwala laid out plans to pay the hitman $15,000 to murder his wife and stage it to look like she was the victim of a home invasion or burglary gone wrong, police said. Manejwala allegedly even led the undercover cop to his home, showed him video of the interior and a photo of his wife.

Manejwala met with the officer Tuesday and made a partial payment of the killing, promising to pay the rest on April 1 when the deed was done. It was at that point that police took him into custody and charged him in the plot.