Justin Bieber murder plot phone calls released

Calls released by police recorded from southern New Mexico prison

CBC News

Posted: Feb 20, 2013 9:48 AM ET

Last Updated: Feb 20, 2013 1:04 PM ET

Police in New Mexico have released recordings of phone calls discussing an alleged plot to kill pop star Justin Bieber.

Authorities say the calls were made by convicted killer, inmate and infatuated Bieber fan Dana Martin to his associates, Mark Staake and Tanner Ruane. In them, he allegedly directs them to carry out the plot against the Stratford, Ont.-born singer.

"Did he go over the Bieber thing with you?" Martin, currently serving a life sentence in prison near Las Cruces, N.M., for the rape and murder of a teenage girl, is heard asking Ruane in recordings obtained by Albuquerque ABC station KOAT 7.

The alleged plot against singer Justin Bieber, seen performing at New York's Madison Square Garden on Dec. 7, was foiled when the two suspects took a wrong turn into Canada during their drive to Manhattan. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

Ruane responds: "Nah. The way I like to work dude, I like to know as little as possible... He's gonna use one of the things you gave him, and then he's gonna take care of it."

Police said the men had planned to use hedge clippers to castrate Bieber and his bodyguard, and also to suffocate the victims with a paisley scarf, according to instructions given in detail by Martin.

In December, Martin changed his mind and revealed to the authorities that he had hatched a plot from prison for his associates to kill the Canadian singer, Bieber's bodyguard and two other individuals.

The alleged plot was foiled when the two men took a wrong turn into Canada while travelling to a Bieber concert in New York. Staake was arrested on an outstanding warrant for violating his probation, while Ruane was arrested later.

The two men face multiple charges stemming from the alleged plot.

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