TROY, Mich. – A Troy man has been arrested after police say he hatched a plan to hire someone to kill his family with a backup plan to buy a gun and do it himself.
Troy police said someone came to the station on July 1 and told officers that Max Garza, 48, was making plans to hire someone who could kill his family members. The witness told authorities that Garza was trying to find a gun to kill them himself if he couldn’t find someone else to do it.
Garza hoped to receive a larger inheritance from the family’s estate, and he was also generally angry with the family, according to the witness.
Police said the witness had recorded conversations with Garza about those plans to solicit or commit murder. Garza talked about how he would pay for the murder, construct his alibi, and have a backup plan if he couldn’t find anyone to hire, officials said.
The recordings were turned over to investigators, who interviewed Garza two days later at the police department.
Garza was taken into custody because authorities believed he was a real threat to his family.
Oakland County prosecutors charged Garza with five counts of solicitation to commit murder. He was arraigned at 52-4 District Court and given a $1 million bond.
Here is a statement from the family’s attorney:
The family members, who were the targets of an apparent murder plot by Max Garza, wish to express their profound gratitude to the Troy Police Department and its hard-working officers, who helped avert a potential tragedy.
Not only did the police officers treat the situation seriously, they proceeded quickly, professionally, yet carefully, to make sure that the family members were safe.
The family is also grateful that the witness came forward, notified, and cooperated with police officers so that Garza could not follow through with his apparent plan.
The family is still devastated and shocked by the recent events, which they just learned about a few days ago. The family is trying to come to terms with what happened and move forward. They ask for privacy during this difficult time.
Andrew Mayoras of Barron, Rosenberg, Mayoras & Mayoras, P.C.
