A man in Texas has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars for orchestrating a murder plot against his landlord due to an impending eviction. Even Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton, while acknowledging the severity of the punishment, deemed it "entirely fitting."
Andrew Christopher Burke, aged 36, faced accusations of intimidating the intended hitman with threats of torture. Furthermore, after his arrest, he engaged in physical altercations with jail guards and staff.
Prosecutor Katherine Peterson emphasized the need for public safety, stating, "Andrew Burke should remain in prison for as long as he poses a threat to society." Burke was convicted by a jury in a murder-for-hire scheme and subsequently sentenced, with 465 days already credited for time served.
It has been determined that he will not be eligible for parole.
According to authorities, Burke sought a hitman's services in June 2022 because his landlord, situated in Sugar Land, Texas, was initiating eviction proceedings against him. However, the individual approached for the job instead reported the situation to law enforcement and cooperated with the investigation, wearing a wire during conversations with Burke.
"During the recorded meetings, the defendant promised to pay the informant for the killing and then threatened to torture the informant if he did not commit the murder," prosecutors disclosed. "Additionally, Burke gave the informant a gun to use in the murder."
Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton noted, "Law enforcement was able to prevent the senseless murder of a property owner who began proceedings to evict the defendant." He justified the life sentence as appropriate, considering Burke's criminal behavior and continued propensity for violence.
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