Tim Lambesis ‘Pyrithon’ band members Ryan and Andy have commented on the arrest of their singer, Tim Lambesis, for allegedly hiring someone to kill Tim‘s estranged wife.
Lambesis was taken into custody without incident on Tuesday [May 7] around 2 p.m. at a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Oceanside, California, according to San Diego Sheriff’s Department. He was charged with solicitation of another to commit murder of his wife, who resides in Encinitas.
“I want to thank everyone for their patience and for their concerns and good wishes that you have shown the band this last week. Obviously this is a situation that can’t be planned for and therefor we have been trying not to speak out of turn. As of now, we don’t have any more information on the situation than what we can find in the news but we want to make sure this plays out how it needs to and that we don’t in any way interfere. Thank you so much for the continued support everyone, it means a ton to us.
Ryan and Andy”
According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, As I Lay Dying’s frontman Tim Lambesis, who is accused of trying to hire a hitman to kill his estranged wife, pleaded not guilty earlier yesterday [Thursday, May 9] to a felony charge of solicitation of murder and was ordered held on $3 million bail. He faces nine years in state prison if convicted.
At Lambesis‘ arraignment in Vista Superior Court in Vista, California, Deputy District Attorney Claudia Grasso said that the musician told someone at a gym that he wanted his wife dead. He allegedly met with an undercover agent posing as a hitman, who askedLambesis if he wanted his wife gone, and Lambesis replied, “Yes, that’s what I want.” Lambesis then gave the agent an envelope containing $1,000 in cash with detailed instructions — including pictures of his wife, her address and the code to get through a gate and dates when the “hit” could take place; when he had his children, saying that would be his alibi on how to kill his estranged wife.
The prosecutor argued at the arraignment — which was attended by Tim‘s family, fans, As I Lay Dying manager and band lawyer — that Lambesis be held on $20 million bail, but his defense attorney countered that the amount was unreasonable.
Defense attorney Anthony Salerno said afterward that he believed his client may have been the victim of a setup. “Law enforcement was fed something by someone who effectively orchestrated the whole thing … [Tim] did not intend to harm anybody,” said the lawyer, who added that someone may have given false information about Lambesis to authorities in order to “save his own skin.” “If I had to hang a tag on it, I’d call it a scumbag snitch setup,” he said.
A readiness conference has been scheduled for June 10 with a preliminary hearing to follow on July 10.
*** Let’s pray for Tim, his family and of course his bandmates in both band’s and hope and pray that it’s all based on a misunderstanding or whatever ***
“The Burden of Sorrow” a 3 song Ep was released last month [April] via Metal Blade Records. Click here to read our review.
Related articles:
Pyrithion – The Burden of Sorrow (EP) [Album review]
‘Tim Lambesis’ Accused Of Hiring Hitman To Kill Estranged Wife ? + Video Report Update [May 2013
‘Tim Lambesis’ Bandmates In ‘As I Lay Dying’ Comment On His Arrest [May 2013]
‘Tim Lambesis’ Pleads Not Guilty In Murder-For-Hire Case [May 2013]