"As I Lay Dying" Vocalist Pleads Guilty In Attempted Murder, Faces Nine Years In Prison

Remember that time when the lead singer of As I Lay Dying *allegedly* tried to hire a hitman to murder his wife? It’s not so alleged anymore. Grammy-nominated Christian rocker Tim Lambesis plead guilty on Tuesday, admitting in a California court that he tried to have his estranged wife murdered. The 32-year-old singer could now face up to nine years in prison, according to Billboard.

Lambesis denied the charge when the case was originally brought to court, but now he has entered a plea at a Vista, California courthouse. Lambesis was first arrested in May 2013, when prosecutors said he met with a sheriff's deputy posing as a hit man – codenamed "Red" - and handed over $1,000 and his wife's address and front door security code. The prosecution’s case claims that Lambesis agreed to pay $20 000 for the murder of his wife. After being asked repeatedly to confirm that he wanted the woman, Meggan, dead, he answered: "Yes, that's exactly what I want," says Deputy District Attorney Claudia Grasso.

The prosecution’s case is made stronger by the fact that Lambesis had mentioned wanting to have his wife killed even before the incident – which goes against the most basic rules of crime, but it was Lambesis’ first try after all. The Christian rocker had mentioned his frustration with Meggan to a personal trainer at his gym, complaining about the woman blocking his visitation rights over their three adopted children and was delaying the completion of their divorce. In fact, it was the trainer’s call that alerted the police to Lambesis’ intentions and gave rise to operation Red.

In September, an attorney for Lambesis tried to play the temporary insanity card, claiming that performance-enhancing drugs had clouded his client’s judgement. The story checks out, since Lambesis’ ex-wife-to-be had claimed in the divorce papers that the singer was obsessed with bodybuilding and was spending money irresponsibly. She later discovered he was carrying on an affair. The final hearing, where Lambesis will be sentenced, has been set for May 2.