As far as celebrity gossip stories go, the one about As I Lay Dying frontman Tim Lambesis trying to hire a hitman to kill his wife is definitely among the stranger ones. The singer/guitarist of the heavy metal band was arrested Tuesday in Oceanside. Lambesis was shopping at the time and the arrest went without incident.

As I Lay Dying, Cologne, Germany
Luckily, the poorly thought out plan was foiled by the police.

According to the police, the man had attempted to hire an undercover police detective to do the job and this is what led to his arrest. The meeting was arranged, following the sheriff’s department being notified of the singer’s desire to get rid of his ex-wife. Not the most brilliant way of going about it, but that’s probably lucky, since it led to his eventual capture. No news has been released yet about possible trial dates or any progress on the case, made after the arrest.

What adds an additional dose of ridiculousness, which had the potential to end in tragedy, is Lambesis’s usual defense of his music. As I Lay Dying have been known for their aggressive style and melodies, fusing “thrash metal” and “beat-down hardcore punk”. But throughout criticism, Lambesis has insisted that while the music might sound harsh, it actually features Christian themes of love and forgiveness. Talk about not practicing what you preach.