Melbourne Police Arrest Suspect For Soliciting Hitman

By  //  January 18, 2013

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Officers from the Melbourne Police Department have arrested a suspect accused of arranging a murder for hire plot.

Melbourne Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Sheridan Shelley said Samir Mohammad Fawaka was introduced to an undercover Melbourne police detective posing as a hitman on Jan. 11.

Shelley said Fawaka had inquired about hiring someone to kill a man.

During their meeting, Fawaka offered the undercover operative $500 cash and a vehicle as payment for the murder.

Another meeting between Fawaka and the detective took place on Jan. 13 and Shelley said that during this encounter, Fawaka gave the detective $150 and said the rest of the money and vehicle would be provided after the intended target was murdered.

Fawaka told the undercover detective that the man that was to be killed was associated to him through a family relationship.

Shelley said Melbourne Police investigators contacted the intended victim to explain the scope of the investigation.

Investigators were able to place the victim in a secure location and give Fawaka the impression that the murder had taken place.

On Friday, Fawaka met with the undercover detective in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart grocery store at 3950 N. Wickham Road in Melbourne.

According to Shelley, Fawaka confirmed in the meetings that he believed his intended target had been murdered and provided $350 and signed the title of ownership of a 1999 Dodge van over to the detective.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Fawaka was arrested and transported to the Brevard County Jail.

“Although an arrest has been made, this incident is still under investigation,” Shelley said.