CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)– A Cumberland County Prison inmate is accused of attempting to formulate a “murder for hire” plot targeting potential witnesses in his attempted homicide investigation.

Jonathan Lepperd, 44, of Carlisle, is facing trial after allegedly stabbing his girlfriend multiple times outside their home last year. The Cumberland County District Attorney’s office says Lepperd allegedly asked several inmates to kill witnesses connected to the upcoming trial.

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In an interview with investigators on March 1, Lepperd allegedly admitted to talking to six or seven inmates about the plot because he was upset about being in prison, the DA’s Office says.

Court documents detailed that Lepperd allegedly tried to hire someone to “murder a list of individuals” that included people from the stabbing.

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An inmate who overheard Lepperd talking about how he wanted to harm the people, including judges. so the case would get dismissed, investigators wrote in the complaint. It was noted when talking about the girlfriend Lepperd stated he wanted her “killed” or gone.”

Investigators were able to catch a note that Lepperd tried to pass to another inmate that allegedly had a list of people on it and their addresses that he wanted harmed. Lepperd also had a “kidnap/ransom” plan in order to pay someone to kill the people on the list, court documents state.

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Lepperd was also reportedly overheard talking about a work and child’s school schedule for the one person on the list, along with everyone’s vehicle descriptions. Investigators wrote they were able to confirm that Lepperd was not “joking” about the murder plot, the complaint reads.

Lepperd faces a charge of criminal solicitation – murder of the first degree.

Lepperd remains jailed in Cumberland County Prison with bail denied due to the nature of the charges, court documents state. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for April 4.

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