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Prison for TV chef who planned wife's murder
Source: Agencies |
December 16, 2010, Thursday
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JUAN-CARLOS Cruz, the star of the American cooking show "Calorie Commando," was sentenced yesterday to nine years in prison by a Los Angeles court, after pleading no contest to trying to hire two men to kill his wife, Jennifer Campbell.
He told police he did it for love - to spare her the pain of not being able to conceive a child after a decade of fertility treatments.
"His wife was brokenhearted and lamenting over the treatments. The defendant then said that this was a 'merciful' way to end her suffering," according to a probation report on Cruz released on Tuesday.
Under the plan, he would have gone to a book-signing and party for his latest cookbook, "The Love Diet," then returned home to find her dead. But police were tipped off by the two homeless men that Cruz tried to hire, and the plan was foiled.
"Even though I was planning on whacking her, I'm very devoted. I know that's weird." Cruz told police when he was arrested.
When he was sentenced, Cruz smiled and winked at his wife in court. Her attorney, Blair Berk, declined to comment on the couple's current relationship and Campbell did not make a victim impact statement at the sentencing. She later declined to speak with reporters.
Cruz said he and Campbell had spent more than US$200,000 on failed fertility treatments and were deep in debt as a result, the probation report states.
Cruz, 48, a native of El Salvador, told authorities he had considered killing himself and his wife on Mother's Day because it was the most difficult holiday for her, but instead decided to hire someone else to do it.
Police said Cruz gave the men 10 US$100 bills that had been cut in half and said he would provide the other halves after the killing. Police later found the remaining half-bills in Cruz's wallet.
He told police he did it for love - to spare her the pain of not being able to conceive a child after a decade of fertility treatments.
"His wife was brokenhearted and lamenting over the treatments. The defendant then said that this was a 'merciful' way to end her suffering," according to a probation report on Cruz released on Tuesday.
Under the plan, he would have gone to a book-signing and party for his latest cookbook, "The Love Diet," then returned home to find her dead. But police were tipped off by the two homeless men that Cruz tried to hire, and the plan was foiled.
"Even though I was planning on whacking her, I'm very devoted. I know that's weird." Cruz told police when he was arrested.
When he was sentenced, Cruz smiled and winked at his wife in court. Her attorney, Blair Berk, declined to comment on the couple's current relationship and Campbell did not make a victim impact statement at the sentencing. She later declined to speak with reporters.
Cruz said he and Campbell had spent more than US$200,000 on failed fertility treatments and were deep in debt as a result, the probation report states.
Cruz, 48, a native of El Salvador, told authorities he had considered killing himself and his wife on Mother's Day because it was the most difficult holiday for her, but instead decided to hire someone else to do it.
Police said Cruz gave the men 10 US$100 bills that had been cut in half and said he would provide the other halves after the killing. Police later found the remaining half-bills in Cruz's wallet.
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