Many people believe that our closest environment, including our family members and friends, poses the biggest threat. This was confirmed once again in today’s case, when a man ordered and paid for the murder of his best friend, hid the body behind a tree, and then helped the victim’s family in their search for the victim while he was still considered missing.
The fatal shooting occurred earlier this year in July when the 24-year-old K. Gardner ordered and paid the 24-year-old C. Beasley $500 to kill Garner’s best friend R. Farrell for an unknown reason. They were both arrested and charged later.
The fatal incident occurred on July 6, when Gardner and Beasley picked up Farrell at his home in Ohio, according to court documents. They had been driving around and smoking marijuana for a while when Beasley pulled out his gun and shot the victim twice in the head. He died immediately.
Gardner pulled over immediately after the shooting and dragged the victim’s body out of the vehicle. Then he hid it behind a tree in a non-residential area, believing that he had adequately hidden the body and that no one would be able to find it for some time.
Gardner and Beasley then fled the scene and returned to the Cincinnati area, where they attempted to clean the vehicle of evidence. The victim was reported missing, and his family started searching for him two days later. Gardner, Farrell’s best friend, decided to assist the family in their search for Farrell as if nothing had happened.
However, the initial investigation showed that Gardner was connected to Farrell’s disappearance because investigators found Gardner attempted to mislead them by making false statements. He was charged with aggravated murder and conspiracy to commit aggravated murder after being arrested for tampering with evidence.
The victim’s family members were devastated to learn that their son’s best friend was responsible for Farrell’s death. “If my son brings somebody home and he loves, we love them.” There are no ifs, and, or buts. Why wouldn’t we trust him if we trusted our son? Throughout this entire ordeal, he has shown no remorse. He played us for fools. “He was at our house swinging my granddaughter on the swing while he knew where my son was the whole time,” the victim’s father told Local 12.
Prosecutors provided more than enough evidence in court. Gardner paid Beasley $500 to kill the victim, according to the investigation. Investigators also provided a bank statement indicating Gardner made a $500 withdrawal days before the incident. Cops used cell phone data to pinpoint the locations of all three men on the day of the incident. Surveillance video footage also showed Gardner and Beasley together both before and after the murder.
Gardner never revealed to the officers the reason for the incident.
Gardner was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole earlier this month after pleading guilty to the murder of his best friend Farrell. He was also sentenced to 11 to 16 years in prison for conspiracy to commit aggravated murder. In addition, he was sentenced to five years in prison for a firearm specification charge. Ferenc ordered that the sentences be served concurrently with the life sentence.
Beasley is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 28 for a pre-trial hearing. He is being held at the Clermont County Jail on a $5 million bond.
