LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A Lake County inmate is facing additional charges after detectives said he attempted to hire another inmate to kill his ex-girlfriend, who he used to live with.
On Nov. 3, the inmate’s ex-girlfriend contacted the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and said that her ex-boyfriend, Robert Joynt, was attempting to hire someone to kill her.
The woman said Joynt was incarcerated at the Lake County Jail for a separate incident, for which she was also the victim.
READ: Florida skydiver dies when parachute fails to open
According to a report, the woman showed deputies a message from a witness who said he was offered $7,500 from Joynt to kill her.
Detectives said they then made contact with the witness, who used to be cellmates with Joynt.
The witness said Joynt offered to pay him to kill Joynt’s ex-girlfriend when he got out of jail, so that Joynt wouldn’t have to go to prison.
The witness said Joynt told him that he made similar offers to at least three other people.
READ: Coronavirus vaccine: What we know about 3 of the most promising vaccines in development so far
Detectives said they obtained jail phone calls from October, where the witness told his wife over the phone that Joynt offered him money to kill Joynt’s ex-girlfriend, but the witness said he would not do it and that he was receiving free meals from Joynt.
The witness then told his wife not to contact law enforcement as he would then become a target as well, the report said.
READ: Coronavirus: Moderna says early analysis shows COVID-19 vaccine 94.5% effective
After the witness was released from jail, detectives said he and Joynt continued to text each other while Joynt was still in jail.
Joynt told the witness in a text message to “make that his second task and make sure they were still on schedule to get the list done.” The witness said the list mentioned was in reference to killing his ex-girlfriend.
Joynt was charged with conspiracy to commit murder. He remains in the Lake County Jail.
Cox Media Group
