NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A member of the Tennessee Air National Guard was arrested last week after applying to be a hitman on a parody website. He was subsequently charged in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee with the use of interstate facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire.
Josiah Ernesto Garcia, 21, was identified as the dunce who applied for work as a hired killer on the website www.rentahitman.com. He reportedly needed money for his family and thought he could put his training to use and become a contract mercenary, the Daily Wire reported.
During the course of his online search, Garcia came across the parody website, which was originally created in 2005 to advertise a cyber security startup company that eventually failed.
Despite the company’s failure, they received so many inquiries about murder-for-hire services that the “website’s administrator then converted the website to a parody site that contains false testimonials from those who have purported to use hit man services, and an intake form where people can request services,” according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
One false testimonial on the parody site reads, “Caught my husband cheating with the babysitter and our relationship was terminated after a free public relations consultation. I’m single again and looking to mingle. Thanks Guido and RENT-A-HITMAN!”
“Applicants” can actually go to a place on the website to seek work as a contract killer, according to the news outlet.
Garcia initially reached out to the site on Feb. 16, when he completed an inquiry form indicating he was interested in “obtaining employment as a hitman.” He highlighted his “military experience and rifle expertise” as he was “employed in the Air National Guard since July 2021.”
Josiah Garcia bragged on his application about being an expert marksman “awarded for not missing a single bullseye on all of the targets and for shooting expert with 2 (or more) weapons.” (Josiah Garcia – Facebook)
During his “application,” Garcia also requested an in-depth job description, according to court documents filed on April 12, the New York Post reported.
Court documents revealed that Garcia declared, “*Why I want this Job* Im looking for a job, that pays well, related to my military experience (Shooting and Killing the marked target) so I can support my kid on the way. What can I say, I enjoy doing what I do, so if I can find a job that is similar to it, (such as this one) put me in coach!”
The FBI used an undercover agent to pose as an employee during a months-long sting, according to Yahoo News. The agent appeared to give Garcia a way out of the situation, yet he declined and decided to proceed forward.
“You are locked in? This is what you want? Because it sounds like you have a lot going on. You’re in the military. You’ve got college,” the undercover agent said. “You’ve got a lot going on, as far as good things in your life to kinda’ get in this world. It is a shady world, and I just don’t want you to have regrets if you come to work for us, because it, I mean it messes with your mind, shooting people.”
Garcia said he had “weighed the psychological effects of killing someone and he was ok with it.” He also indicated he would prefer to kill people outside of Tennessee, but was fine doing work locally, according to court documents.
Josiah Garcia noted his “military experience and rifle expertise” in the form he submitted to the parody website. (Josiah Garcia – Facebook)
The criminal defendant suggested he could kill as many as 50 people and not have a problem with it. “That’s rookie numbers,” he said. “My only question is when can I start? I’m very excited.”
During the sting, Garcia was provided with a packet of a fictitious person along with information specific to the bogus hit job established by the FBI.
Garcia reportedly agreed to kill the individual. He collected an initial payment of $2,500 for the contract killing and was immediately arrested by the FBI.
Garcia has an exposure of up to 10 years in prison if he is convicted.
In an earlier, yet unrelated case, a Michigan woman pleaded guilty to one count each of solicitation of murder and illegal use of a computer to facilitate a crime after she tried to hire a killer through rentahitman.com.
Wendy Lynn Wein received a sentence of up to 20 years in prison last year after she paid to have her ex-husband snuffed out, Law Officer reported at the time.
