Two men have been arrested and are facing charges of criminal solicitation and conspiracy to commit homicide after a murder-for-hire plot was uncovered during a confession to a pastor.
David Vanatta, 49, of Wilcox, Pennsylvania, was apprehended after he told his pastor that he paid Colton Baird, 32, of Ridgway, Pennsylvania, $2,000 to kill Vanatta’s estranged wife.
The pastor contacted authorities on Dec. 22 immediately after the conversation, according to WTAJ.
After receiving the report, Pennsylvania State Police interviewed Vanatta, and police said that Vanatta confirmed what he had told the pastor.
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The police then interviewed Baird, who also reportedly confirmed that the transaction of $2,000 had occurred and that he had already spent the money.
Police said that Baird visited Vanatta’s home sometime during the previous week to make the “hand-to-hand transaction.”
Police also reported that Vanatta’s wife was not harmed. A family member told ChurchLeaders in an email that so long as Vanatta and Baird are in custody, the family is confident that Vanatta’s wife and her children are safe.
The identity of the pastor or the church where he serves has not been publicly disclosed.
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Vanatta and Baird are being held at the Elk County Prison and have been denied bail. They are scheduled to appear in court for preliminary hearings on Jan. 8, 2025.
This article has been updated to include a correction about David Vanatta’s age and a correction clarifying that Vanatta and his wife are estranged, not divorced. This article has also been updated to include information given to ChurchLeaders by a close family member.
