A Pearland man tried to hire a hitman to kill an ex-girlfriend and three other Houston residents, prosecutors said Thursday in announcing his arrest.
Rajesh Bakshi, 54, was charged with four counts of solicitation of capital murder and is accused of trying to pay a professional killer to shoot a woman he had once dated, along with her boyfriend and parents, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office said, in a news release detailing the case.
Authorities arrested Bakshi on Tuesday, after he allegedly paid an undercover Houston police officer a $1,500 down payment to perform the contract killing, according to the DA’s news release.
“This operation saved lives in a very sensitive situation,” District Attorney Kim Ogg said. “Imagine how bad this could have been had it not been uncovered before it got to a real hitman.”
Bakshi had harassed the woman for months and been violent with her, according to the DA’s office.
Bakshi, an Indian immigrant, owns a convenience store in Pearland. He is in custody, with bail set at $150,000.
If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Bakshi allegedly made a $1,500 down payment and provided photos of each person he wanted killed, while asking that cocaine be sprinkled near the bodies, according to the DA’s office. Baksi had nearly $13,000 more in cash available to him when he was arrested.
Court records show he is being represented by public defenders.
