‘Feed them to the pigs and alligators’: Retired choral director, 76, ‘offered fellow inmate $4,000 and a car to murder his ex-girlfriend and four others, including a child, and dispose of their bodies’
- Dr Gary Bangstad, PhD, has been charged with five counts of solicitation for murder targeting his ex-girlfriend, her two sons and two other people
- Bangstad was in Florida county jail on a probation violation charge in October when he allegedly approached another inmate with murder-for-hire plan
- Bangstad allegedly wrote and signed a letter that included the names of all the would-be victims, their location, method of murders and payment
- The 76-year-old founder of a chorale group was previously charged with punching a pregnant woman during dispute over pizza
- His long-time friend said Bangstad suffers from a bipolar disorder and may have been off his medication
A former choral director who has been in a Florida county jail since October has now been accused of trying to recruit a fellow inmate to kill his ex-girlfriend and four other people, and then ‘feed them to the pigs and alligators.’
Gary Bangstad, 76, on Wednesday was charged with five counts of solicitation for murder in connection to the alleged plot targeting five people, among them a child.
According to a press release from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, on October 20, a detention deputy was approached by an inmate at the county jail, who told him that Bangstad had offered him $4,000 and a car in exchange for shooting and killing four people.
Gary Bangstad, 76 (left and right), a former choral director and music professor, has bene charged with trying to hire a killer to murder as many as five people, including a child
An arrest affidavit cited by ClickOrlando stated that Bangstad warned the inmate there might be a fifth person at the residence and that person should be killed as well.
Bangstad told WCJB the names of the people on the list included his ex-girlfriend and her two sons.
The inmate told the deputy that he had the murder-for-hire contract in writing, and signed by Bangstad.
The document included the names of all the people Bangstad wanted murdered, how he wanted them murdered, the location the victims would be found at and how much Bangstad was willing to pay for the murders, according to officials.
Bangstad, who was described by a friend as bipolar, was allegedly angry at the would-be victims, which included his ex-girlfriend, and wanted them shot and fed to pigs and alligators
Bangstad allegedly even drew a map showing the layout of the victims’ home and where each of them slept, reported Ocala Star Banner.
The 76-year-old suspect also reportedly told the would-be assassin he wanted ‘everyone whose name was on the note to be fed to the pigs or alligators.’
When confronted about the thwarted homicidal plot, Bangstad said he was angry at the would-be victims.
When told about his handwritten note outlining the instructions for the killings, Bangstad denied wanting anyone killed, but later he allegedly confessed.
Bangstad has a PhD from Arizona State University and previously taught music at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. In 2001, he founded the Wisconsin Master Chorale.
Robert Porsch, the current president of the group and Bangstad’s long-time friend, told the News Herald that the 76-year-old is a ‘fine person’ who suffers from a bipolar disorder and may have been off his medication.
‘He’s fine if he’s taking his medication. If he doesn’t take his medicine, he’s liable to do anything,’ Prosch said.
Bangstad has criminal records in two states.
He was convicted in 2003 in Wisconsin for using a phone to issue threats and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.
The 76-year-old founder of a chorale group was charged in November 2018 with punching a pregnant woman during dispute over pizza
Shortly after moving to Florida in 2017, Bangstad was convicted of battery.
In November 2018, the former professor was charged with aggravated battery on a woman he knew or should have known was pregnant during an argument over a slice of pizza.
Bangstad was rearrested in October of this year on charges of violating probation and domestic violence.
He is currently being held in jail without bond.