Informant in attempted murder-for-hire case back behind bars
Lang
10-3-18
The informant in an attempted murder-for-hire case is back behind bars.
66-year-old Ronald Lee Robi of Timber Wolf Drive in North Liberty was booked into the Johnson County Jail just before 8:45 Monday night. Police say Robi failed to appear at his arraignment on 1st Degree Theft and Forgery charges.
Robi is accused of stealing a car from the 900 block of Ball Street in Iowa City during the first weekend of July 2017. The car had been marked for street storage, but had not yet been towed. Robi allegedly attempted to forge the title and registration.
Robi was the informant who contacted police about a possible murder-for-hire scheme involving 38-year-old Justin Dewitt of North Liberty. DeWitt was arrested in Iowa City in June 2016 after he tried to hire a hitman to kill a business associate and that man’s family. He met with the supposed hitman in a parking lot and gave him a $1,000 down payment.
The “hitman” was actually an undercover officer.
While he was in jail awaiting trial, DeWitt tried to hire a hitman to kill three witnesses in the first case.
Robi reached a plea deal on Attempted Murder charges and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
