(Utah County Jail)
UTAH COUNTY – Prosecutors have charged a Utah County man for reportedly hiring a hitman for a murder. The target… himself.
The investigation started after a Salem Police officer spotted a post on an app called “Whisper.” The post simply said “Need Help 19F.” In one affidavit, the officer stated he believed the poster was a 19 -year-old woman who needed assistance. The probable cause statement says when the officer responded to ask what kind of help she needed, she responded that she wanted to arrange a murder.
The supposed target was Taylor Eric Bedolla, the woman’s ex-fiancée, and she claimed her motive was that he had been planning to take their child away from her. The statement also says an undercover officer sent several message to this woman, planning the hit.
Only, it wasn’t a woman the officer was communicating with.
The investigator reportedly became very concerned about Bedolla’s safety and went to speak with him about the murder plot. However, the probably cause statement says the officer became more doubtful as their conversations continued.
Eventually, the two had a confrontation, with the officer saying he suspected Bedolla was behind the whole thing. During a conversation in late November, Bedolla reportedly confessed that he created the Whisper account, and posed as his ex. He believed someone would take the request more seriously if it came from a woman in the situation he described.
Bedolla also allegedly said he was depressed and wanted to die, but he didn’t want to do it himself.
He has been booked for one count of solicitation, and one count of obstruction of justice.
Anyone experiencing depression or going through suicidal thoughts should call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK.