Singer from ‘As I Lay Dying’ metal band says he’s not guilty in wife’s murder plot

Tim Lambesis, the lead singer in the Christian heavy metal band As I Lay Dying, has pleaded not guilty in a plot to hire a hit man to kill his wife.

Lambesis, 32, was arrested in Oceanside, north of San Diego on Tuesday after police allege he had a conversation with a man who was an undercover cop. Police say Lambesis paid the undercover cop $1,000 to kill his estranged wife, Meggan Lambesis. He also gave the official details about how to carry out the hit, including photograph, an address, a security gate code and dates he would be with their children to give him an alibi, reports The Associated Press.

Lambesis pleaded not guilty to a charge of solicitation of murder in a California courtroom Thursday. A judge set his bail at $3 million and ordered him to wear a GPS tracking device until his next court appearance.

The couple had filed for a divorce, which had not yet gone through. Papers filed in court showed that the spilt was mainly amicable. Tim and Meggan Lambesis have three children — ages 4, 8 and 10 — who were all adopted from Ethiopia.

The band posted a statement to fans on its website Thursday:

“As we post this, the legal process is taking it’s [sic] course and we have no more information than you do. There are many unanswered questions, and the situation will become clearer in the coming days and weeks. We’ll keep you informed as best we can.

“Our thoughts right now are with Tim, his family, and with everyone else affected by this terrible situation — and with our fans, whom we love and draw strength from.”