DETROIT – Bob Bashara has been sitting in the Wayne County Jail but he hasn't been idle.
Bashara, who pleaded guilty this week to trying to have a suspect in his wife's murder killed, has been busy spending a significant amount of time meeting with his attorney and talking on the phone in his jail cell.
As the Local 4 Defenders previously reported, Bashara was blowing up the phone talking with a woman in the S&M community. The woman on the outside has been helping him tie up loose ends in some of his real estate deals.
More: Grosse Pointe Park murder investigation special section
Recently, those close to the case say all Bashara has been talking about on the jail phone, which is a recorded line, is working to get his deal done. He pleaded guilty Thursday to trying to have Joe Gentz, who is charged with murder in Jane Bashara's death, killed. Gentz also is Bob's former handyman.
The Defenders have learned investigators have been keeping close tabs on Bashara in the jail. They knew he was desperate to have this part of the investigation resolved. He called to his attorney, family members and friends for help in striking the deal. The behavior has exposed what some have called a frantic man who needed some control. Entering the guilty plea on his terms was part of the plan.
If Bashara, who is called a suspect in his wife's murder, is actually charged for Jane's death, how does the defense handle this admission of guilt?
"If he gets charged with the homicide case on Jane, it's, 'Hey listen, I wanted the man that killed my wife put away and I wasn't going to wait for the justices to do it," said Local 4 defense expert Todd Flood.