Canadian NHL Player Arrested on Hit Man Charge [gay couple!]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=577&e=1&u=/nm/20040417/sp_nm/nhl_crime_dc ^ | 4-16-04 | Adam Tanner

[Pharmboy]

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - FBI agents arrested professional hockey player Michael Danton on Friday on charges he tried to hire someone to murder a man who had apparently been his lover, according to court documents.

Reuters Photo

A criminal complaint filed in U.S. district court for Southern Illinois said Danton -- who was arrested hours after a playoff game in San Jose, California -- told a friend an invented story about a fellow-Canadian who wanted to kill him over a debt.

He asked the friend, Katie Wolfmeyer, 19, if she knew anyone willing to kill the man for $10,000. Wolfmeyer told an unnamed witness who then revealed the plot to the FBI.

"When the thing goes down, I don't want to know anything about it," the complaint quoted Danton, a National Hockey League player with the St. Louis Blues (news), as telling the witness by telephone. The FBI said the call was recorded.

"I'm pretty much begging," Danton said. "I wouldn't resort to this if it wasn't a matter of life and death."

"The only way that I'm going to be able to sleep tonight is knowing that the guy trying to kill me is done himself."

The allegation said Danton wanted the intended victim murdered at his St. Louis apartment in a way that made it look as though he was a thief who had broken in.

The target of the plot, when interviewed by the FBI, said "that he and Danton had a severe argument on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 concerning Danton's promiscuity and use of alcohol."

"The acquaintance threatened to leave Danton," the complaint continued.

After the FBI had foiled the plot, the man Danton wanted dead allowed investigators to record a telephone conversation with Danton, according to the allegation.

"The acquaintance called Danton and asked Danton why he wanted to have him killed. Danton broke down and sobbed," it said.

"Danton explained that he felt backed into a corner and felt that the acquaintance was going to leave him. Danton did not want to allow the acquaintance to leave him, and therefore decided to have him murdered."

Wolfmeyer, a Missouri resident, was arrested on Thursday and provided a written confession on Friday, the complaint said.

Danton had played in San Jose on Thursday when the San Jose Sharks (news) eliminated the Blues from the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. A spokesperson for the team did not return a call for comment.

[Pharmboy]

What can one say?

[spyone]

Looking for my bookie's phone number to cancell my bet on the San Jose game!

[GeronL]

What can one say?

mhking, over here...

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

sportsbetting.com

[AlbertWang]

I always hire my hitmen thru 19 year old chicks.

[Arpege92]

"I always hire my hitmen thru 19 year old chicks."

LOL

[Numbers Guy]

I always hire my hitmen thru 19 year old chicks.

And what's with calling the guy an "acquaintance". Sounds like more than an "acquaintance" to me . . .

[socal_parrot]

A NHL player should always watch who he high sticks.

It could come back to haunt him.

Eh?

[fso301]

Oh well, he should do ok spending the next few years locked up with lots of men.

[RWR8189]

Just another confirmation to what I have been saying for 40 years, the NHL shouldn't have expanded.

If we were back to the Original Six, I guarantee you this fruit wouldn't have had a spot on any of those teams.

[GreenHornet]

A homosexual hockey player.......is this what they mean by a "gay blade"?

[KC Burke]

Gives a whole new meaning to the saying, "keep your stick on the ice."

[skinkinthegrass]

...They don't wear heavy padding/protection in prison....he may want to share a cell w/ Martha Stewart.

[hole_n_one]

This could give an entirely new meaning to the phrase He shoots!........He scores!

[FourPeas]

I always hire my hitmen thru 19 year old chicks.

Me, too. What a coincidence.

[SpottedBeaver]

Looking for my bookie's phone number to cancell my bet on the San Jose game!

I think that I will take the Sharks in five.

[socal_parrot]

He shoots!........He scores

I'm sorry, but he was in the crease.

But talk about your "Goal mouth action"!

[Centurion2000]

Somehow I doubt he was the b*#ch in that relationship

[FourPeas]

I can only imagine what Don Cherry or Mickey Redman would say about this.

[Numbers Guy]

I checked the stats. He tied for the team lead in penalty minutes; in other words, he spent as much time as anyone in the "sin bin".

Looks like he was a 4th-line center, 7 goals, 5 assists, -8 plus/minus, averaged over one penalty per game. Not exactly a star, though he was only 23 and likely to contribute more in future years.