Man accused of planning to kill ex-wife

Font Size:

By Thomas Geyer | Tuesday, July 22, 2008 11:05 PM CDT | () comments

A 43-year-old Hiawatha, Iowa, man is charged with attempting to hire someone to kill his ex-wife who lives in the Quad-Cities, according to a news release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa.

Daniel Dean Dostart, of 205 16th Avenue Court, made his initial appearance Tuesday in U.S. District Court, Cedar Rapids.

According to the affidavit, between July 14 and July 21, Dostart contacted a man in Idaho in the hopes the man would help Dostart hire a hit-man to kill his ex-wife.

The charge carries a sentence of up to 10 years in a federal prison.

According to the affidavit filed by special agent Matt George of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation in Stockton, on July 14 at about 10 a.m. Pacific time, a man in Idaho received a call from Dostart who told the man about a messy divorce he went through.

Dostart allegedly asked the man if he knew of anyone who could “make her disappear, kill her,” the affidavit states.

Dostart’s ex-wife currently lives in the Quad-Cities.

The man in Idaho told Dostart he would talk to someone and call Dostart back.

On July 15, the man called Dostart and told him he hadn’t found anyone to do the “house repairs” yet. Also on July 15, the man in Idaho and the Hiawatha Police Department made contact, and the man told officers that Dostart was seeking someone to kill his ex-wife.

On July 17, the Idaho man began recording phone conversations with Dostart. Dostart allegedly advised the man that he wanted his ex-wife to disappear and that he didn’t care how it was done.

Dostart, who served in the U.S. Air Force, allegedly told the man that he is upset with his ex-wife because she is getting half of his military retirement and took his kids away from him.

A payment amount of $5,000 was allegedly agreed upon. Dostart also allegedly told the Idaho man that if the killing could be done between Aug. 3 and Aug. 9, when Dostart would be on vacation, there would be a 20 percent bonus.

Dostart was allegedly in the Quad-Cities and followed and photographed his ex-wife’s vehicle, place of employment and home.

On July 18, Dostart mailed the photographs along with other documents to a post office box in Sagle, Idaho. The man in Idaho was to give the package to the purported hit-man. A copy of his ex-wife’s Florida driver’s license with her picture on it also was in the packet.

The package was intercepted by a U.S. Postal Inspector.

A preliminary hearing and detention hearing are scheduled for Friday in U.S. District Court, Cedar Rapids.

The Bettendorf Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service and Iowa State Patrol assisted in the investigation.

Thomas Geyer can be contacted at (563) 383-2328 or tgeyer@qctimes.com.