Updated Nov 17, 2009 - 7:58 am
Laser eye surgeon jailed in murder plot
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Prosecutors have filed charges against a King County laser eye surgeon accused of trying to have two of his colleagues killed.
Dr. Michael Mockovak was charged Monday with two counts of solicitation to commit murder in the first degree, after an FBI investigation led authorities to believe that Dr. Mockovak meant to hire someone to kill two of his business associates.
The first victim of Mockovak's alleged plans was a former associate fired in 2007. After his firing, the former associate filed a wrongful termination suit against Mockovak, the business Mockovak owns, Clearly Lasik, and his Clearly Lasik co-founder Dr. Joseph King.
Charging documents say that Mockovak allegedly approached the FBI source multiple times asking for a contact that might "take care" of his work colleague.
The list of potential hits grew as documents say that Mockovak also expressed interest in killing his business partner Dr. King.
The hit on King was reportedly to be carried out in Australia, where King was heading for a week's stay on November 7th.
The man that provided information about the alleged plan told the FBI that the killing was to be staged as a carjacking "gone bad."
According to charging documents Mockovak had handed over $10,000 up front to carry out the kill, with an additional $15,000 promised upon completion. Mockovak had also offered the man arranging the killing $100,000 from the $5 million expected from the cashing in of King's life insurance policy.
Mockovak was arrested near his home in Newcastle on November 12th. Prosecutors requested Mockovak be held on $3 million bail.
The intended hit, Dr. King, has reportedly gone into hiding in an area hotel along with his family.
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