Officer in Uniform Arrested in Murder Plot

A Los Angeles police officer was arrested Thursday when he met, while in uniform, with a wealthy businessman and allegedly accepted $50,000 in cash to kill the businessman’s partner, Police Chief Daryl F. Gates said.

Officer Keith Moser, 28, a three-year veteran, who police officials said had an “exemplary record,” was booked for investigation of solicitation to commit murder.

Gates told a Parker Center news conference that the businessman came to police after Moser first offered to kill the partner about three weeks ago.

Police officers then maintained surveillance as Moser met with the businessman to work out details of the “hit.”

On Thursday, officers staked out the parking lot of a restaurant on West Pico Boulevard, where the payoff was made. Moser, who was working the desk at Wilshire Division police station, left the station in a black and white patrol car to collect the money, Gates said.

Although Moser was arrested by plainclothes officers “and thrown down on the parking lot” and handcuffed, “no one passing by paid any attention to it,” Gates said.

Gates said Moser is married, but it was not known if he has any children. The chief added that he did not know if Moser had any financial or other personal problems that might have driven him to offer to commit murder.

“Whether he actually was going to do it, or it was a ‘rip-off’ we don’t know. But it doesn’t make any difference,” the chief said.

Gates refused to identify the businessman, saying “it will probably come out in court.”

The chief said Moser first met the businessman when he answered a family disturbance call at his Hancock Park home. Then, “like a good officer, he made a follow-up call” and the man told him of the partner and business problems.

The next day, Gates said, Moser returned in civilian clothes and told the man he could take care of the problems. In later meetings, it was made clear that the partner would be killed, the chief said. “Like a good citizen,” the businessman told police, Gates said.

Moser remained in the Parker Center jail in lieu of $25,000 bail. The officer was relieved of duty and and departmental charges against him are also being prepared.

“I’m astounded and I’m shocked,” Gates said. “It’s beyond belief that we could somehow get someone in our organization with all of our checks and precautions that would try to do this.”