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Wednesday, Dec 12, 2012 9:00 PM UTC

Convicted murderer crafted bizarre plot to castrate and kill Justin Bieber

And has a tattoo of the pop star on his leg VIDEO

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Topics: Video, Justin Bieber, New Mexico, Murder, Celebrity, pop star,

Convicted murderer crafted bizarre plot to castrate and kill Justin Bieber (Credit: (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Sean Kilpatrick))

Dana Martin, a convicted murderer and rapist currently serving two life sentences, foiled his own plan to castrate and murder Justin Bieber. Dick Knipfing of New Mexico station KRQE said of the plot, ”It just gets weirder, and weirder.”

Martin originally hatched the perverse plot with fellow Las Cruces state prison inmate Mark Staake, who then recruited his nephew, Tanner Ruane. The plan targeted four individuals–two of Martin’s former acquaintances in Vermont, and then Bieber and his bodyguard when they were in New York City a few weeks ago. KRQE reports that Martin “gave strict orders to strangle the victims with a paisley tie, the kind Martin used as his calling card” and that Ruane was to castrate them. (Martin also has a Justin Bieber tattoo on his leg).

Oddly (and luckily), however, Martin turned in Staake and Ruane before any murders took place. Police in Vermont arrested Staake on outstanding warrants before anyone was harmed, and Ruane was later arrested in New York. Police found the murder tools and pruning shears in his possession.

KRQE has the full report:

Police: NM men plotted to kill Justin Bieber

h/t TMZ

Prachi Gupta is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on pop culture. Follow her on Twitter at @prachigu or email her at pgupta@salon.com. More Prachi Gupta.

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