Celebrity Chef Juan-Carlos Cruz, host of the Food Network’s “Calorie Commando,” was arrested by Santa Monica Police officers on May 13 after he solicited members of the City’s homeless population to commit murder.
On May 7, officers with the Santa Monica Police Department’s Homeless Liaison Program were contacted by homeless individuals who were solicited by the suspect to kill an individual. The individuals who were solicited agreed to assist the Santa Monica Police Department in the investigation.
The results of the investigation revealed the murder-for-hire method, where and when the individual was to be killed, and the terms of payment. The intended victim has been notified. The identity of the victim is being withheld at this time due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Bail for Juan-Carlos Cruz, a resident of Los Angeles, is set at $5,000,000.
For more information, please contact the department’s public information officer, Sergeant Jay Trisler at 310.458.8471.
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