Austin police arrest man accused of trying to hire undercover cop to shoot woman

Austin police arrested a man they say attempted to hire an under cover officer to murder someone, according to the arrest affidavit.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police arrested a man they say attempted to hire an undercover officer to shoot a woman, according to the arrest affidavit.

The undercover officer said he received a number from an individual on Feb. 18, later identified as Michael Cruz, 49, who wanted to set up a meeting.

According to the affidavit, the officer and Cruz met at the Capital Plaza Shopping Center at 5600 Interstate Highway 35.

The two met at the Target parking lot located in the plaza, the affidavit said. The undercover officer said Cruz requested a job he wanted done. He said he wanted to hurt a woman, “bad…really bad.”

According to the officer, Cruz wanted him to shoot a woman he knew in the spine with a small caliber round just above her rear, specifically to paralyze her.

Cruz said he knew the woman in question for seven months and the two were flirtatious but it “didn’t get there.” He said he needed the officer to shoot her because he “would have to be at work on camera.” He said after the shooting he would likely be questioned by police.

According to the officer, Cruz had been surveying the woman for a few weeks at a Marshalls she went to every morning. Cruz offered to pay the officer $1,500 to shoot the woman.

According to the affidavit, Cruz made several plans on how to shoot the woman. He allegedly told the officer he could make the shooting look like a different crime, specifically a robbery.

Cruz also told the officer of a plan he made to shoot the woman on the highway, the affidavit said. He told the officer he wanted to get a gun, follow her while she was driving and when the coast was clear, “let her have it.” Cruz also allegedly told the officer he was a good shot and would do it himself if he had a rifle with a scope.

Cruz was arrested and charged with criminal solicitation of murder. He was booked into the Travis County Jail.