Man Gets 30 Years For Trying To Arrange Wife's Death

INDIANAPOLIS -- A Marion County man who confessed to trying to hire an undercover police officer to kill his wife was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in prison.

Robert L. Quarles, who was arrested in late October, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder.

Less than a week after his arrest, the former tow truck driver told reporters he was guilty as charged, saying he wanted to shut his wife up for having belittled him and his family "over a number of years."

Police began investigating Quarles in October after one of his Indy Towing Service co-workers told authorities that Quarles had talked about having unsuccessfully tried to poison his wife, authorities said.

At the direction of police, the co-worker introduced the undercover officer to Quarles as one of the co-worker's cousins, authorities said. Quarles, thinking the undercover man was a professional killer, tried to hire him to kill his wife, according to police.

Police said Quarles offered the undercover officer $3,000 to kill his wife. Authorities said they believe Quarles hoped to collect life insurance had his spouse died. They also said he didn't want to share a potential $1 million settlement in connection with the May drowning of his mentally disabled daughter.