As I Lay Dying's Tim Lambesis Pleads Not Guilty To Hiring A Hitman

As I Lay Dying frontman Tim Lambesis appeared in court on Thursday to answer for allegedly trying to hire a hitman to murder his wife, and not surprisingly, the Christian metalcore singer officially pleaded not guilty to the charge. As such, North San Diego County Superior Court Judge Martin Staven set the musician’s bail at $3 million and demanded he stay in the area, avoid all contact with his estranged wife and children and hand over his passport.

According to The New York Daily News, a big problem with these conditions for Lambesis is the part requiring him to stay in the area. As I Lay Dying reportedly has a tour already scheduled in the coming months, and if he’s unable to go, that would mean the other guys would be forced to pull out of the gigs, as well.

After about eight years of marriage and three children, Lambesis and his wife Meggan reportedly started having problems last year. Back in August, he sent her an email saying he no longer loved her nor believed in God, which led to her filing divorce papers. Months later, he allegedly told one of his gym buddies he wanted to have her murdered, and said gym buddy put him in touch with an undercover police officer who set up a sting operation that supposedly involved Lambesis turning over house codes, pictures, a thousand dollars and various other pieces of information that would be needed to kill his estranged wife.

Lambesis himself hasn’t spoken at length publically about his take on what happened, but his attorney has called the case one giant set-up. Obviously, figuring out custody issues with children can be very rough, but whatever did actually happen here went way over the line. We’ll keep you updated as the case works its way toward trial.