SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — A man already in jail for sex crimes in Sarasota County and Oregon is facing more charges for attempting to pay to have a family murdered.
Leland Harper, 63, was convicted of 59 counts of sex crimes in Oregon in December 2023. That investigation revealed that Harper had committed similar crimes in Sarasota County, and he was arrested for those crimes in 2024.
According to an affidavit from the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, a confidential informant contacted deputies about the murder-for-hire plot. While in jail, Harper contacted a person to help locate someone to kill an entire family—a mother, father and two children—in exchange for money.
The affidavit claimed that Harper told the person killing the family would help with his appeal in Sarasota. He stated in audio recordings shared with law enforcement, "If they could go away a year ago, be f--ing great" and "No face, no case. If there are no witnesses, there is on trial."
Harper allegedly told the person he wanted it to look like a murder-suicide by the husband of the family. He wanted a fake email exchange to be made that would be a confession by the husband/father, and he would take responsibility for the sexual abuse.
In exchange for the murder, he would pay the person $30,000.
The affidavit said the defendant's wife wired an account of $29,998 for the murders that were to take place in May 2025.
Harper was charged with four counts of homicide murder, first-degree premeditated. He has a pre-trial detention hearing on Thursday, April 17, according to court documents.
"I know that my daughter is not the only one going through this difficult time, but she is not a criminal," said Lourdes Martinez. "She does not deserve to be there."
A Sarasota family is shaken up after being separated from their daughter. Federal agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 22-year-old daughter, Maria Martinez. And now, they are demanding for her return.
