Man sentenced in murder-for-hire plot to kill best friend

NEW RICHMOND, Ohio (WXIX) - A man who pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and conspiracy to commit murder in a plot that killed his best friend was sentenced to life in prison.

Keyanta Gardner was sentenced in Clermont County Common Pleas Court.

He confessed to the homicide of 23-year-old Bobby Farrell of New Richmond back in July.

Clermont County prosecutors said Gardner paid another man to kill Farrell.

On Wednesday, Farrell’s father broke down during the sentencing.

“He [Gardner] took everything from us did not care,” Bobby Farrell said. “He tossed my son on the side of the road like he was trash.”

In court earlier this year, Gardner admitted he picked up Christian “Boog” Beasley from the Cincinnati area on July 6 and they drove to New Richmond and picked up Farrell from his residence.

Gardner went up to the Farrell’s residence to get him. He said they drove for a short time, smoking marijuana together and then Beasley shot the victim twice in the head.

Gardner said he pulled his vehicle over and pulled Farrell’s body from it, leaving Farrell just behind a tree line on State Route 222 in New Richmond.

Gardner and Beasley went back to the Cincinnati area, where they tried to clean his vehicle to get rid of the evidence.

That night, Gardner returned to the Clermont County area.

Prosecutors say he spent the next several days with the Farrell family and was involved in the search for him.

Gardner admitted in court to paying Beasley about $500 to murder the victim.

He said Beasley got a .38 caliber revolver from someone that was used to kill Farrell.

Beasley was charged with murder and is currently being held on a $5 million bond.

He has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing on Jan. 28.

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