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Murder-for-hire trial underway in Waco

A convenience store owner is on trial for hiring a hitman to kill someone out of revenge over a dice game incident, prosecutors said.

WACO, Texas — A Hewitt man is on trial in McLennan County after being accused in a murder-for-hire case.

Prosecutors said Tyler Clay, a convenience store owner, hired a hitman to kill Joshua Pittman out of revenge.

The shooting happened in Dec. 2015, but Clay and accused hitman, Keith Spratt, were both arrested on capital murder charges in 2017. Prosecutors are trying to prove that Clay hired Spratt to kill Pittman, because Pittman pulled out a gun on Clay and robbed him of his cash after a dice game.

On Tuesday, an inmate in the McLennan County Jail, James Spears, testified. He said in court that he was originally hired to kill Pittman. Spears said Clay offered to pay him $5,000 to do it.

He told the jury he was going to commit the crime free of charge because he was trying to help a friend who couldn't help himself.

Spears said he was arrested before he could kill Pittman because he is a felon and he was caught trying to buy the gun to commit the crime.

The man who prosecutors said carried out the killing, Spratt, was also charged with capital murder. His case is pending.

Clay’s attorney Randy Schaffer said Clay had nothing to do with the shooting and Spratt had his own reason for killing the victim.

If Clay is convicted, he faces life without parole.

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