INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A 70-year-old Indian River Shores man was jailed after paying a “hitman” in a scheme to murder a young woman set to testify against him in a 2021 illicit sex case. The suspect, identified as Andrew Michael Mustapick, engaged in sexual activity with the woman when she was underaged four-to-five years ago, according to sheriff’s reports.
Andrew Mustapick PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Authorities said the “hitman” hired by Mustapick was an undercover detective working to collect enough evidence to make a solid arrest.
“It would be easier…cheaper just to (expletive) kill her,” Mustapick said in body camera footage worn by the detective during a visit to Mustapick’s home. “Right?”
Mustapick, a computer technician, initially paid $40,000 to have the hitman extort the woman not to testify. Mustapick offered to pay an additional $50,000 to have the woman killed if she refused to comply, deputies said.
A relative of Mustapick notified deputies of the murder plot, Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said.
“(Mustapick’s) a wealthy guy and his family is well-known (in Indian River County). He was prepared to pay to have this person killed. This guy is an absolute animal,” Flowers said. “Thank you to the person who came forward. We would not be here today if it weren’t for that person.”
Body-camera footage provided by Indian River County Sheriff’s Office
Mustapick, of the 1000 block of Morningside Drive, Indian River Shores, was charged with two counts of criminal solicitation tampering with a witness. The bond for Mustapick’s initial charge of unlawful sexual activity with a minor was revoked.
Mustapick pled no contest to the original charge and has a sentencing set for June 6. He will serve one year in prison and 10 years of sex offender probation for that charge, Flowers said.
“His plan was to withdraw the plea deal and then if the victim is no longer here, he would essentially get sentenced to nothing,” Flowers said. “Our belief is that he was bent up about the sex offender probation. That’s what he wanted to get out of.”
The investigation into the murder scheme was a joint operation by the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Indian River County Deputy Dylan Farinacci was the lead detective in the probe.
Flowers spoke about the case during a news conference Tuesday at the Indian River County sheriff’s auditorium.
The woman, who was 17 at the time, contacted the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office 2021. Mustapick had sex with the minor multiple times, from June 2020 to September 2021, in exchange for the purchase of a white Volkswagen Jetta for the teenager’s friend, reports show.
In March, deputies received a tip from Mustapick’s relative that he was planning to hire a person to kill the woman. Undercover detectives from Indian River and Palm Beach counties met with Mustapick over the last few weeks, where he offered them thousands of dollars to have the woman murdered.
On Monday, deputies captured Mustapick traveling twice on U.S. 1 to the bridge over the St. Sebastian River and tossing a laptop, hard drive and other electronic items below into the water. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office dive team recovered the items from the river, Flowers said.
Deputies went to Mustapick’s home and seized more electronic items, Flowers said.
“Huge shoutout to our team that’s been working relentlessly to make this case happen, protect our victim and bring justice in this case. Our team did an amazing job,” Flowers said. “A huge thank you to St. Lucie Dive Team for assembling yesterday so quickly and recovering those items. We also want to thank our partners at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office for helping us out with this case.”
Flowers said deputies were providing the young woman with security. Deputies plan to inspect the devices collected from Mustapick’s home and the St. Sebastian River.
Flowers said deputies will continue work with the state attorney’s office to prosecute Mustapick on the charges related to the murder-for-hire plot. The sheriff said additional charges could be filed against Mustapick.
“This is an ongoing investigation,” Flowers said.
Photos provided by Indian River County Sheriff’s Office
