U.S. Attorneys 1107. Murder-for-Hire—The Offense
The "murder-for-hire" statute, 18 U.S.C. § 1958, was enacted as part of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, Pub.L. 98-473, Ch. X, Part A (Oct. 12, 1984). Section 1958(a) provides:
Whoever travels in or causes another (including the intended victim) to travel in interstate or foreign commerce, or uses or causes another (including the intended victim) to use the mail or any facility of interstate or foreign commerce, with intent that a murder be committed in violation of the laws of any State or the United States as consideration for the receipt of, or as consideration for a promise or agreement to pay anything of pecuniary value, or who conspires to do so [violates this statute].
Initially § 1958 was codified as 18 U.S.C. § 1952A, but in 1988 it was renumbered as § 1958. Section 1958 was patterned after the Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering (ITAR) statute,...