The Oregon Department of Corrections said Thursday that an 81-year-old Sheridan man who was convicted of a murder-for-hire scheme last year passed away in jail.
According to the agency, George Gebrayel passed away at the Snake River Correctional Institution in Ontario while receiving hospice treatment.
Gebrayel was found guilty in Yamhill County Circuit Court last April of attempted murder and solicitation to commit murder.
Court documents state that Gebrayel wanted to set up the murders of five people, according to a confidential informant who spoke to investigators from the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office. According to court documents, Gebrayel asked the informant to carry out the assassinations using hand signals and code phrases.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Gebrayal offered the informant land and money in exchange for killing these people. He offered ideas on how to murder people and conceal the body or make their murders seem unintentional.
In weeks of talks with the informant, Gebrayel described his plans on a court-authorized body wire. For each victim, he offered the informant $1,000.
According to court documents, Gebrayel received a sentence of seven and a half years in prison.
Criminal justice is the area of expertise for enterprise reporter Noelle Crombie. You can reach her at [email protected] or 503-276-7184.
