Crime & Safety

Rocker Tim Lambesis to be Arraigned Thursday

Timothy Peter Lambesis, of "As I Lay Dying," was arrested in Oceanside Tuesday. Deputies say he tried to kill his spouse—an Encinitas resident.

The lead singer of a million-selling San Diego-based rock band remained behind bars today on suspicion of trying to hire a hit man to murder his estranged wife.

Timothy Peter Lambesis, frontman and co-founder of the heavy-metal group As I Lay Dying, was arrested at an Oceanside bookstore on Tuesday afternoon after allegedly asking an undercover detective to kill his spouse, Meggan, according to sheriff's officials.

Authorities began investigating Lambesis, 32, in the case on Thursday, when they received information that he allegedly was trying to get someone to commit the slaying.

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He had just returned with his band from a short tour that included stops in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea and China, and was scheduled to embark on a series of U.S. shows in about three weeks.

Lambesis was booked into the Vista Jail on suspicion of solicitation of murder and conspiracy, and was being held without bail pending arraignment Thursday afternoon. 

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The suspect's wife, an Encinitas resident, filed for divorce last September, Billboard magazine reported. The couple had adopted three children from Ethiopia together in recent years, according to the music-industry publication.

As I Lay Dying's most recent release, last year's "Awakened," debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard charts. Its previous two albums opened at Nos. 10 and 8, respectively.

The Grammy-nominated group, which has been described as a "Christian band" due to its lyrics and self-professed religious beliefs, has released six studio records and sold more than 1 million albums with Metal Blade Records.

Lambesis, an avid bodybuilder, is also the creative force behind Austrian Death Machine, a spoof band based on his fondness for Arnold Schwarzenegger. The singer's wife is listed as performing backing vocals on that band's 2008 debut album, "Total Brutal," Billboard reported.

—City News Service


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