Hart Co. man already jailed for trying to kill his wife now accused of plotting murder-for-hire scheme from jail cell. Police stage death scene.

A Hart County man already in jail for trying to kill his wife has been accused of arranging the murder of his now estranged wife.

According to the Hart County Sheriff’s Office, on Friday, August 19, deputies received a complaint regarding a murder-for-hire scheme. Police said the ensuing investigation revealed that 45-year-old Warren L. Johnson, of Munfordville, “solicited an unnamed individual to murder his estranged wife.”

Johnson, while incarcerated in the Hart County Jail, arranged payment and provided strategies to the unnamed “hit man” to carry out the crime, according to the sheriff’s office.

In response, the Hart County Sheriff’s office “derived a plan to stage the death of the victim to further the investigation.”

The “victim” was transported to a secure location while multiple law enforcement agencies, EMS and the Hart County Coroner carried out the staged death.

“After a compelling amount of evidence was obtained,” the Hart County Sheriff’s Office attained an arrest warrant for Johnson where he was charged with solicitation of domestic violence murder and retaliating against a participant in the legal process.

Johnson is being held in the Hart County Jail on multiple bonds totaling $2 million.

The investigation is ongoing.

Johnson has been incarcerated since April 6, 2022, when he was arrested and charged with attempted murder, trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine), trafficking in marijuana, acquiring property from income from trafficking in a controlled substance, second-degree assault (domestic violence), possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), first-degree wanton endangerment and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Those charges arose from an investigation into a domestic violence assault on April 5, 2022, where Johnson was accused of trying to kill his wife.

When the Hart County Sheriff’s Office and Kentucky State Police responded to the reported assault at 695 L&N Turnpike, about two miles south of Munfordville, the female victim had fled the scene.

Police said Johnson attempted to leave the area but he drove his vehicle into a ditch and returned to his residence. At some point, the sheriff’s office said, he shot himself in the hand.

During the investigation, police, including the Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force, located a significant quantity of drugs at Johnson’s home.

He was transported to Caverna Memorial Hospital before being transferred to University of Louisville Hospital for treatment of his gunshot wound.

By Ken Howlett, News Director

Contact Ken at ken@k105.com