As fans and investigators try to figure out the motive behind the alleged murder-for-hire scheme hatched by As I Lay Dying’s Tim Lambesis, the details of the singer’s divorce offer few clues.
Grammy-nominated Lambesis, 32, was arrested on Tuesday in a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Oceanside, California, and charged with three federal counts, including one of solicitation to commit murder and two of conspiracy to commit crime after he reportedly tried to hire an undercover detective he believed was a hit man. The September 2012 divorce documents indicate that Lambesis’ split from his estranged wife, Meggan, was amicable, according to the Associated Press.
Meggan Lambesis reportedly did not fear for her life and other than some troubling changes she noted in her estranged husband’s demeanor, she did not appear to have any major concerns about their split. In the divorce papers, Meggan Lambesis said the singer had become “obsessed with bodybuilding” before their divorce and was often distracted by talking or texting on his phone when he spent time with their three adopted children.
Lambesis’ obsession with working out appeared to have inspired a second official Twitter account, @gymlambesis, on which he frequently commented on his band’s activities as well as his changing appearance. Lambesis, who is being held without bail, is scheduled to be arraigned in the case on Thursday.
The couple adopted three children (4,8, 10) from Ethiopia and Lambesis saw them for around 10 hours a week when he was not on tour, according to the court documents. Meggan Lambesis also noted that at one point Tim had fallen asleep while watching the children at the beach and that she felt they needed a “stable parent” to help them adjust to their new life as children of divorce. She said the hard-working metal frontman toured six months a year and twice traveled across the country in one year to see his girlfriend, as well as spending thousands of dollars on his elaborate patchwork of tattoos.
Lambesis has said he considers himself to be a Christian and acknowledges that he finds inspiration for lyrical content from biblical texts. His bandmates — Jordan Mancino, Nick Hipa, Phil Sgrosso and Josh Gilbert — broke their silence late Wednesday (May 8), posting a statement to the AILD website addressed to “our fans.”
“As we post this, the legal process is taking its course and we have no more information than you do,” the statement read. “There are many unanswered questions, and the situation will become clearer in the coming days and weeks. We’ll keep you informed as best we can. Our thoughts right now are with Tim, his family, and with everyone else affected by this terrible situation — and with our fans, whom we love and draw strength from. Thank you for understanding, and as always, for your support of As I Lay Dying.”
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