Murder-for-hire suspect waives hearing

By Amanda Stewart

Published: July 22, 2008

A 19-year-old Manassas man charged in a May murder-for-hire plot waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Prince William General District Court on Tuesday.

Thomas Roy Bennett, 19, is charged with malicious wounding and wearing a mask in certain places for a May 23 attack on a 36-year-old Manassas man.

Police believe that Bennett was hired by the man's wife and daughter to kill him.

Around 1 a.m. on May 23, the man's daughter awoke him and told him she heard a noise outside.

When he went outside to investigate, Bennett hit him over the head several times with a baseball bat, police said.

The man was able to overpower Bennett and hold him until police arrived.

Police initially investigated the incident as a burglary, but later determined it was a murder-for-hire plot.

Bennett, and the man's wife and his daughter, April and Jessenia Blasini, were arrested on June 4.

April Blasini, 35, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder for hire and malicious wounding and will have a preliminary hearing in Prince William Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.

Jessenia Blasini, 17, is set to stand trial as an adult in October on charges of

conspiracy to commit murder for hire, malicious wounding and criminal solicitation.

Bennett's charges will go before a grand jury in August.

If they indict him, a trial date will then be set in Prince William Circuit Court.

Staff writer Amanda Stewart can be reached at 703-878-8014.