Man Hired Hitman To Seek Revenge On Doctor He Claims Was Responsible For Wife's Death

An elderly man has been convicted of "orchestrating" a 2018 murder in which he hired a hitman to gun down a California podiatrist he felt was responsible for the death of his wife.

Robert Elmo Lee, 83, of Lodi, has been found guilty of first-degree murder with a special circumstance of murder for financial gain over the 2018 shooting death of Dr. Thomas Shock, a California doctor, on Thursday, March 24, Daily News reported.

In 2014, Lee's wife, Bonnie Lee, had consulted Shock for the treatment of an ingrown toenail. However, Bonnie had to later have that foot amputated, and then reportedly died from a related infection two years later in 2016. After Bonnie's death, the California Medical Board disciplined Shock for his handling of the matter.

After Bonnie's demise, a vengeful Lee blamed the podiatrist for his wife's death and plotted to have Shock killed.

In August 2018, Shock was shot and killed in his Lodi home by Lee's co-defendant Mallory Stewart. Following Shock's death, officers found a document from the California Medical Board bearing the initials “B.L." located in the doorway near the victim's body. When law enforcement checked with the authorities about the initials, it was confirmed that the letters referenced Bonnie Lee, New York Post reported.

Following Shock's murder, investigators suspected Lee and conducted a search of his residence. Even though Lee initially denied his involvement in Shock's death, he said he "was glad that he was dead."

The gunman, Mallory Stewart, 27, has also been found guilty of first-degree murder. Meanwhile, his cohorts, Christopher Costello, 26, whose thumbprint was found on the document in Shock's residence, and Raymond Jacquett IV, 26, who drove the getaway car, were found guilty last year for their roles in Shock's murder. Jacquett was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison in December 2019.

Meanwhile, Lee and Stewart are scheduled to be sentenced on May 16, 2022.