Shooting, abuse suspect charged in Berks Co. murder-for-hire plot

READING, Pa. - June 11, 2012 (WPVI) -- Authorities in Berks County have charged an inmate with trying to hire a fellow inmate to help kill the victims of his alleged earlier crimes.

Christopher Yingling, 42, of Birdsboro, Pa. is already in custody.

He is charged with the shooting and wounding of his girlfriend's ex-husband in Spring Township on January 24, 2012, and with the alleged sexual assault of that man's 14-year-old daughter from June 1 to December 27, 2011.

Prosecutors say they intercepted phone conversations and a hand-written note in which Yingling made arrangements with another inmate to help orchestrate the killings of the ex-husband, the 14-year-old girl, other family members and key witnesses to earlier crimes.

The arrangements allegedly involved Yingling's brother, a designated "hit man," a 20-gauge Mossberg shotgun and a Chevrolet pickup truck.

Yingling was charged Monday with Criminal Solicitation to Commit First Degree Murder. Bail was set at $500,000 and he was returned to jail.

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