New York Man's Murder Plot: Pigs, a Nun’s Van, and Bourbon

In a case that sounds more like a dark crime thriller than real life, a man from Upstate New York has pleaded guilty to plotting the murder of his romantic rival with hopes to dispose of the body by feeding it to pigs.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, 57-year-old Jeal Sutherland admitted in federal court to orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot that included a nun’s rental van, a Pennsylvania hog farm, and a bottle of Wild Turkey bourbon as part of the payment.

A Plot Fueled by Jealousy—and Bourbon

Sutherland’s scheme began unraveling in November 2023 after a man he recruited to help torch a car turned out to be an FBI informant.

That car belonged to the mother of a man incarcerated at the time, who shared a child with Sutherland’s girlfriend and was set to be released in January.

To eliminate this perceived threat, Sutherland offered to forgive the informant’s debts if he would kill the man and dispose of the body by feeding it to hogs at a Pennsylvania farm.

The FBI began monitoring and recording conversations between Sutherland and the informant. In one, the informant mentioned renting a van from a nun for $250, and casually said, “We take him to a farm and let the hogs eat him.” Sutherland replied that his girlfriend had “other plans”. She apparently wanted the man tied up and beaten with a baseball bat, but expressed willingness to proceed with the hog farm idea.

The Nun, the Van, and a “Good Bottle of Bourbon”

By January, the plan was in motion. The informant, working with the FBI, told Sutherland he would need:

$250 to rent the nun’s van
$1,000 for the hog farmer
A “good bottle of bourbon” as a sweetener

An undercover agent posing as the hog farmer met with Sutherland and the informant, confirming the plan and price.

On January 26, the day the intended victim was due for release from prison, Sutherland handed over:

$1,000 in cash for the “hog farmer”
$250 for the rental van
$200 for fuel
An E-ZPass transponder for travel
And a bottle of Wild Turkey bourbon

He was arrested the next day without incident.

New York Man Plotted to Feed Romantic Rival to Pigs in Disturbing Murder-for-Hire Scheme

In addition to the murder-for-hire charge, Sutherland also admitted to leaving a dead Canadian goose on the doorstep of his target’s mother, its beak clamped around a threatening note.

No one was harmed in the plot, thanks to early intervention by the FBI.

Sentencing and What’s Next

Sutherland now faces:

Up to 10 years in federal prison
A $250,000 fine
Up to 3 years of supervised release

His sentencing is scheduled for September 22.

19 Of New York State's Most Wanted Criminals- April 2025

Below are individuals wanted by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision's (DOCCS) Office of Special Investigations who have been designated as its Most Wanted Fugitives. They should be considered armed and dangerous. This list is current as of 4/02/2025:

NEVER attempt to apprehend a fugitive yourself. If you have information on the location of any of these fugitives, you can contact OSI 24 hours a day / 7 days a week to report it. All leads and tips are treated as confidential information.

If an immediate response is necessary, such as you see the wanted person at a location, please call “911” and report it to the police.

Gallery Credit: Dave Wheeler