Secretly recorded conversation reveals Phoenix murder plot

PHOENIX - Phoenix police released a secretly recorded conversation that investigators consider evidence a Valley businessman planned to kill his wife and wanted one of his employees to help out.

In January, police arrested Fred Knadler, part owner of Arizona Shower Door, for conspiracy to commit murder.

A worker at the business called police after he said Knadler approached him about concocting a plan to murder his wife, then the worker gave police an audio recording of the conversation.

“I've got a super secret situation I want to discuss with you. What I need is someone I can trust,” Knadler is heard saying on the tape.

On the tape, Knadler allegedly offered a lot of money to help out.

“I've got $10,000 I was gonna give you just right up front [and] give you $10,000 a year the rest of the time you're at Arizona Shower Doors.”

The tape reveals Knadler allegedly offered to give the employee the money if he helped get rid of his wife’s car and found a remote area to dig a hole to bury his wife’s body.

“I will give you a bundle to put in that hole … I'm not telling you what's going to be in the bundle. It'll be wrapped in a blanket or sheet or something,” Knadler reportedly said.

At the time, Knadler and his wife were going through a bitter divorce and claimed he needed her dead because she wanted millions of dollars in the divorce settlement.

“I gotta be able to trust you because I don't want to go to jail for the rest of my life,” Knadler reportedly told the worker.

Knadler, who just turned 75, remains in jail.