Ontario man denies soliciting girlfriend's murder

An Ontario man accused of offering money to a co-worker to kill his ex-girlfriend and two other people re-entered not guilty pleas to two felony charges Thursday in West Valley Superior Court.

Jason Corlew, 28, sent a series of text messages to a female co-worker in May asking her to kill Nancy Stojsich, a former live-in girlfriend, prosecutors say.

Corlew also asked the woman to kill Stojsich's 12-year-old son and a man he believed was Stojsich's new boyfriend, Richard Thompson.

Corlew actually caught a small break at Thursday's arraignment hearing.

At a preliminary hearing last month, the would-be hitwoman testified about Corlew's specific threats to Stojsich's son and friend.

Deputy District Attorney Ted Smith said after the hearing that he would file two additional solicitation charges against Corlew for the threats to Stojsich's son and friend.

On Thursday, Smith said he did not file new charges because the law allows for only one solicitation charge for multiple victims when the solicitation occurs at the same time, and appears to have the same motive and means.

Hal Smith, Corlew's defense attorney, said his client is bipolar and was not taking his medication at the time of the alleged solicitation.

Corlew did not intend to follow out with the killings, Hal Smith said.

In addition to one felony solicitation charge, Corlew faces a felony vandalism charge for smashing two windows of Thompson's car with a golf club.

Corlew remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail, and is scheduled to next appear in court on Jan. 15. A trial date was tentatively set Thursday for March 16.

Click here for two prior blog posts on Corlew's case.