Missouri
Well-known Lake of the Ozarks Realtor charged with conspiracy in murder-for-hire plot
A well-known real estate agent at the Lake of the Ozarks, who set a boating world record in California last year, has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
Leigh Ann Bauman, 43, was arrested Thursday afternoon and taken to the Camden County Jail with no bond, according to a Missouri Highway Patrol online report.
The Camden County prosecutor’s office said Bauman tried to have her former mother-in-law murdered, over concerns she was trying to interfere with her relationship with her children. She allegedly agreed to pay $1,500 to have individuals in St. Louis make the death “look like an accident,” according to a news release from the prosecutor. A witness recorded a conversation with the real estate agent about that topic.
“In the recording, Bauman was asked multiple times if she was sure she wanted to hire these people, and she confirmed,” said the release from the prosecutor. “Bauman stated specially that she knew as a Christian it was wrong, but she could ask for forgiveness.”
Bauman reportedly also sent a text message to her daughter stating “your grandmother will die.”
Camden County Prosecutor Caleb Cunningham said if there’s a conviction, conspiracy to commit murder carries a three- to 10-year jail sentence.
“We’re very appreciative of what the witness did in this case,” Cunningham said. “We encourage anyone to contact law enforcement if there’s a crime or suspected crime.”
Calls to the Camden County Jail and the Troop F patrol were not immediately returned.
Records from the Missouri Division of Professional Registration show Bauman has been licensed by the state real estate commission since 2003. Her current license is registered at a UPS store address outside of St. Louis.
Bauman appears to have worked for a variety of agencies around the lake area.
In June 2019, the Bagnell Dam Association of Realtors announced she had joined ReeceNichols Lake of the Ozarks in Lake Ozark. That same year, she was pictured in a local newspaper as a participant in a lake cleanup done by the Young Professionals at the Lake.
In April 2020, Universal Realty Group posted on its Facebook page that it had hired Bauman. The company, based in Chesterfield, Missouri, said she was a 19-year veteran of the industry and called her a “Superstar.”
Bauman is also an avid power boater. Last year, she and a partner recorded a world record for the fastest time around Catalina Island from Huntington Beach in California, according to Columbia TV station KRCG. The duo made the trip in 1 hour, 57 minutes and 40 seconds with an average speed of 57.365 miles per hour.
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