Jeal Sutherland's Bizarre Plot to Kill and Feed Victim to Pigs
A failed murder plot. A dead goose. And a plan to feed a body to pigs. It sounds like the setup for a grisly thriller, but this was real life — and the man behind it all has pleaded guilty. Here's how a seemingly ordinary New York resident unraveled into one of the most bizarre criminal cases in recent memory.
The Plot That Shocked the Feds
In early 2025, federal investigators in New York were alerted to a murder-for-hire plot unlike anything they'd seen before. The accused? Jeal Sutherland, a 57-year-old man from Colonie, New York. The target? A man who shared a child with Sutherland's then-girlfriend — a romantic rival Sutherland apparently viewed as a threat that needed to be eliminated.
Goose, Guilt, and Grudge
Sutherland's scheme didn't begin with violence but with intimidation. In late January, he hired someone to deliver a dead Canada goose to the doorstep of the intended victim's mother. Stuffed inside the bird's beak was a threatening note, reportedly crafted at Sutherland's direction.
It was a grotesque message meant to instill fear — and it wasn't the first time she had been targeted. According to court documents, Sutherland had also paid someone to torch her car to keep her from testifying at a custody hearing months earlier.
Unbeknownst to Sutherland, these "helpers" were actually undercover FBI informants. And they were already documenting everything.
A Chilling Plan — and a Fake Hog Farm
Between November 2024 and January 2025, Sutherland used his phone to arrange a hit. His plan was to hire a man to kill the romantic rival upon his release, forgive the killer's debt, and then pay a Pennsylvania hog farmer to feed the body to pigs.
Except, once again, the "hog farmer" was an undercover agent.
In audio recordings obtained by the FBI, Sutherland's planning turned more disturbing. He initially told one informant that his girlfriend wanted to participate in the murder, allegedly fantasizing about beating the man with a baseball bat. But as the plan progressed, he attempted to distance himself from directly knowing details, though he did request photo evidence once the job was done.
The Sting Operation
On Jan. 26, 2025, Sutherland and the informant met at a bowling alley with Sutherland's girlfriend and her child. Afterward, they drove to a relative's home where Sutherland handed over $1,450, a bottle of Wild Turkey, and an E-ZPass transponder — payment for a murder that was never going to happen. By the next day, federal agents had enough evidence to move in. Sutherland was arrested on Jan. 27.
Guilty Plea and What Comes Next
Sutherland pleaded guilty on May 14 to one count of using an interstate commerce facility in a murder-for-hire scheme. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 22, 2025. He faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
Prosecutors say the FBI's speed saved a life. "Mr. Sutherland's diabolical plot intended to violently end a man's life and intimidate his family," FBI Special Agent Craig L. Tremaroli said in a statement from the Department of Justice. "Thanks to the swift actions taken by FBI Albany and our law enforcement partners, that plan never came to fruition."
As disturbing as the details are, the case serves as a reminder that sometimes, those who appear ordinary can harbor violent intentions — and even the most sinister plans can be foiled with the right surveillance, timing, and teamwork.
References: Inside the Twisted Case of Man Who Plotted to Kill His Romantic Rival, Then Feed Body to Pigs | Colonie Man Pleads Guilty to Murder-for-Hire Plot | Man Pleads Guilty in Murder-for-Hire Plot in Which He Planned to Feed Victim to Hogs
