Hazel Park man sentenced after plan to kill wife was foiled by undercover cop

A man whose plan to kill his wife was foiled by an undercover cop was sentenced to a maximum of 40 years in prison, with the judge calling him "evil."

Radu Muntean of Hazel Park, Mich. is accused of taking his wife to a field on Detroit's east side in March of 2016 where he beat, stabbed and shot her.

An undercover officer happened to be driving in the area of Lyford and Gilbo avenues and saw a pickup truck in the field. Wondering why it was there, the officer rode up to the truck and says he found Muntean's 32-year-old wife inside. She was bound with duct tape with her face slashed and had gunshot wounds to both legs, police say.

During Muntean's trial, his wife took the stand and relived that day in March when she says she thought she was going to die. She was shot in the legs, and says Muntean also beat her with his gun and stabbed her repeatedly.

The prosecutor says the whole torturing ordeal lasted 17 hours.

During his trial, Muntean claimed the two were both trying to die by suicide but his wife testified that was not the case.

Muntean was found guilty of assault with intent to murder; assault with intent to do great bodily harm, unlawful imprisonment; felony firearm; and domestic violence aggravated.

Muntean said Wednesday in court that he'd like to ask forgiveness from his wife.

"I know I've treated her bad in the previous months before this event, and I'd like to beg for leniancy from the court," he said. "The biggest victim in this case is actually my daughter. She'll lose her father; I'll be gone for a long time."Muntean's wife was in court Wednesday at sentencing but did not speak, and was ushered out immediately after the sentence was handed down.

"You are an evil, evil person," Judge Craig Strong said to Muntean before sentencing.

Muntean's wife was in court Wednesday at sentencing but did not speak, and was ushered out immediately after the sentence was handed down.