On January 25, 2012, Jane Bashara’s body was found in the back of her own SUV parked in an alley in Detroit. She had been strangled to death, authorities revealed. The investigation soon narrowed in on her husband, Bob Bashara, as a person of interest.
However, it wasn’t until handyman Joe Gentz turned himself in to police and confessed to being hired by Bashara that Jane Bashara’s husband could be charged. As the investigation continued, Bashara’s secret life came to light.
While he was known as a wealthy businessman and real estate mogul with a wife and two children, detectives discovered that he had a “sex dungeon” with hooks, whips and harnesses underneath one of his properties. Prosecutors argued that Bashara wanted to kill his wife to be able to pursue a relationship with his mistress, Michigan Live reported.
Bashara Owned a ‘Sex Dungeon’ Where He Was Known as ‘Master Bob’
During the investigation, authorities discovered that Bashara was also referred to as “Master Bob” in the bondage, discipline and sadomasochistic (BDSM) community in Detroit, where he was well-known. He owned and operated a sex dungeon below the Hard Luck Lounge, according to the Detroit News. After his arrest, several women came forward to reveal they were either part of the BDSM community and knew of him or said they’d been asked to join by Bashara.
One woman told the Oakland Press, “He told me he was a dominatrix or a dominator or something. He must have seen the look on my face and realized his error because he started to backpedal. It was just an odd thing to say. He said I seemed to have a submissive personality, that’s why he said it.” She said he told her his female clients paid for him to dominate them.
After Bashara’s arrest, the building with the basement dungeon was put up for sale and ClickonDetroit was able to go see the space, and much of it had remained surprisingly intact. The outlet reported that there was still a bed in the corner, hooks in the room and a cabinet filled with adult items.
A woman who’d been with Bashara in the dungeon told the outlet, “There were no windows. It was dark. But even when I was in there it was lighted with lamps. But there were like medieval time lighting fixtures as well.” Whips, chains and toys remained in the basement behind a locked door, ClickonDetroit said.
Bashara Was Charged With Hiring a Hitman to Murder His Wife Jane Bashara
Joe Gentz, a handyman employed by Bashara, confessed and testified that the businessman asked him to murder Jane Bashara. He said he had been involved in two plans that did not take place and on the third occasion went through with the crime, when he was in Bashara’s garage with his employer and Jane Bashara walked in, Michigan Live reported.
Gentz told authorities that Bob Bashara pulled out a gun and pointed it at Gentz, telling him to kill Jane Bashara or Gentz would be the one getting shot. “I hit her. I knocked her down… and Bob says choke her… and I went, bam, took her neck out with my boot,” Gentz said, according to Michigan Live.
Prosecutors said his motive in having his wife killed was to collect the $800,000 in her 401(k) so he could buy a house, “the cottage,” and live a full-time BDSM lifestyle served by submissive women, the Detroit News reported.
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