Surgeon accused of plotting to murder colleagues

Local surgeon Michael Mockovak, from Clearly Lasik, has been accused of attempting to hire hit men to murder his business partner, surgeon, Dr. Joseph King and the former president of their business, Brad Klock.

He has charged with Criminal Solicitation to Commit Murder in the first degree and Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Murder.

According to King County Prosecutors, Mockovak offered a police informant, posing as a conspirator, $25,000 to murder King back in August. Negotiations to have Klock murdered began in 2008.

Police say Mockovak gave the informant a picture of King's family, information on his daily routine and a $10,000 down payment. He told the informant that he and Dr. King were in the process of splitting up their business, which he complained bitterly about and said he was certain he wanted Dr. King murdered; that Dr. King “has it coming;” and that “this is the only way.”

Mockovak also told the informant that the business has a $5,000,000 “key man” life insurance policy on Dr. King’s life, about half of which Mockovak expects to go to Dr. King’s wife to buy her out of the business, with the rest going to Mockovak. He said he wanted Dr. King’s body found so it would be easy to collect on the life insurance policy.

According to the informant, Klock’s employment with the business had been terminated and he had filed a civil suit since. The ongoing dispute about the termination greatly aggravated Mockovak, which is apparently what motivated him to want Klock “eliminated.” Police say Mockovak was postponing Klock's murder, in order to first murder Dr. King.

Mockovak has been released on $3 million bail.