Three California Highway Patrol officers, a defense attorney, and five others have been arrested in connection to the 2012 murder of a California man who, the New York Post reports, officials said was suspected of having been stealing the attorney’s antiques.

At a news conference on Friday in Modesto, California, law enforcement officials said that nine people were arrested altogether. All either participated in the killing of 26-year-old Korey Kauffman—who was reported missing in April 2012 and whose body was found in August 2013—or helped cover it up, officials said.

According to investigators with the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department, the killing was orchestrated by prominent Modesto attorney Frank Carson, who believed that Kauffman was stealing antiques from storage containers he owned. The Post reports that Kauffman was kidnapped and killed on his way to steal from Carson, according to a police court filing.

(The New York Daily News reports that Kauffman had planned to steal irrigation equipment.)

Carson, who ran unsuccessfully for district attorney last year, allegedly enlisted the help of two brothers, Baljit Athwal and Daljit Athwal, who owned a liquor store, to help him kill Kauffman—they both face murder charges. According to the Daily News, the brothers earlier filed a harassment lawsuit against the task force in federal court.

Two of the California Highway Patrol officers, Scott McFarlane and Eduardo Quintanar, are suspected of obstructing the investigation. They have been placed on administrative leave. Former CHP officer Walter Wells, who left the force just a few weeks ago, is suspected of murder.

“The entire department and I are appalled at the mere thought that one former and two current employees played any role in this incident,” California Highway Patrol Commissioner Joe Farrow said Friday. “To hear news like this is devastating to our organization.”

Carson’s wife, Georgia Defilippo, was also arrested and charged with murder; her daughter, Christina, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy and being an accessory.

Image via Fox40. Contact the author of this post: brendan.oconnor@gawker.com.