Washington County, OR. — Detectives with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office have arrested three men accused of conspiring to commit murder while all were inmates at the county jail.
Investigators with the Violent Crimes Unit discovered that 58-year-old Dru Hendrix had plotted to pay Mario Guaderrama, 50, and Zion Unga, 36, to kill a victim. According to detectives, Hendrix promised Unga $30,000 once he was released from jail in October and deposited another $30,000 into Guaderrama’s inmate account as part of the plan.
Detectives arrested Unga on Thursday, November 6, after his release from custody. Hendrix and Guaderrama, still jailed on prior cases, had additional charges filed against them. All three men are now charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree. Hendrix faces additional counts of solicitation to commit murder and witness tampering.
The plot was stopped before anyone was harmed. That same day, detectives executed search warrants that led to the seizure of $140,000 from accounts linked to the suspects, and later found three handguns, a rifle, a silencer, a switchblade knife, and brass knuckles at a Hillsboro residence connected to Guaderrama.
Hendrix has a long criminal history and was originally arrested in July 2025, with more than 35 charges pending across several cases, including a separate kidnapping and sexual assault case in Columbia County. Guaderrama was arrested in September for violating release conditions, while Unga had been taken into custody in August on stolen vehicle and related charges.
All three remain in custody as prosecutors prepare to ask a judge to deny bail. The Sheriff’s Office said the investigation remains ongoing and urged anyone with information to contact detectives at 503-846-2700, referencing case 50-25-15124.
About the Author
