The scrub top, sweat pants, gloves and loaded .38 handgun were bagged and ready in the garage. The smartphone that contained damning Internet searches was long discarded. The alibi was rehearsed and ready. Orthopedic surgeon Gregory Konrath, MD, thought he had planned the perfect murder of his former wife. What he didn't know was that his live-in girlfriend would tip off police before he could act on whatever motives had him seeking "justice" against his ex.

Oddly, earlier this month Dr. Konrath asked police to check on the welfare of his girlfriend at their home in Peru, Ind., because he said she was having suicidal thoughts. When police arrived at the residence, the girlfriend, who said she was not suicidal, instead played a conversation she had recorded of Dr. Konrath explaining the details of his diabolical plan.

The recording revealed Dr. Konrath bought hollow point bullets because they would cause more damage when fired into his wife's skull. He planned on making the incident look like a suicide and asked his girlfriend to tell police he was with her at home during the time of the murder. He said he'd wear the scrub top and sweat pants over another layer of clothes and discard the items in a dumpster he had already staked out.

Police searched the house and found the loaded gun and clothing on a shelf in the garage, exactly where Dr. Konrath indicated they would be in the recording. He was arrested and in a statement to police corroborated many of the details in the recorded conversation. He's being held on attempted murder with bond set at $250,000, according to the police.

Dr. Konrath is an avid mountain climber who in 2009 scaled the highest peak on each of the 7 continents. He's currently affiliated with Duke Memorial Hospital in Peru, according to a published report. A hospital spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Daniel Cook