An apparent love triangle among a restaurant owner, his wife and a 23-year-old guitarist she knew in the church choir may have led to a gruesome contract killing in rural Andrew County on Saturday.

St. Patrick Church choir director Louis Dominguez said rumors of the two in a romantic relationship swirled, but he did not believe them. Authorities said the husband, Antonio Onate, 44, allegedly paid $2,000 to kill Antonio Jose Maravilla-Vargas.

On Wednesday, law officers arrested Enrique Hernandez-Hernandez, 25, at his home in the 600 block of South 10th Street. Like Mr. Onate, he is charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bond.

Two men and a woman were also taken into custody for questioning Wednesday during a SWAT team operation on the South Side.

In court papers filed Wednesday in Andrew County, Mr. Hernandez-Hernandez said Mr. Onate told him about two weeks ago that he “had a problem” with the victim and paid him to find people to kill him. Mr. Hernandez-Hernandez allegedly found two people at a bar.

The hit men began watching Mr. Maravilla-Vargas, including at his job as a cashier at La Palma Tienda Mexicana, an ethnic grocery store. On Saturday, Mr. Hernandez-Hernandez said he was called by the hit men.

They picked him up in a sport-utility vehicle near El Rey del Taco, 1711 Mitchell Ave. Mr. Maravilla-Vargas was in the back seat, according to court papers.

Mr. Hernandez-Hernandez told authorities that he was told to drive the hit men’s vehicle. He was given driving instructions by a Hispanic male in the back seat who he knew as “Sleepy.”

At some point while he was behind the wheel, “Sleepy” shot the victim as another Hispanic male stabbed him, according to court documents. They dumped his body as they drove down a gravel road in Andrew County.

Mr. Hernandez-Hernandez said he was then told to return to the body. The hit men got out of the vehicle and shot the victim again, court documents said.

The trio returned to St. Joseph. Mr. Hernandez-Hernandez said the hit men told him that they would clean the SUV, but needed to get paid.

Andrew County Sheriff Bryan Atkins said the SUV seen near the scene of the slaying was a Nissan Pathfinder.

Authorities found the Nissan at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday while executing a warrant at a home in the 200 block of Vassar Street.

Law officers arrested two men and a woman without incident. None had been charged late Wednesday, but charges are expected today.

Mr. Atkins said that “a love spat” existed between Mr. Onate and Mr. Maravilla-Vargas, but he would not elaborate.

Mr. Dominguez, the choir director, said Mr. Onate, his wife and Mr. Maravilla-Vargas worshipped at St. Patrick Church.

“They both were members of the choir. She sang and he played the guitar,” Mr. Dominguez, who is also a roommate to the victim, said through a translator. “They were just friends, but there was a rumor that they were having a relationship.”

Mr. Dominguez said the rumor likely led to the “problem” Mr. Onate refers to with the victim in court documents. Mr. Onate owns La Mesa Mexican Restaurant, where the victim’s friends said he played during special events as an amateur musician/disk jockey.

At Mr. Onate’s home on Wednesday, his wife, Maria, said through her niece that she had no comment. Officials expect to release more information about relationship motives in the slaying today.

On Wednesday, authorities also found the victim’s 2001 Pontiac Grand Am at Applebee’s parking lot in St. Joseph. Mr. Atkins credited tips from the community and cooperation with area law enforcement agencies. He said no more arrests are expected as the investigation concludes.

A former La Mesa employee said Mr. Onate was arrested at his restaurant, which remained open on Wednesday. Mr. Hernandez-Hernandez was arrested late Tuesday.

Mr. Onate is in custody in the Andrew County Jail. Mr. Hernandez-Hernandez is being held at the Buchanan County Jail. Both men are being denied bond.

Mr. Maravilla-Vargas came to St. Joseph from Mexico three years ago, His body will be returned to his hometown of Pueblo on Friday. He was described as a quiet and hardworking man. His father, a local construction worker, said he cannot afford the travel and funeral costs.

Donations to help send the body home can be made at all three of the Mexican grocery stores or can be sent to Nodaway Valley Bank, 6304 King Hill Ave., St. Joseph, MO 64504. Make checks to Memorial Fund for Antonio Maravilla-Vargas, Account Number 1238834.

Ahmad Safi can be reached at ahmadsafi@npgco.com.