Court affirms Bob Bashara's 'straightforward' murder conviction

GROSSE POINTE PARK, Mich. (WJBK) - The Michigan appeals court has affirmed the murder conviction of a former Rotary Club president who was accused of arranging his wife's death so he could devote himself to a life of bondage with other women as "Master Bob."

The court says the case against Bob Bashara was "straightforward," despite twists and turns before and during trial. Bashara attacked the performance of his attorneys, but the court says he was given a vigorous defense.

The 3-0 decision was released Thursday.

Bashara's wife, Jane, was strangled by a handyman in their Grosse Pointe Park garage in 2012. Her body was discovered in her Mercedes-Benz in a Detroit alley.

Handyman testifies that Bashara forced him to kill wife at gunpoint

Handyman Joe Gentz is in prison for second-degree murder. He says he was hired to kill Jane at her husband's direction.

"You planned, groomed and masterminded this ... plot to murder your wife and dump her body in Detroit like garbage with a staged crime scene in one of the poorest areas of Detroit hoping locals would steal the car and contaminate the crime scene," Wayne County Circuit Judge Vonda Evans told Bob Bashara. "You would finally be able to be free to live your new life in this seedy manipulative lifestyle you dreamed of, financed exclusively by Jane's money."

Known by some in the bondage, discipline and domination lifestyle as "Master Bob," Bashara had testified in earlier proceedings that Jane gave him permission to have extramarital affairs because the couple was unable to have sex due to medical conditions.

Bob Bashara says 'whole story not told'

The trial revealed that Bob Bashara hosted men and women at a sex dungeon under a bar called the Hard Luck Lounge.

Bashara has always denied any involvement in Jane's murder. He's currently serving time at a correctional facility in Gratiot County.

The Associated Press contributed to this report