Original Article Tucson will fire lieutenant Associated Press Dec. 18, 2004 12:00 AM TUCSON - A Tucson police lieutenant tied to a doctor's murder investigation will be fired, officials announced Friday. Lt. Wendell Hunt was served with a notice of intent to discharge, Chief Richard Miranda announced in a press release. Hunt was the target of an internal investigation after it surfaced that he had a connection to Dr. Bradley Schwartz, who is accused of hiring Ronald Bruce Bigger to kill Dr. Brian Stidham, a former medical practice associate of Schwartz. Hunt, 49, a midtown patrol commander who has been with the Tucson Police Department for 17 years, has been on paid administrative leave since Nov. 4. Hunt had been in a relationship with an employee of Schwartz at the time of the killing. In interviews with Pima County investigators, he admitted looking up some information on the case at the girlfriend's request shortly after the killing. When questioned by investigators, Hunt said his only knowledge of Schwartz was through the girlfriend, whose name was blacked out in the released reports. But Schwartz called him while he was talking to investigators. Hunt agreed to call Schwartz back on speakerphone while sheriff's investigators listened. During the call, Schwartz denied killing Stidham. Last year, Hunt was suspended for 30 days for having sex in a patrol car with a woman he had invited on a civilian tour, authorities said. Hunt was demoted from sergeant to officer, but the demotion later was reversed. Sgt. Marco Borboa, a department spokesman, said Hunt will have an opportunity to appear Dec. 28 before the termination review board to appeal the firing.