NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Arthur March, imprisoned father of convicted murderer Perry March, is dead.

The 79-year-old Arthur March is said to have died Thursday at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

The retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and former Nashville pharmacist, was serving a 5-year sentence at the medical center prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot involving his son, Perry.

Perry March, a former Nashville lawyer, has been convicted of the 1996 murder of his wife, Janet Levine March, plus other felony charges. He is serving a 56-year state prison sentence.

The cause of Arthur March's death was not released, but he suffered high blood pressure, hypertension and diabetes and was in a serious health condition when he was transferred to the Texas facility from Grayson County Jail, in Leichfield, Ky., on Oct. 6 of this year.

March's family apparently wants no publicity about his death.

Asked to confirm March's death, John Herbison, Perry March's long-time defense lawyer, declined to comment, saying: "I've been asked not to say."

Arthur March's attorney, Springfield Lawyer Fletcher Long, said he would have no comment "Out of respect for the privacy of Arthur's three children."

Three months ago, after his client's conviction and prison sentence, Long had this to say : "Arthur, I don't believe, has anything for which to live. I think he has taken from him any reasonable expectation he'll ever breath fresh air again."

Arthur March moved to Lake Chapal, Mexico, about 15 years ago.

He was gregarious, a braggart who enjoyed talking and laughing with most everyone and who loved life.

Most everyone, maybe, but not Channel 4 news reporter Mark Stewart in November of 2005.

(Exchange between Marc Stewart and Arthur March outside March's home)

After that it was all downhill between the elder March and Nashville police and Metro and federal prosecutors.

March was caught in the middle of a jail-house plot by his son, Perry, to have his slain wife's parents, Larry and Carolyn Levine, murdered.

The scheme failed and Arthur was arrested in Mexico by FBI agents. Days later he returned to Nashville to face charges for his role in Perry's efforts to have the Levines killed.

"He loved his children and he may be willing to go too far for his children."

The return of Arthur March to Nashville is considered by many to have resulted in Perry's conviction for murdering his artist-wife. Almost all of the evidence against Perry in his wife's murder was circumstantial.

In a plea-bargain agreement with local and federal prosecutors, Arthur March agreed to cooperate fully and to give both his and his son's involvement in Janet March's murder case.

In a deposition, Perry's father said he received a phone call from his son asking him to come to Nashville a couple of days after Janet disappeared.

Once in Nashville Arthur told authorities that Perry told him about killing his wife. Arthur then helped his son dispose of her body, he said, near Bowling Green, Ky.

Arthur accepted an offer by prosecutors of an 18-months federal sentence for his cooperation.

At his federal court hearing, a two-page victim impact statement by Larry Levine was read into the record.

Levine said, "Arthur March is a despicable human being....has no remorse for trying to murder us...and if he has the means and the opportunity, he will not hesitate to try again."

It was after that the judge scuttled the government's prior -- signed agreement and raised Arthur March's sentence to 60 months.

Perry March is serving a 56-year sentence a state prison.

Arthur March is survived by two children, a daughter, Dr. Kathy Breitowich and a son, Ron March, both of Chicago. Neither could be reached for comment.

Efforts to reach an official at the federal medical facility at Fort Worth were unsuccessful.