Tenn. woman allegedly tried to hire hit man to kill wife of man she met on Match.com
06/05/2023 1:58 pm PDT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (TCD) -- A woman is facing federal charges after she allegedly attempted to hire someone on the dark web to kill the wife of a man she developed a relationship with after meeting on Match.com.
According to the criminal complaint filed in federal court in the Eastern District of Tennessee, on April 27, a law enforcement agency located outside of the United States contacted Department of Homeland Security Special Agent Gregory Martin and informed him the victim, identified as J.W. was "named as a target for a murder for hire."
The order allegedly came from a site on the dark web called Online Killers Market, which the complaint says "purports to offer 'hitman for hire' services as well as associated services at the would-be customer’s request, such as hacking, kidnapping, extortion, disfigurement by acid attack, and sexual violence." There are also reportedly ways to request "precise requirements," and the site returns an estimated cost for the hit.
Melody Sasser allegedly created an account under the username "cattree," and on Jan. 11 wrote that she wanted J.W. killed in a way that looks like it was "random or accident."
Sasser reportedly provided details about J.W.'S work schedule, her car, her husband’s car, and their dogs that "bark and jump" but are "nice."
Online Killers Market said the total cost comes out to $9,750.
Department of Homeland Security investigators contacted police in Prattville, Alabama, where J.W. and her husband lived. Police monitored her home and spoke with J.W., who identified Sasser as a suspect.
According to the complaint, Sasser and J.W.'S husband were "hiking friends" in Knoxville, Tennessee, before he moved to Alabama. Sasser reportedly traveled to Alabama in the fall of 2022 and showed up to his house unannounced. The husband told her he was engaged, and Sasser allegedly replied, "I hope you both fall off a cliff and die."
Around the same time, J.W. found damage on her car, and it looked like it had been keyed.
J.W. reportedly received "unpleasant" phone calls from an unknown number and a person who used technology to disguise their voice. Additionally, Sasser allegedly tracked J.W.'S Strava account to see where she and her husband walked.
J.W.'s husband told investigators he met Sasser on Match.com and that she helped him plan a trek along the Appalachian Trail by making reservations at hostels and other places along the way. Sasser also reportedly "took care of his vehicle for him in his absence."
In November, video footage reportedly showed Sasser’s vehicle near J.W.'S office in Hoover, Alabama.
On March 22, Sasser, using the "cattree" account, reportedly messaged someone on the Online Killers Market platform saying, "I have waited for 2 months and 11 days and the job is not completed. 2 weeks ago you said it was been worked on and would be done in a week. the job is still not done. does it need to be assigned to someone else. will it be done. what is the delay. when will it be done."
An administrator responded that the hit man "just failed as he did not attempt it yet, he felt like is too risky for him to do it."
Sasser allegedly paid for the services in bitcoin, and ATM transactions purportedly show transactions to purchase the cryptocurrency.
WATE-TV reports Sasser is scheduled to appear in court June 8.
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