A Tennessee woman, Melody Sasser, has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison for orchestrating a murder-for-hire scheme aimed at eliminating her desired boyfriend’s fiancée.
Hiring a Hitman Through the Dark Web
Sasser, 48, pleaded guilty to using interstate commerce facilities to commission the murder, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee. In addition to her prison sentence, she must pay over $5,300 to the victim and serve three years of probation following her release. Prosecutors revealed that Sasser attempted to hire a hitman through the dark web site “Online Killers Market” (OKM), which falsely claimed to offer murder-for-hire services. Sasser provided detailed instructions for the planned murder of an Alabama resident who was the wife of a retired Air Force veteran.
Unfolding the Murder Plot
The federal investigation began in April 2023, after a foreign law enforcement agency alerted U.S. authorities about a murder plot. Investigators discovered messages from a user named “cattree” on OKM, who was later identified as Sasser. She had solicited the murder of the woman married to a man she desired. According to the criminal complaint, Sasser placed the order for the hit on January 11, 2023, targeting the wife in Prattville, Alabama. She supplied crucial details, including photos of the intended victim, her office location, car license plate number, and even descriptions of the couple’s home and dogs.
Sasser requested the hit to be carried out discreetly, suggesting, “It needs to seem random or an accident,” and even proposed planting drugs to avoid a lengthy investigation. Despite her efforts, by March 2023, the hit had not been completed, leading to frustration. Sasser sent a series of impatient messages to the purported hitman, expressing dissatisfaction with the delay and demanding updates.
Tracking the Victim Through a Fitness App
Federal authorities followed the money trail, tracing Sasser’s Bitcoin transactions to the dark web site. Further investigation revealed that Sasser had likely been tracking the victim’s movements through a fitness app called Strava. The app, which the victim and her husband both used, allowed Sasser to monitor their locations and provide exact times and places to the would-be hitman. This added layer of surveillance increased concerns for the victim’s safety.
Authorities interviewed the intended victim and her husband, who identified Sasser as a potential threat. According to the victim, Sasser had become enraged after learning about the couple’s engagement and their subsequent move to Alabama. The victim also reported incidents of harassment, including vandalism of her car, threatening phone calls, and Sasser’s uninvited appearance at their home in the fall of 2022, where she allegedly wished them harm.
Evidence Leading to Conviction
During a search of Sasser’s home, investigators uncovered a journal documenting her communications with the dark website and cash beneath a sticky note listing a Bitcoin address. This evidence, combined with the testimonies and financial records, sealed her fate. Sasser’s actions, driven by jealousy and obsession, ultimately led to her conviction and sentencing, bringing closure to a chilling case of digital-age crime.
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