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Dark Web Hitman Plot: Match.com Date Ends in Prison

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A Tennessee woman, Melody Sasser, faced her fate on Wednesday after attempting to hire assassins from the dark web to eliminate the wife of a man she had met on Match.com. Sasser, 48, was arrested in June 2023 for her involvement in a murder-for-hire scheme. As part of a plea agreement, she admitted to using interstate commerce facilities to orchestrate the plot.

“I hope you both fall off a cliff and die,” Sasser reportedly said after learning about the engagement of David Wallace, the man she met online, to another woman.

U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan sentenced Sasser to eight years and four months in federal prison. After her release, she will be under supervised release for three years. Additionally, she has been ordered to pay $5,389 in restitution to the victim.

Sasser and Wallace, both from Knoxville, initially connected on Match.com in 2020 and became hiking companions. Wallace credited Sasser with assisting him on a hike along the Appalachian Trail.

However, in the fall of 2022, Wallace informed Sasser of his engagement and subsequent move to Prattville, Alabama, with his fiancée. This news reportedly prompted Sasser’s hostile reaction.

Following the engagement announcement, Wallace’s wife, identified only as JW, reported her car being vandalized and receiving threatening phone calls. According to the criminal complaint, Sasser used an app to disguise her voice during these calls.

The threats led JW to experience significant trauma, forcing her to move into a hotel, purchase a firearm, and have her husband check their home for intruders regularly.

In January 2023, Sasser took her vendetta further by using a dark web site known as the “Online Killers Market” to hire hitmen to murder JW. Court documents reveal that Sasser paid nearly $10,000 in cryptocurrency for the hit.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Tennessee stated, “In exchange for the anticipated murder of the victim, Sasser used the internet to transmit nearly $10,000 in cryptocurrency to the would-be assassins.”

Sasser specified that the murder should appear “random or accidental” or involve planting drugs on the victim. She was adamant about avoiding a prolonged investigation.

Two months after the payment, Sasser grew frustrated with the lack of progress. She sent a message to the website administrator expressing her impatience:
“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?”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted, “In her communications with the site, Sasser provided photographs and location information of the victim.”

Sasser tracked the couple’s whereabouts using an exercise app called Strava, which logs users’ mileage and routes.

Her arrest followed an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations Knoxville and Birmingham, with assistance from local police departments.

A search of Sasser’s home revealed a journal documenting her communications with the Online Killers Market, a list of other hitman websites, and a stack of U.S. currency with a Bitcoin address.

Federal prosecutor Anne-Marie Svolto described the journal as “a hidden rage that she kept secret for months.”

Sasser’s attorney, Jeff Whitt, emphasized her remorse during the sentencing hearing, stating, “She wants [the victim] to be able to move on with her life.”

This case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking on the dark web and the extreme lengths to which some individuals will go when driven by jealousy and anger.


How should society address the issue of individuals attempting to hire hitmen through the dark web?

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Preparedness

Teen Robber’s Fake Gun Meets Real Firearm in Philadelphia

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Late Sunday night in Philadelphia, a 16-year-old attempted to rob a man using a fake gun. Unfortunately for the teen, his target was armed with a real firearm and did not hesitate to use it.

The incident unfolded just after 11 p.m. on the 2200 block of Emerald Street in the West Kensington neighborhood. According to WPVI-TV, the confrontation ended with the teen being shot and subsequently taken to the hospital.

Police Inspector D. F. Pace informed WCAU-TV that the teenager, along with an accomplice, approached the 21-year-old victim. The teen pressed what he claimed was a gun to the victim’s back, demanding his keys, wallet, and other valuables.

“At that point, the victim began to produce the items that were demanded by the robber, but he was also in possession of a legal firearm,” Pace explained to the station.

The victim then turned and shot the teen once in the leg. The other would-be robber managed to flee the scene on foot. The wounded teen was transported to St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and was reported to be in stable condition.

The victim stayed at the scene and cooperated fully with the police. Officers also discovered a toy handgun, which Pace confirmed was used in the attempted robbery.

“After the victim opened fire on the robbers, that gun was dropped, and it was recovered by police, and it is now in police custody, and we now know it to be a fake gun,” Pace stated.
“But again, having been pressed into the victim’s back, there would have been no way for the victim to have known that.”

Additionally, a nearby Ring camera captured the incident on video, providing further evidence for the authorities. The teen was taken into custody by the police.

WTXF-TV also reported that the victim was accompanied by his girlfriend during the incident. Fortunately, neither the victim nor his girlfriend were injured during the confrontation.


What is your perspective on the use of firearms for self-defense in situations like the one described in the article?

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Homeowner Defends Against Intruder in Quiet Las Vegas Neighborhood

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A Las Vegas homeowner found himself in a life-threatening situation early Thursday morning when a male suspect began breaking windows and attempting to enter his residence. This incident has left the usually tranquil neighborhood near Torrey Pines Drive and Flamingo Drive in shock.

Jennifer Sauberan, a long-time resident, expressed her disbelief to KLAS-TV.

“I was shocked,” she said.

“Because it’s a very quiet neighborhood.”

Sauberan reflected on how close she might have come to being a victim herself.

“I was just thinking, ‘Oh, my God, what if I hadn’t come back the night before?’” she wondered.

“It could have been my house.”

Having lived in the area for decades without any concerns, Sauberan now feels a heightened sense of vulnerability.

“It was so unexpected,” she remarked.

“We never have anything ever happen in this neighborhood, ever.”

The homeowner, whose name has not been released, called 911 around 7:40 a.m. to report a strange male breaking windows and attempting to gain entry into his home, according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lieutenant Jason Johansson.

“The man was not listening to what they were telling him,” Johansson stated.

“He was acting extremely irrational as they continued to tell him to leave the property.”

When the suspect moved toward the front door, the homeowner made the decision to shoot. The suspect was found in the driveway by officers and later died at the hospital.

Johansson mentioned that there are “self-defense” elements involved in this case, and he does not expect the homeowner to face charges. However, the final decision will be made by the Clark County District Attorney.

Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section by phone at 702-828-3521 or via email at [email protected]. For those wishing to remain anonymous, Crime Stoppers can be reached at 702-385-5555 or online.

In response to the incident, Sauberan has taken further steps to secure her home.

“I have cameras around my house now,” she shared.

“I put them up more recently, but then I put in flood lights and stuff because [criminal activity] makes me a little bit nervous sometimes.”

This event has undoubtedly shaken a community that prides itself on its peaceful environment, reminding residents of the importance of preparedness and vigilance.


Do you believe homeowners have the right to use lethal force in self-defense when someone is attempting to break into their home?

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Preparedness

FBI Foils Plumber’s Chilling Murder Plot in Alabama

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A disturbing case has emerged from Hoover, Alabama, where a local plumber stands accused of attempting to orchestrate the murder of his wife and six children. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 63-year-old Mohammad A. H. Mohammad was recorded last Saturday trying to hire a hitman, who was actually an undercover FBI employee.

The affidavit reveals shocking details of the conversation between Mohammad and the undercover agent. “God will reward me,” Mohammad allegedly declared during the recorded interaction.

He elaborated on his gruesome plan, stating, “Six kids and the mom. You pick and choose who you gunna take out, and get paid,” suggesting that his family had turned against him. The couple was in the midst of divorce proceedings, adding to the tension.

“Start with one,” he allegedly instructed the undercover agent. “Take your time.”

Mohammad reportedly paid a $550 down payment to the fake hitman and had agreed to a total payment of $20,000 for his wife’s murder and $5,000 for each of his adult children.

Prosecutors presented audio evidence of Mohammad’s interaction with a witness, who warned him about the moral consequences of his actions. The witness told Mohammad that if he hurt his family, he would “go to hell forever.”

In response, Mohammad reiterated, “No, God will reward me.”

The affidavit paints a picture of escalating violence and intimidation by Mohammad against his family over the years. Married in 2020, his wife had filed for a protection order less than a year later, accusing him of multiple threats, physical abuse, and even brandishing a gun. He is also suspected of stalking his family and setting several vehicles on fire.

After being released on bond in February, Mohammad allegedly sought out someone to carry out his deadly plan. He reportedly told a witness that he was willing to “die for self dignity” and “die for pride.”

Mohammad was arrested on Tuesday and charged with the use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire.


How should incidents involving serious criminal intentions, such as hiring a hitman, influence gun ownership laws and personal safety measures?

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