A Michigan woman pleaded guilty in court to using a fake hitman site to have her ex-husband killed. Wendy Wein, 51, from South Rockwood, was arrested on Friday morning and charged with solicitation to commit murder and illegal use of a computer to facilitate a crime. She was caught thanks to the fact that Rent-A-Hitman is a satirical website that many people, including Wein herself, believed was real.
- Wein filled out a “service request form” on rentahitman.com. In her request, she wanted a consultation with someone who could help her with an “issue.” That issue turned out to be her ex-husband being alive. She also checked yes when asked if she required the business’s services and “would you like to meet up with a field operative.”
- To be fair, it’s a pretty convincing website (if you’re an idiot). Rent-A-Hitman markets itself as “your point and click solution” that is 100% HIPAA compliant with the “Hitman Information Privacy and Protection Act of 1964. They also claim to have nearly 18,000 field operatives around the world and offer to tailor customized experiences for each of their clients. There are plenty of fake customer testimonials as well.
- The site’s owner, Bob Innes, reported Wein to Michigan State Police. An officer from the force posed as a potential hitman and Wein told him that she was willing to fork out $5,000 to have her ex killed right there and then. Instead, she was arrested. “We utilized an undercover trooper to set up a meet in a parking lot,” said Lt. Brian Oleksyk, Michigan State Police. “I can’t believe someone would think that a website like this exists.”
- So far, Rentahitman.com has prevented more than 140 murders. That includes child abductions, potential school shootings, and “regular” murders. While Innes started the site back in 2005 as a school project, he never took it down. When he opened the inbox tied to the account a few years later, he was shocked by how many messages he had.
- Wein admitted her crimes and received a plea deal. The deal means she will spend a maximum of 108 months in prison, though sentencing isn’t due to take place until January 13, 2022.
