A Tennessee woman’s failed attempt to hire a hitman using Bitcoin has landed her behind bars for over eight years.
At a Glance
- Melody Sasser, 48, sentenced to 100 months in prison for murder-for-hire plot
- Paid nearly $10,000 in Bitcoin to have the wife of a man she met on Match.com killed
- Used dark web site “Online Killers Market” to arrange the hit
- Requested the killing appear random or accidental to avoid long investigation
- Sentenced to prison time, supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution
Bitcoin-Fueled Murder Plot Unravels
In a shocking case that highlights the dark underbelly of the internet, Melody Sasser, a 48-year-old woman from Knoxville, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 8 years and 4 months in prison for attempting to hire a hitman using cryptocurrency. Sasser pleaded guilty to using interstate commerce facilities in a murder-for-hire scheme targeting the wife of a man she had met on the dating site Match.com.
The case unfolded when Sasser, using the username “cattree,” transferred nearly $10,000 worth of Bitcoin to a dark web site called “Online Killers Market.” This illicit marketplace claimed to offer various illegal services, including contract killings. Sasser provided photographs and location details of her intended victim, demonstrating a chilling level of premeditation.
A Digital Trail of Evidence
Investigators uncovered a damning trail of digital evidence linking Sasser to the murder plot. She had used the fitness app Strava, which connects to Garmin watches, to track the movements of her intended victim and the man she was obsessed with. This tech-savvy approach to stalking showcases the evolving nature of criminal behavior in the digital age.
Sasser’s instructions to the would-be assassins were particularly disturbing. She requested that the killing appear random or accidental, even suggesting planting drugs to throw off investigators. This calculated approach reveals the extent of her determination to avoid detection and highlights the serious nature of her crime.
Justice Served
The sentencing brings a measure of closure to a case that has shocked the Knoxville community. In addition to her prison term, Sasser faces three years of supervised release and must pay over $5,289 in restitution to the victim. This outcome sends a strong message about the consequences of using technology and cryptocurrency for criminal purposes.
Sasser’s impatience with the hitmen, as evidenced by her frustrated messages, ultimately contributed to her downfall. Her digital communications provided crucial evidence for prosecutors, underscoring the difficulty of maintaining anonymity in today’s interconnected world, even when using supposedly untraceable cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
A Cautionary Tale
This case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking in the dark corners of the internet. It highlights the need for increased vigilance and education about online safety, especially when it comes to relationships formed through dating sites. The incident also underscores the importance of robust law enforcement efforts to combat cyber-enabled crimes and the use of cryptocurrencies for illegal activities.
As technology continues to evolve, so too must our approaches to preventing and prosecuting such crimes. The Sasser case demonstrates that even in the digital age, old-fashioned detective work combined with tech-savvy investigation techniques can bring criminals to justice, regardless of how they attempt to hide their tracks.
Click this link for the original source of this article.
Author: Editor
This content is courtesy of, and owned and copyrighted by, http://www.restoreamericanglory.com and its author. This content is made available by use of the public RSS feed offered by the host site and is used for educational purposes only. If you are the author or represent the host site and would like this content removed now and in the future, please contact USSANews.com using the email address in the Contact page found in the website menu.
