Michigan woman arrested in murder-for-hire plot to kill ex-husband using fake hitman website
SOUTH ROCKWOOD, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Monroe County woman has been arrested in a murder-for-hire plot that involved her ex-husband, a fake hitman website, and undercover police officers.
The 51-year-old from South Rockwood was arrested Friday and is now facing charges. Wendy Wein has been charged with solicitation to commit murder and illegal use of a computer to facilitate a crime.
Michigan State Police say the alleged plot was unfurled thanks to a fictitious, satirical website called Rent-A-Hitman.
Police say Wein filled out a "service request form" on the website, rentahitman.com, and requested a consultation for someone to help her with an "issue." Wein specified her ex-husband as the target of her problems.
The website says Rent-A-Hitman is "your point and click solution" and that they are 100% HIPPA compliant with the "Hitman Information Privacy and Protection Act of 1964." The website says the business has 17,985 field operatives working all over the world and a customized solution can be tailored for each customer. Fake customer testimonials are also on the homepage.
Wein was asked those two questions "do you still require our services" and "would you like to meet up with a field operative" and she said yes.
That was enough for Bob Innes - the creator of Rentahitman.com - to report her to Michigan State Police.
"We utilized an undercover trooper to set up a meet in a parking lot," said Lt. Brian Oleksyk, Michigan State Police
Wein allegedly telling the undercover trooper - she'd pay $5,000 to have her ex killed, then and there she was arrested earlier this month.
"I can't believe someone would think that a web site like this exists," said Oleksyk.
Webmaster Bob Innes is not surprised at all.
Rentahitman.com has prevented over 140 murders so far that includes potential school shootings, child abductions and your run of the mill murder for hire
Innes started the very basic site in 2005 as a class project, then left it. A couple of years later, he opened the inbox.
"In 2008 I go back into the inbox to check the emails and I'm shocked there are 250-300 emails from people around the world asking for asset extraction," he said.
He figured he could do some good. And it seems he has, getting two new murder for hires messages just on Tuesday.
MSP says Wein offered to pay him $5,000 to murder her ex-husband, who lives in another state and provided him with up-front payment for travel expenses.
Wein was then arrested for solicitation to commit murder and was lodged at the Monroe County Jail.
On July 21, 2020, Wein was arraigned in the First District Court where she was charged with solicitation to commit murder and illegal use of a computer to facilitate a crime.
The investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, the owner of www.rentahitman.com advised that, since he started the website in 2005, he has been contacted numerous times by people requesting murders, school shootings, and even a baby abduction.
He claims the website has been responsible for preventing over 130 murders because he alerts law enforcement of all requests for hitmen.