Florida Teen Steals Parents' Debit Card; Uses Money To Hire A Hitman To Kill Them
She spent a fortune trying to find a hitman.
Police handout A lot of teens say terrible things about their parents, but few go to the lengths that Alyssa Hatcher did to get revenge. Hatcher stole her parents' debit card, withdrew $1,500, and tried to use that money to hire a hitman to kill her mother and stepfather.
Police in Lake County, Florida arrested the 17-year-old on two counts of criminal solicitation for murder. Her parents are still alive and have not been named, but the sheriff's office confirmed that they wish to pursue charges against their daughter.
She was caught after friends heard her talking about the proposed murder for hire plan, and they turned her into the resource officer at her school.
Who is Alyssa Hatcher? Read on to find out the details.
1. Hatcher used her parents' stolen debit card to get the money.
Hatcher apparently stole her parents' debit card and went to two different ATMs to withdraw cash. One transaction was for $503 and one for $926.40. She spent about $100 of the first transaction on drugs and gave the remaining $400 to a friend to find someone to kill her parents.
When that didn't pan out, "she gave the other $900 to a black male to kill her parents,” said an affidavit. That murder for hire attempt also failed and her parents remain unharmed. Her mother noticed her debit card missing and later found her bank information written down in her daughter's room.
Police did identify the second person Hatcher tried to hire for the hit, but they have not released his name or other information about him at this time.
2. Her social media posts had cryptic messages.
Hatcher posted now-deleted photos of herself to Instagram with the caption "Ruthless." In another post, she wrote, "Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” Her Instagram account has since been disabled.
3. The county sheriff's office released a statement about Hatcher.
Lake County Sheriff’s Sergeant Fred Jones told local station, “When it comes to something like that, I cannot imagine the shock you would be in as a parent knowing that this is my daughter — what my daughter intended to do. There were people who were saying on social media how much she hates her parents. There’s nothing that your parents can do — being you’re grounded, your cars taken away, you can’t go to the prom or wherever — for you to get to this point."
Jones went on to confirm that Hatcher's parents intended to press charges.
4. Hatcher's peers were the ones who reported her to authorities.
The plot was discovered when a classmate at Hatcher's school told the school resource officer and said that he had heard Hatcher trying to find someone to kill her parents. Her boyfriend confirmed that she was looking for a hitman. He told police that Hatcher had gone to a "known drug house" to buy cocaine and was asking for someone to kill her parents.
Another classmate was shocked about the situation, telling a local news station, "Her of all people, that was very shocking to me. She's such a sweet girl. She's very caring.”
In a statement, the Clermont police chief praised the student who reported Hatcher's murder plans. "This is an important example of how ‘see something, say something’ plays a major role in preventing crime and protecting people in our community," he said.
6. Her motive wasn't clear.
No one is really sure what drove Hatcher to such lengths. Sgt. Fred Jones said, "The parents are good people, outstanding citizens. This was just somebody, who for whatever reason, just didn't want her parents around."
Her parents haven't been named in media reports so far, but Hatcher's stepfather is a lieutenant with the Clermont Police Department and has been on the force for 31 years.
7. Criminal charges have been filed against Hatcher.
Hatcher was arrested for criminal solicitation for murder.
The sheriff's office posted a statement saying, "Detectives from the Lake County Sheriffs Office have arrested 17-year-old Alyssa Hatcher on two counts of Criminal Solicitation for Murder. As the investigation progressed, it was revealed that the suspect Alyssa Hatcher solicited two different individuals to kill her parents. According to investigators, the juvenile suspect stole her parent's debit card and made two separate transactions withdrawing funds to pay the individuals to carry out the murder. The juvenile suspect was placed in custody and transported to the Lake County Jail where she was processed and turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice."
It is not yet known if she will be charged as an adult.
Rebekah Kuschmider has been writing about celebrities, pop culture, entertainment, and politics since 2010. Her work has been seen at Ravishly, Babble, Scary Mommy, The Mid, Redbook online, and The Broad Side.