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New Mexico Man Allegedly Used Fake Hitman Site To Try And Arrange Mother-In-Law’s Murder
Leif Hayman allegedly wrote the owner of a fake hitman rental website and asked him to kill his mother-in-law, who he said was "controlling" his wife. He then allegedly tried to borrow the money for the hit from his wife.
A New Mexico man has been jailed for allegedly trying to plot the murder-for-hire of his mother-in-law using a fake website advertising hitman services.
Leif Hayman, 32, pleaded not guilty in court on Wednesday to attempting to arrange the assassination of his spouse’s mother using RentAHitman.com.
Hayman messaged the site’s owner in April, indicating he wanted an individual “hurt,” according to a criminal complaint obtained by Oxygen.com. He also sent along a picture of the victim, as well as her address, phone number, and email address in his correspondence.
"I want her gone now,” Hayman allegedly wrote RentAHitman.com, referring to his mother-in-law. “Too much that I don't like about her, she's controlling my wife."
He later reached out to the site a second time using the alias “Meliodas T. Trinidad,” according to law enforcement.
“Kill that b—h,” Hayman allegedly stated, according to charging documents.
In late April, however, prosecutors say that Hayman became impatient with the fake online assassin service, demanding the contract murder be carried out within a matter of days.
“5 days is too long for me to wait,” Hayman allegedly wrote on April 28. “You people are fake. If u were real someone who have contact me already … I can’t wait anymore … I’m doing it my f--ing self, thank you for nothing fake people.”
In May, the website’s operator tipped off law enforcement to Hayman’s alleged activities. An undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) reached out to Hayman posing as the non-existent RentAHitman.com contract killer.
They say Hayman ultimately negotiated a $200 “starting price” for the murder-for-hire fee with the federal agent. He allegedly recommended the purported hitman shoot his mother-in-law, whom he said he “hated with a passion.”
“It’s my wife’s mom we’re talking about, so I don’t want any evidence to come back to me or you,” Hayman wrote, according to the complaint.
The 32-year-old had difficulties coming up with the proposed fee for the killing, prosecutors say, and told the ATF agent he’d request some money from his spouse to cover it. The two lived apart, with his wife residing in Bayard and him in Las Cruces.
“Hayman said he would lie to his wife and say he needed money for something else,” the ATF agent wrote in the case’s complaint. “Hayman said his wife did not know what was going on.”
In the end, Hayman's wife only gave him $53; as a result, he allegedly instead asked the undercover agent posing as the hitman to murder his wife’s mother using a baseball bat. He also asked to accompany the fake hitman — noting that he did not have his own means of transport — but said they would have to either hurt his "staff" who would be with him "24/7" or convince that person not to call the police, according to charging documents.
The Albuquerque Journal reported that Hayman has a legal guardian and lives in a residential facility through the state’s Developmental Disabilities Waiver program.
Hayman and the federal agent allegedly plotted to carry out the woman’s killing on May 11. When the ATF agent showed up at Hayman’s resident, however, an unidentified individual was present and scuffled with Hayman as he tried to get in the car, prompting the agent to speed off, they said.
Agents later interviewed Hayman's legal guardian, who provided them with access to the suspect's iPad, the Journal reported.
Hayman was arrested on June 1. He was charged with interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire.
The judge ordered him released to the care organization Links of Life, which provides services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who participate in the Developmental Disabilities Waiver program, and to be constantly monitored by a caregiver, according to court documents obtained by Oxygen.com and reporting by the Journal. Prosecutors are appealing that decision, according to the Journal, and Hayden remains in custody, the Journal reported.
His public defender asked the court that Hayden receive proper medical care for his conditions while he remains in custody.
Hayden waived his right to a preliminary hearing this week. No further court date information is available.
Hayman was reported missing from Las Cruces in November 2020, according to El Paso Fox affiliate KFOX. It noted then that he did not have access to a vehicle and was considered an at-risk adult due to his many medical conditions.
