A Western Wisconsin man, who was the target of a murder for hire plot, is taking his story to state lawmakers
Melanie Schrader is behind bars, her intended target says that s not enough
May 12, 2021 6:20 PM Amy DuPont
Updated:
Melanie Schrader
CHIPPEWA COUNTY, Wis. (WKBT)- A Western Wisconsin man, who was the target of a murder for hire plot, is taking his story to state lawmakers.
Derek Gerke’s former girlfriend tried to have him killed during a child custody battle. She’s in prison. Gerke says that’s not enough.
The evidence was overwhelming. Investigators recorded the phone calls and meeting Melanie Schrader had with an undercover police officer she hired to kill Derek Gerke; her daughter’s father.
Schrader: Yes. I have a little girl in my car.
Agent: Okay, we’ll make it fast. Do you want it clean? I can shoot him with my gun or I can choke him out and kill him.
Schrader: I want it fast.
Agent: Okay.
Schrader: Whatever it takes to do it fast.
After Schrader handed over the cash, two pictures of Gerke and a map to his house, a team of officers waiting nearby arrested Schrader before she could drive away.
“This is no joke. It is absolutely a living hell,” Gerke said.
Prosecutors charged Schrader with conspiracy to commit first-degree intentional homicide. But just before her trial was to start, prosecutors offered Schrader a plea deal to drop her prison time by more than half.