GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.- Former Muskegon County Assistant Prosecutor Brett Gardner says he’s never seen anything like the videos of Julia Merfeld hiring what she thinks is a hit man to kill her husband for his life insurance policy.
“It’s very, very telling to her, this is funny, this isn`t about human life, this is about her desire to have money she can get upon his death,” Gardner said.
He says it’s important to remember Merfeld truly believes the man she is talking to is a murderer who will follow through with her request.
In videos that are catching national attention, Merfeld draws maps of her home and even gives the undercover officer a key and a down payment of $100 for her husband’s murder.
She tells the undercover officer she can get her husband out of the house to do chores for her like cleaning out her car or picking up leaves.
“Her husband has concern for her because he is willing to do these things for her to try to please her and all she’s using that to set up the circumstance for him to be murdered,” Gardner said.
Gardner notices Merfeld only shows concern when one topic is brought up, payment.
“This cold callus woman might have thought at one point that she might not be paying him but after listening to him, she`s worried about paying him, that there will be consequence for her.”
Julia Merfeld pleaded guilty to solicitation of murder and is expected to be sentenced July 30.
