Man Tried To Hire Hitman To Kill Witnesses Of In-Law Attack: Police

CRETE, IL – A Wisconsin man who faces charges in the attempted slayings of his in-laws at their Will County home now faces additional charges alleging approached inmates in jail last month about hiring a hitman to kill witnesses associated with the case, authorities announced on Thursday.

Michael Liu, 36, is accused of speaking with several inmates in mid-January about having a hitman kill people who may have witnessed his attack on his in-laws, who live near Crete, Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley said on Thursday.

Kelley announced in a news release that Liu agreed to pay a hitman $20,000 to kill witnesses and has recorded conversations taking place between Liu and inmates at Will County Jail, Kelley said. One inmate said that he convinced Liu, who is from Oak Creek, Wisconsin, that he had a friend who was a hitman and would carry out the murder-for-hire plot, Kelley said.

Police said that conversations included details that Liu told the inmate that he would pay $10,000 upfront and then the other $10,000 when the killings were completed, Kelley said.

Upon the completion of their investigation, Will County authorities were able to secure an arrest warrant for Liu, who has been in custody in the county jail since Dec. 2. Liu was served the warrant on Thursday with a bond of $1 million with 10 percent to apply, Kelley said. Liu has been held without bond since he was taken into custody a day after the attack.

Kelley said that Liu, who already faces several charges in connection with the attack on his in-laws — including the attempted murder of both his mother-in-law and father-in-law — could also face further charges in connection with the attack. Prosecutors said when Liu was charged in December that he had a motive of revenge to kill the Will County couple ahead of an upcoming divorce from his estranged wife.

Investigators said Liu parked up the street from the home and then fired several shots at the couple while they sat inside their home, the criminal complaint said. Liu’s shots did not hit the couple, and police said that he then broke into the home by smashing a glass door.

Liu then fired several shots once inside the home, police said, but his gun malfunctioned.

Police said Liu’s father-in-law was stabbed several times after he came to the defense of his wife. The man was able to wrestle the knife away from Liu, police said, but was stabbed in the process.