Indiana Inmate Convicted of Attempting to Hire Hitman to Kill Mother of His Children, Her Boyfriend Amid Child Custody Dispute

A LaPorte, Indiana, man has been convicted of attempting to hire a hit man to murder the mother of his children and her new boyfriend.

Daniel Shaffer, 47, was found guilty Thursday by a jury on two counts of Level 2 felony conspiracy to commit murder and not guilty on two counts of Level 1 felony attempted murder.

Shaffer Told His Cellmate He Wanted to Get Some People Killed Over an Ongoing Child Custody Battle

According to authorities, Shaffer was in the LaPorte County Jail in 2023 waiting for a verdict on prior auto theft and drug related charges when he began talking to a cellmate about wanting the individuals killed over an ongoing child custody battle. His cellmate told him he knew people on the outside who could possibly carry out the task.

Jail authorities found out about the murder-for-hire scheme and sent a police officer posing as a hitman to the jail to gauge his level of interest, according to prosecutors.

The undercover officer later took pictures of the man and woman coming to and from their residence and showed the images to Shaffer, who confirmed it was them he wanted killed before an upcoming child custody hearing.

Shaffer Agreed to Pay $4K Per Body as Down Payment

Shaffer agreed to pay $4,000 per body in the form of a down payment and monthly stipends of $200 to $300 until the balance was retired, according to prosecutors. Eventually, Shaffer appeared to suspect he had been set up when the killings did not occur, according to prosecutors.

“While the jury did not convict on all While the jury did not convict on all charges presented at trial, the State of Indiana presented the evidence and met our burden of proof at trial,” said LaPorte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan.

Shaffer faces 10 to 30 years on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.