Milwaukee County inmate busted in murder for hire case

MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee County inmate is facing seven felony charges after he allegedly ordered the death of a domestic abuse witness. 

The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office intercepted letters from 31-year-old Mark Girtler directing others to abuse and kill witnesses. One letter Girtler wrote to a friend said, \"Run up in there and go hard on dat b----! 4 realy brorbro, let her know we not f---ing around. I don't care if u put da barrel in da b---- mouth or pistal whip her.\" The sheriff's office says Girtler wrote one witness saying, \"U go to court again u die\".

In a letter to one of his friend Girtler allegedly wrote he was \"not ready to do no 12-15 years\" for crime he was in jail for. The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office says Girtler is now facing over 94 years in prison. \"This subject's stay in a bed and breakfast facility just got upgraded to a state prison,\" says Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke.

\"Protecting the victims and witnesses in these cases is critical to a functioning justice system,\" says Sheriff Clarke. \"The work of the detectives prevented this subject from carrying out his threats.\"