Umatilla

Tomorrow’s Broadcast: Dr. Phil Features Lake County’s ‘Murder-For-Hire Plot’ Cheerleader

The following story was previously published on Lake Legal News.

UMATILLA, Florida — A local case that received national attention last September will be in the national spotlight again on Thursday.

The parents of Alyssa Hatcher, the former Umatilla High School cheerleader who tried to hire two people to murder them, are scheduled to appear on Dr. Phil Thursday, according to the show’s website, drphil.com.

In September 2019, the murder-for-hire plot was foiled after a witness came forward and told the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Hatcher paid two different people to murder her parents — one of them a Clermont Police officer. Hatcher stole her mother’s debit card, spent some of the money on cocaine and the rest on would-be hitmen.   Lake County Sheriff’s detectives arrested Hatcher and charged her with criminal solicitation of murder.

According to drphil.com, the show airs at noon and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday on WOFL Fox 35.

Read our original article here: https://www.lakelegalnews.com/article/lake-juveniles-plot-to-kill-parents-foiled/

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Lake Juvenile’s Plot to Kill Parents Foiled

The following story was previously published on Lake Legal News.

[09/11/19 1:44 p.m.] UMATILLA, Florida – In a story that has now gained national attention, LLN was the very first to report that one of the the Umatilla High School cheerleader’s intended murder victims – her stepfather – is a Clermont law enforcement officer. Now LLN is the very first to report that this same 17-year-old girl who is accused of plotting to have her mother and stepfather killed is no stranger to the law. LLN was tipped off late Tuesday that Alyssa Hatcher’s stepfather’s guns were stolen last year during one of multiple house parties thrown by Hatcher. The parties were thrown while her mother and stepfather, Clermont Police Lt. Michael Scheller were out of town.

PHOTO: Facebook

According to the report taken by Umatilla Police Department and obtained exclusive by LLN, Scheller arrived home from vacation in September 2018 to find that the keys to his gun safe were missing. He later found them in Hatcher’s room. Once he opened the safe, he found that his department-issued Glock 22, a Para Ordinance 45 and a Ruger 357 revolver were missing.  His duty belt, handcuffs and flashlight were also missing. (The Clermont Police Department is also listed as a named-victim in the police report.)

When asked why she had the safe keys, Hatcher advised police she took the keys the mow the yard as her parents had requested. She also told police three unknown males attended the party and she saw them in the hallway, but “never thought anything of it and just thought they were going to the restroom.”

Umatilla Police investigated and interviewed numerous juvenile witnesses, but the guns were never found.

[09/10/19 2:13 p.m.] UMATILLA, Florida – LCSO Sgt. Fred Jones confirmed to LLN that Hatcher’s stepfather is a law enforcement officer. Outside sources and social media confirm that her stepfather is Clermont Police Lt. Michael Scheller. Hatcher is a former Umatilla High School cheerleader.

[Original Breaking Story] UMATILLA, Florida – A 17-year-old girl is facing murder solicitation charges after detectives say she paid two different people to murder her parents. LLN is actively working to confirm whether one of the alleged intended victims — the girl’s stepfather, is a Clermont, police officer.

An unidentified juvenile made contact with a Lake County Sheriff’s Office school resource deputy and told the deputy the suspect had given her friend “a lot of money” to kill her parents, according to the arrest affidavit. An investigation found that Alyssa Hatcher stole her parents’ debit card and completed two transactions, totaling more than $1,400. She was arrested by Umatilla Police Department on theft charges.

LCSO Det. David Causey interviewed the suspect’s boyfriend who told him he saw his girlfriend at a “known drug house” early Monday morning and she told him she wanted to kill her parents. Causey interviewed Hatcher, who admitted she stole the debit card and wanted her parents dead. She said she spent $100 on cocaine and gave $400 to the unidentified friend. The friend never carried out the murder plot, so Hatcher gave $900 to a black male to complete the job. The plot was foiled when the witness came forward. The victims, Hatcher’s parents, advised they wanted to prosecute and the girl was charged with criminal solicitation of murder.

This is a developing story.

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Inappropriate Teacher-Video Leaks Out To Lake County Students

The following story was previously published on Lake Legal News.

[09/06/19 9:45 p.m.] UMATILLA, Florida – Due to the nature of its content, LLN is declining to publish the video itself, to avoid further mental harm to students. However, even a cropped screenshot excerpt of the leaked video reveals that the unnamed woman appeared shocked at the salacious language being used, which is the subject of the ongoing investigation by Lake County Schools.

[09/06/19 4:56 p.m.] UMATILLA, Florida – Lt. John Herrell has informed LLN that the LCSO took a report, investigated the matter, and having determined that no criminal violation exists, has referred the matter to Lake County Schools.

09/06/19 2:45 p.m.] UMATILLA, Florida – A Umatilla Middle School teacher is under investigation by Lake County Schools after several social media videos went viral during the hurricane break.

Todd Erdman, employed since 2007, shared numerous videos on the social media platform TikTok, containing sexually explicit statements. The videos were spotted by a student who then shared them with friends and they spread throughout the community in a matter of hours. The videos were sent to LLN Thursday, by a concerned parent. The school district was made aware of the videos after a parent complained about the videos early Thursday morning.

Imani Williams, multi-media specialist and assistant public information officer for Lake County Schools told LLN that Erdman called in sick Thursday and Friday, but is under an active investigation. When he returns to work, he will be placed in a no-student contact position, Williams said. “We urge all of our teachers to operate with integrity.”

Geoff Rose, whose children were taught by Erdman, is appalled. “I find it disgusting. As a parent and youth coach, doing things like this is highly unacceptable,” Rose said. Rose has coached youth sports for 20 years.

Erdman has no prior disciplinary action, according to Williams. What happens next will be determined by outcome of the investigation. “We are working our hardest to do the most thorough investigation we can,“  Williams said. “We are here to do the best job possible.” Williams said the Lake County Sheriff’s Office also investigated. A call to LCSO was not returned by press time.

[Original Breaking Story] TAVARES, Florida – Sources are telling LLN that a Lake County middle school teacher is under investigation after inappropriate videos shared on the social media platform TikTok were viewed by numerous students during the hurricane break. A student stumbled upon the video and shared it with friends and it spread on social media in a matter of hours.  

A concerned parent emailed two of the videos to LLN Thursday. One video, 16 seconds in length shows the teacher having a verbal exchange with an unknown female. The conversation has graphic sexual connotations that most would consider vulgar. The second video, just eight seconds, shows the teacher in a bathtub making another graphic sexual remark.

No one could be reached at Lake County Schools after hours.

This is a developing story.

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