Keep Guido Caffeinated. Help Stop the Next Crime.
Rent-A-Hitman started as a joke. Unfortunately, some of the submissions were dead serious.
For more than 20 years, people have voluntarily used this website to disclose alleged murder plots, school threats, swatting plans, domestic violence, suicidal intentions, and other dangerous behavior.
When a submission appears credible, the information is preserved and referred to the appropriate authorities. That work has helped interrupt serious threats and protect potential victims.
The website may be satire. The prevention work is not.
No contracts. No retainers. No mysterious envelopes. Just legitimate support for a very unusual public-safety operation.
From Parody To Prevention
Rent-A-Hitman has become an accidental early-warning system.
People find the website, ignore every warning sign and voluntarily explain what they allegedly intend to do. Some are joking. Some are angry. Some are in crisis. A small but dangerous number appear ready to act.
Each credible submission requires time, documentation, evidence preservation, research and contact with the proper law-enforcement or crisis-response agency.
For years, most of that work—and the expense behind it—has been handled by one person.
That arrangement has lasted longer than several mob families, but it is not sustainable.
INTERCEPTED
The best true-crime story is the one where nobody dies.
INTERCEPTED is being developed to document and strengthen the work that happens before a tragedy:
- Identifying behavioral warning signs
- Evaluating potentially credible threats
- Preserving digital evidence
- Referring urgent matters to appropriate authorities
- Connecting people in crisis with intervention
- Following cases from submission to resolution
- Showing the public what prevention actually looks like
True crime usually begins after someone has been hurt.
INTERCEPTED starts while there may still be time to prevent it.
From Threat to Thrive
The best true-crime story is the one where nobody dies.
From Threat to Thrive is the nonprofit initiative being built from the lessons learned through Rent-A-Hitman.
Its mission is to turn years of disturbing submissions and real-world intervention into practical programs supporting:
- Violence and crime prevention
- Online-safety education
- Suicide prevention and mental-health awareness
- Cyberbullying prevention
- Victim advocacy
- School and community education
- Law-enforcement collaboration
- Legislative and public-policy reform
Some people need to be investigated. Some need immediate help. Potential victims need protection.
Knowing the difference—and getting the information to the right people quickly—can save a life.
The GoFundMe Campaign
The official GoFundMe campaign is raising $7,000 to help support continued website operations, build the foundation for INTERCEPTED and move From Threat to Thrive forward.
Every donation helps. Sharing the campaign helps too.
You do not need to be wealthy, connected or “in the family.” A few dollars, a campaign share or a useful introduction can all move this work forward.
What Your Support Makes Possible
Your support helps turn disturbing onine signals into research, education, intervention and safer co
Threat Review and Referral
Reviewing incoming reports, documenting credible concerns and getting time-sensitive information to the appropriate law-enforcement, school-safety or crisis-response agency.
Secure Technology
Maintaining cybersecurity, evidence storage, encrypted backups, website infrastructure and the systems needed to protect sensitive information.
INTERCEPTED
Developing a prevention-centered initiative built around behavioral warning signs, threat assessment, case research, public education and early intervention.
From Threat to Thrive
Building educational programs and partnerships focused on online safety for children and adults, cyberbullying prevention, mental-health awareness and victim advocacy.
Trust & Safety Partnerships
Working toward collaboration with technology companies, online platforms, major networks, researchers and safety professionals to identify cross-platform risks and help create safer digital communities.
Research and Global Collaboration
Turning years of anonymized case information into responsible research, policy discussions and practical lessons for educators, investigators and online-safety organizations worldwide.
Keeping the Operation Alive
Covering software, communications, hosting, administrative expenses and the occasional emergency supply of espresso.
Guido works cheap. Servers, security and lawyers remain stubbornly traditional.
A Note From Bob
I have personally kept this operation running for years, largely out of pocket.
Behind the jokes are real submissions, real potential victims and real responsibilities. I am asking for help because the workload has outgrown what one person can sustainably manage alone.
Your support helps keep the website operating, credible threats moving toward the proper authorities and the larger prevention mission moving forward.
Thank you for helping me continue the work.
— Bob Innes
Founder and Webmaster, Rent-A-Hitman
Founder, From Threat to Thrive