2 arrested in northeast Iowa murder-for-hire plot

CRESCO, Iowa (AP) — A northeast Iowa man and woman have been charged with plotting to kill the woman’s ex-husband.

Cresco Police said 32-year-old Malissa Farmer and 35-year-old Daniel Padgett were both arrested on Monday. They’re both charged with conspiring to kill Farmer’s ex-husband and Farmer is also charged with theft.

Police say the mother of five had given Padgett a weapon to carry out the crime before they were arrested.

Investigator Richard Hollenbeck says he was surprised to learn that two citizens of Cresco were capable of something like this. Police learned of the scheme because another man Farmer approached first reported it.

Both Farmer and Padgett remained jailed Wednesday morning. Farmer was being held in lieu of $15,000 bond. Padgett was being held in lieu of $10,000 bond.