UPDATE: On Dec. 13, 2022, Mark Noelker pleaded guilty to a charge of misdemeanor harassment. He was sentenced to 90 days of local confinement, scheduled to start Dec. 26, according to online records.
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GERMANTOWN, Tenn. — A man is behind bars on $1 million bond, accused of trying to get his girlfriend to kill his wife.
Mark Noelker is charged with solicitation for first-degree murder.
Court records state Noelker’s estranged wife first called Shelby County deputies in April. She claimed Noelker’s girlfriend reached out to her sister on Facebook, sending her screen shots of text message conversations.
Noelker allegedly asked his girlfriend, since she was from South Memphis, how could he get somebody “offed?”
He then explained how he would have it happen. They would meet up with his estranged wife, she would start a fight with her, and Noelker would shoot her in self-defense.
He also reportedly stated “he could not do it because he would be the first person police would look at.”
The estranged wife told deputies they were going through divorce proceedings and a child custody battle.
The alleged girlfriend claimed they “had a short sexual relationship” and she “believed it necessary to alert” the estranged wife.
She told WREG the same thing on the phone but wouldn’t agree to an interview. She wouldn’t get into details, only stressing she wouldn’t ever go through with something like that.
The woman isn’t charged with any crime.
Deputies say Noelker lived with his mom in Germantown. A woman who came to the door at that address wouldn’t identify herself or speak to WREG.
Deputies say they traced the number in the texts back to Noelker and claim he also had a gun, which they say shows he was willing to carry out his threat.
Crime Stoppers listed him on Memphis’ Most Wanted in May, until he was arrested last week.
Deputies say Noelker and his estranged wife had a history of domestic violence, but the TBI’s background check shows no convictions.
In June, Noelker had his $1 million bond reduced to $75,000 and was released.
