Curtis E. Scharer IV advised the informant he is looking for someone "to wack" the woman

Curtis E. Scharer IV thought a fellow Westmoreland County Prison inmate was dialing a hit man Thursday. However, Scharer, 34, of 324 South Spring St., Greensburg, appeared stunned this morning before Hempfield District Judge Mark Mansour when he learned the telephone call was a ruse and he had actually arranged a contract killing of an ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend with county detective Anthony Marcocci.
The disclosure came moments before Scharer's scheduled preliminary hearing before Mansour on kidnapping, rape and aggravated assault charges stemming from a June 27 attack on the woman at a home in Hempfield Township. Yesterday, instead of a hearing, Scharer was arraigned on charges of attempted homicide and retaliating against a witness. Scharer's former girlfriend is not being identified by the Tribune-Review because of the nature of the charges. "I learned about this Wednesday that (Scharer) wanted this done before his former girlfriend and her boyfriend could testify against him at today's preliminary hearing. The confidential informant telephoned us about 6 p.m. (Thursday) from the prison and then put Curtis on the telephone and he thought he was arranging a contract killing," Marcocci said.'
According to the arrest affidavit Marcocci filed, Scharer is accused of offering Marcocci $4,000, plus his 1969 Harley-Davidson motorcycle, plus another $2,000 to pay an assistant to help with the killings. Marcocci reported that Scharer promised payment once he was released from jail. Marcocci said the informant at the prison told detectives that Scharer had approached him Tuesday saying "he needed to get rid of an ex-girlfriend, because she has him jammed "Scharer advised the informant he is looking for someone "to wack" the woman," Marcocci wrote in the affidavit of probable cause
During conversations with the informant, Scharer provided him his girlfriend's address and both her and her boyfriend's work schedules.
As a result of yesterday's charges, Scharer decided to continue his scheduled hearing until Aug. 8 when a hearing will be held on both complaints. He was returned to the county prison yesterday on $400,000 bond.