A Colorado man has been arrested after allegedly answering a Craigslist ad posted by a teenage girl asking someone to kill her.
Joseph Michael Lopez, 22, was arrested on Friday (local time) for shooting 19-year-old Natalie Bollinger dead.
Mr Lopez told police Ms Bollinger had posted an ad in the "woman seeking men" category of Craigslist saying, "I want to put a hit on myself".
He said after a conversation spanning more than 100 texts, he agreed to kill her for a price.
They met on December 28, at which point Mr Lopez tried to talk Ms Bollinger out of the plan.
However, he said she persisted, bringing her own gun and telling him she wanted to be "executed from behind".
She allegedly said she was having issues with her boyfriend, who had reported her missing.
Mr Lopez says they both knelt down and prayed, then he got up, closed his eyes and shot her.
He then fled with the gun and her purse.
Ms Bollinger's autopsy results showed high levels of heroin in her system.
Loved ones told police Ms Bollinger had a history of suicidal thoughts but had been happy recently.
Legal experts told local media that even if Mr Lopez's version of events is true, he will still be tried for murder. However, he may receive a lesser sentence if it is proven that she asked him to kill her.