Murder For Hire Charges Dropped Against East Tawas Councilman

A city councilman from East Tawas accused of trying to hire an out of state man to kill two people has had charges against him dismissed.

Prosecutors alleged 65-year-old Michael Mooney attempted to hire Daniel Blackhawk of Macon, Georgia to kill Blackhawk’s relatives in order to receive inheritance money. Mooney was trustee of the funds of Donald Clark, Sr. of Oscoda, who passed away in 2017. Clark was Blackhawk’s father. The beneficiaries of the trust were Clark’s widow Elaine Clark, and then Donald Clark, Jr. upon her death.

Blackhawk contacted police in Michigan and claimed Mooney told him he could receive his inheritance if he killed the wife and son. However, during the course of the investigation, Donald Clark, Jr. died in July, 2021. Following Clark’s death, Blackhawk himself died this past December. Neither death was considered suspicious, according to police.

With no physical evidence of a crime having been committed and the only witness against Mooney deceased, an Iosco County judge dismissed the case against Mooney.