Mike Relle, who married his first wife Dee Hoffman in 1979 while they were students at the University of Florida in Gainesville, was a man who seemingly had it all. From a young age, Mike displayed a remarkable set of characteristics. He was a Boy Scout who nearly attained the rank of Eagle Scout and was an altar boy, showing his moral and ethical values. Upon attending college at the University of Florida, Mike continued to thrive. He actively engaged in a fraternity, which offered him a supportive community and opportunities for growth and development. Furthermore, his athletic abilities and academic achievements made him an exemplary student. Mike graduated with a Master in Business Administration from the University of Miami. This academic achievement set him on a path of personal and professional success.
Dee, Mike’s wife, once remarked that Mike was a genuinely supportive husband who never physically abused her. However, Mike’s relationship with Dee had reached a breaking point beneath the facade of success. They had two daughters, Caroline and Kate, whom Mike loved dearly. Despite his professional achievements, Mike was often away from his family, spending long hours traveling for work. As a result, his daughters grew accustomed to his absence during their formative years.
After 25 years of marriage, Dee approached Mike and requested a divorce. Dee moved out of the shared residence. This arrangement was intentional, as Dee wanted to give Caroline and Kate a place to return to when they came home from college. Mike found himself a single man for the first time in a long while at 49. Feeling the need to find love again, Mike decided to embark on internet dating in the mid-2000s. At this time, internet dating was gaining widespread popularity. Mike created an account on Match.com, and it wasn’t long before he connected with a 38-year-old Hispanic nurse named Susan.
As Mike and Susan’s relationship progressed, they went on wonderful dates and trips together. Not long after their initial meeting, Susan moved into Mike’s home, taking over a space once occupied by Mike’s ex-wife Dee. In an interview with 48 Hours, Dee shared her perspective on Susan’s arrival into her ex-husband’s life. According to Dee, everything that was once hers suddenly became Susan’s, including her dog.
When she first met her father’s girlfriend, Mike’s daughter Caroline expressed her concerns about Susan. Caroline was taken aback by how much Susan drank during their first meeting. Despite consuming several martinis, Susan miraculously remained upright, able to walk and even engage in conversation. According to Caroline, this behavior was unlike anything she had ever witnessed, and it set off alarm bells in her mind.
Despite Caroline’s reservations, Mike and Susan eventually tied the knot in 2007. This union marked a turning point in the relationship, as Susan stopped working and Mike ceased traveling for work. Instead, Mike purchased a local business, Ocala Dental, which would become the center of their lives.
Mike Relle and his wife Susan appeared to be an ideal couple to the outside world. They owned a home in a wealthy Alachua County neighborhood of Haile Plantation in Florida, and they often joked about their perfect life together. However, behind their facade, Mike and Susan faced significant struggles in their marriage.
During the summer of 2007, Mike drafted a prenuptial agreement with Susan. This sudden development raised eyebrows among their friends and family, as they had always been portrayed as a strong and united couple. What prompted Mike to propose a prenup so suddenly?
The catalyst for Mike’s decision was an incident at one of his daughter’s house parties. Susan, known for her fierce temperament, used excessive profanity in front of Mike’s daughter, causing a heated argument. This incident led Mike to consider protecting his assets in case of a potential divorce.
Although Mike and Susan appeared to be financially stable, there were underlying issues beneath the surface. Susan admitted to Mike that she had accumulated $35,000 in credit card debt, which deeply concerned him.
One of the main sources of tension in Mike and Susan’s relationship was Susan’s dislike of Mike’s daughters. Caroline said she could only interact with her father when he was alone in his car. Susan’s dislike for his daughters created a barrier, making it difficult for Caroline to have meaningful conversations with her father.
Despite the difficulties they faced, Mike and Susan’s relationship seemed to stabilize, at least on the surface. In 2016, when Caroline announced her engagement, Susan became deeply involved and wanted a significant role in every aspect of the wedding. Susan insisted on throwing her a bridal shower, a gesture typically reserved for the mother or sister of the bride.
As Susan planned the shower, she made a conscious decision to exclude Caroline’s mother’s friends from the guest list. However, she ensured her own friends and family were in attendance. Despite the initial strangeness of Susan’s deep involvement in planning the shower, Caroline admitted that the day was enjoyable. Susan put in considerable effort to make the occasion fun and memorable for all participants.
When Caroline was looking for her wedding gown, Susan accompanied her to the bridal boutique. Together, they browsed through the various dresses until Caroline found one that captured her imagination. Susan even handed over her credit card to pay for the $1,000 gown.
In November 2017, Caroline married at the Oheka Castle in Long Island, surrounded by 160 guests. The event mirrored the grandeur and luxury of a wedding fit for royalty. Before Mike walked his daughter Caroline down the aisle, she noticed an unusual mark on his face. When Caroline inquired about the mark, Mike brushed her concerns aside, not wanting to upset her on the special day.
However, three weeks after Caroline married, Mike confided in her that the mark, now a long white scar, had come at the hands of his wife Susan. He revealed that Susan had physically abused him and that she had been arrested for domestic battery after becoming violent while intoxicated.
Susan’s version of the incident was that after her stepdaughter Caroline’s wedding, her husband Mike confided in her that the wedding had gone $150,000 over budget. This revelation angered Susan, and the argument between her and Mike escalated. During the altercation, Susan threw a mobile phone at Mike, and she pushed him in an effort to diffuse the situation. However, Susan herself was the one who eventually called 911 to report the incident.
According to Susan, she offered to go to the couple’s beach condo to calm things down. However, a significant amount of time passed without her leaving the residence to head to the beach. As a result, the police arrested Susan when she still had not left the premises. The court ultimately ordered Susan to stay away from Mike, and she sought alcohol and counseling services, as well as anger management assistance. Several weeks later, Mike ultimately decided not to pursue charges against Susan, and the case was dropped. Susan moved out of their home and into a condo at Ponte Vedra. While this provided a reprieve from the couple’s ongoing drama, it would be short-lived.
On February 3rd, 2018, at 4:00 a.m., Michael Relle made a chilling call to 911 from his home in Gainesville, Florida. He informed the dispatcher that someone had entered his house and his wife Susan was bleeding profusely.
When the police arrived at the scene, they discovered Susan lying severely injured on a bed in the master bedroom. Medics were immediately summoned, and with a sense of urgency, they rushed her to the closest hospital.
As Susan was rushed to the operating room, the surgeons worked tirelessly to save her. In critical condition, the odds were not in her favor, and the possibility of survival seemed slim.
Meanwhile, a detective arrived at Mike’s home, now cordoned off as a crime scene. The detective began his search of the premises, meticulously examining the scene for any clues. What the detective found was a scene that sent shivers down his spine. Inside the master bedroom, there was a substantial amount of blood on the bed, as well as a bloody bent knife. However, there was no sign of forced entry on any doors or shattered windows.
In an effort to piece together the events that led up to the incident, the detective obtained security camera footage from Mike’s home. However, after carefully examining the footage, the detective failed to find anyone fleeing from Mike’s house.
Susan miraculously survived the ordeal but was left with significant wounds on her wrist, stomach, and neck. When Susan regained consciousness in the hospital, she provided a shocking revelation to the detectives assigned to the case. According to Susan, there was no intruder. It was Mike who had attacked her. She claimed Mike had concocted a story about a person breaking into their home and assaulting them.
According to Susan, she and Mike started fighting while they were at a local restaurant for dinner. Susan said that she and Mike decided to return home in separate cars. Upon arriving home, Susan went straight to bed, and as she was falling asleep, she suddenly felt a sharp stabbing sensation.
When Susan opened her eyes, Mike was standing over her with a knife in his hand. Panic and confusion filled her mind as she realized that she was in danger. Susan yelled out at Mike,
“Michael, you were going to kill me!”
To her horror, Mike replied,
“That’s exactly what I want to do.”
Susan’s cries for help went unheard as Mike continued to stab her, leaving her body covered in blood and suffering immense pain.
For an hour, Susan lay in the bed bleeding profusely and fearing for her life. Mike told Susan that he wouldn’t kill her if she stuck with his story that an intruder had broken into the house and stabbed her. Desperate to stay alive, Susan reluctantly agreed to go along with Mike’s plan. He then changed his clothes and called 911, pretending that a robbery had taken place.
Mike Relle was arrested on charges related to the attempted murder of his wife Susan. The news surprised everyone, including Mike’s ex-wife Dee and his daughters Caroline and Kate. Dee, who had divorced Mike years earlier, was in disbelief when she heard about the arrest. During their marriage, she had never witnessed any signs of violence or aggression. She couldn’t comprehend the idea that her former husband was being accused of such a heinous crime.
Similarly, Caroline and Kate were overwhelmed by their father’s arrest. They had always admired and respected Mike, considering him a generous and kind man. The idea that he would commit such a violent act against their stepmother seemed inconceivable.
As the situation unfolded, additional charges were brought against Mike. In addition to the attempted murder charge, he was indicted on charges of false imprisonment, obstruction, and tampering with evidence. These additional charges further complicated the case and increased the severity of the situation.
Due to Mike’s wealth and affluence, the judge decided to set a bond of $2.5 million on the additional charges. However, it was agreed that no bond would be granted on the attempted murder charge considering the serious nature of the crime.
The arrest of Mike Relle created shockwaves throughout the community. Many people who knew him and his family found it difficult to reconcile their perception of him with the nature of the charges he faced.
Several months after his February 2018 arrest, on June 29th, Mike was arrested and charged with a criminal attempt to solicit and conspire on a capital felony. The charges were based on allegations that Mike had tried to hire an inmate to murder his wife Susan. According to the state’s attorney office, Mike sought assistance from 33-year-old Rodri Germaine McCollum, who also faced charges in relation to the alleged murder-for-hire plot.
The trial, which took place in 2019, provided insight into the tumultuous dynamics of Mike and Susan’s relationship. Throughout the trial, Mike presented a narrative that depicted a strained and turbulent marriage.
Mike’s testimony revealed that he and his wife had limited visitors to their home. According to Mike, this restriction was primarily due to Susan’s reluctance to have his friends from his former university’s advisory board over.
Another aspect that created friction between Mike and Susan was his philanthropic endeavors. Mike testified that he enjoyed making charitable donations, which occasionally caused contention with his wife. According to Mike, Susan would often threaten to divorce him if he attended committee meetings or country club meetings, or if he made donations without her permission.
While Mike claimed to have faced conflict over charitable contributions, Susan’s spending habits seemingly went unchecked. Mike testified that Susan often spent money on clothing and jewelry without consulting him. This disparity in financial priorities added to the strain of their marriage, as Mike felt frustrated and overwhelmed by the constant financial strain.
Mike also testified that there were times when Susan resorted to violence as a means of resolving conflicts. In a July 2016 incident, Mike claimed that Susan threw a wine bottle at him from the top of the staircase, hitting him in the shoulders. That was not an isolated incident. Mike testified that there were other occasions where Susan threw vases and heavy mugs at him.
Despite numerous violent incidents, Mike told the court that he never reported any of them to police, nor did he seek help. However, Mike took pictures of his injuries and shared them with his daughter Caroline. Mike maintained throughout the trial that despite enduring abuse, he loved his wife and wanted to remain married to her. Yet Mike stated he was walking on eggshells around her, constantly fearing retaliation.
Mike invited Susan for dinner on February 3rd, 2018, with the hope that they could work on the relationship. He decided to take her to their favorite steakhouse, hoping that a change of scenery and a romantic dinner would foster a reconciliation. During the dinner, Mike received a text message from his daughter Caroline, which angered Susan. The dinner became awkward and tense. Susan’s anger escalated, and she left the restaurant in an Uber at the end of the meal. Mike followed her in his car.
During the ride home, Susan sent Mike a text message that read,
“Good luck with that bitch,”
referring to his daughter Caroline. Susan believed that Caroline would ruin any future relationship Mike had.
While Susan and Mike arrived home that night, they did not communicate verbally. Instead, they continued to communicate through text message. Susan informed Mike that she was filing for a divorce and leaving the next morning.
At approximately 10:13 p.m., Susan sent Mike one final text. It addressed his serious boundary issues with his daughter. According to Susan, she was alone in the guest room when Mike suddenly entered and jumped on top of her. Susan felt pressure in her upper abdomen and saw a knife in her husband’s hand. She asked him whether he stabbed her, to which he admitted he had done so.
Susan alleged that Mike told her that they were not getting a divorce and described a tense violent struggle during which her left thumb was sliced. She claimed that Mike stabbed her multiple times and slashed at her wrists during the altercation.
Susan sustained severe injuries. She testified that her blood loss was substantial, causing her to vomit and lose control of her muscles and bodily functions. Mike allegedly told Susan that he was going to lay with her until she died. Susan claimed that she was trying to stay conscious when Mike came up with the idea that an intruder had come in and attacked her.
However, Mike’s version of events differed greatly. Mike testified that he walked into the bedroom and found Susan on the bed holding a knife. A struggle ensued over the knife, and as they fell onto the bed, the knife fatally wounded Susan’s stomach. However, Mike failed to explain how Susan was also stabbed in the neck and thumb during the testimony.
Mike claimed that he intended to call 911 for help after accidentally injuring Susan during a struggle. However, Susan allegedly told him not to do so, as she feared being arrested again for domestic violence. According to Mike, the two of them lay together as she bled for several hours. While they lay there, they had what Mike described as one of the best conversations of their lives. During the conversation, Susan and Mike discussed their future travel plans. They talked about their dream of visiting Germany, Tuscany, Florence, and Greece, and going on a river cruise.
According to the prosecution, if Mike was telling the truth, he and Susan were having this conversation on a bed covered in blood, vomit, human waste, and excrement.
Mike testified that at 3:00 a.m., he and Susan’s dog Susie walked into their bloody bedroom, prompting him to get out of bed to take care of her. However, during this encounter, Susan grabbed the knife and slit her wrists, purportedly stating that she feared going to jail. He claimed to have told Susan that he was not going to get her arrested, but instead decided to lie to the police and stated that he would protect her.
As part of this plan, Mike turned off the security cameras to stage a break-in at around 5:25 a.m. However, he later called 911 and turned the cameras back on. The prosecution argued that Mike’s actions indicated an intent to harm Susan. They contended that his willingness to lie about the events and his manipulation of the surveillance cameras suggested that he was attempting to cover up his involvement in the crime.
On the other hand, the defense argued that Mike’s actions were motivated by his desire to protect his wife. They contended that Susan’s attempted suicide was a result of her mental health issues and that Mike was trying to save her from herself when he turned off the camera and lied to the police.
A bloodstain pattern analyst testified on Mike’s defense, stating that he had reviewed the medical records that supported Mike’s story. According to the analyst, if Susan’s wrist had been cut around 10:00 p.m., as she claimed, she would have died due to blood loss. However, if Mike’s story were true, it would have made more sense that she had survived the attack, as medical help had arrived shortly afterwards.
The prosecution refuted Mike’s claims that he wanted to reconcile his marriage with Susan. They presented evidence that Mike had visited three dating sites, seemingly indicating a lack of interest in reconciliation. However, Mike’s defense countered by showing that Mike had accessed several web pages dedicated to battered husbands.
After a nine-day trial, the jury went into deliberations. Four hours later, they finally returned with a verdict, finding Mike guilty of attempted first-degree murder and additional charges.
In December 2019, Mike was sentenced. However, Susan did not attend the hearing. Mike’s daughter Caroline addressed the court and expressed her pride in being her father’s daughter. She mentioned that Mike had been compassionate and selfless over the years, always putting others before himself. Several friends also stepped forward to share their thoughts on Mike, describing him as a kind, gentle person and a stand-up gentleman.
Despite the prosecution’s request for a 50-year sentence, the judge ultimately sentenced Mike to 30 years. However, given his age at the time of the sentencing, it is likely that Mike will die in prison.
