"It Was The Hardest Time of My Life:" Facebook Murder-for-Hire Target

Christine Metter’s ex-husband testified today that he filed for custody of all their children just two days before prosecutors say her murder-for-hire plot began, and that Metter had insisted that he leave his $1.5 million life insurance policy to her.

David Metter looked at the ground when he spoke softly and carefully to attorneys at the trial of his ex-wife.

When the subject of his daughters came up, his eyes welled and his voice cracked. “Take a moment,” said Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Lisa Neroda.

David Metter swallowed and paused. “It was the hardest time of my life.”

He seemed like a different person than the David Metter who had been described by witnesses so far: jurors have heard a 9-1-1 call from the informant prosecutors say was hired to kill David Metter, who said that David Metter had been “smacking around” Christine and her children.

Defense attorney Michael Lear called David Metter an unfaithful, abusive husband and father in opening statements.

Today, David Metter told the jury today that he and Christine Metter’s father Al Zombory had fought after the separation, and Lear questioned Metter if Zombory was angry with him because David Metter was abusive or unfaithful. David Metter said no.

 after prosecutors say she and Zombory tried to hire a hit man to kill David Metter, her ex-husband. Zombory is to be tried later.

David Metter said that his ex-wife kept his daughters from seeing him for three months at one point during their divorce, and described their relationship as rocky.

During the divorce proceedings, the Metters secured a life insurance policy. David Metter testified that Christine Metter insisted that he put his $1.5 million policy in her name instead of leaving it in trust funds to their children.

He described struggles over custody of their four daughters, and he mentioned an incident when their eldest daughter flew to his Atlanta-area home and asked him to file for emergency custody so she would not have to return to Beachwood and her mother.

He did not testify why his daughter went to his house in the first place.

Christine Metter was “eerily quiet” the weekend before the undercover sting, said David Metter.

Usually when their four daughters were visiting him, as they were that Memorial Day weekend, Christine Metter called and texted often, he testified. In fact, once when the five of them were away from their cell phones for a day, Christine Metter called Atlanta-area police to find them.

David Metter will continue testifying Thursday.

Wednesday the jury heard  who reported to police that Christine Metter and her father had offered him money to kill David Money.

Metter is in Lake County Jail on a $500,000 bond.

Watch Beachwood Patch for updates as they unfold, and follow @BeachwoodPatch on Twitter for the latest updates.

 His trial is scheduled for Jan. 31.