A man has caused panic among family after faking a murder scene in a bathtub by pouring ketchup all over his fiancee and then sending photos around saying he had killed her.

Police were called to the home of Micah Risner and Nataleigh Schlette in Sandusky, Ohio on Thursday night after getting 911 calls from three 'hysterical' family members and friends who thought the so-called murder was real.

A number of officers showed up to the couple's home before discovering that the scene in their bathtub had been staged as a practical joke.

Both Risner and Schlette were arrested and charged with inducing panic.

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Micah Risner caused panic among friends after faking a murder scene in a bathtub by pouring ketchup all over his fiancee Nataleigh Schlette (above) in Sandusky, Ohio on Thursday

Police were called to the couple's home in Sandusky, Ohio on Thursday night after getting calls from three 'hysterical' people reporting the so-called murder

Police Chief John Orzech told Dailymail.com that the couple had indicated Risner's sister had allegedly stolen money from them and it was their way of trying to get her to come back to the house.

'We sent a lot of people there. The mother that had called us on 911 was very distraught thinking this was real,' Orzech said.

He described the ordeal as a very 'bad joke'.

It is not clear how many people Risner sent the photos to. Police released copies of some the text messages Risner had sent to his sister after sending out the crime scene photos.

'Please help me! I really didn't mean to. I don't remember. We was arguing and I woke up to this,' Risner sent to his sister.

His sister responded: 'What the f*** is she dead Michah?? Answer me now!!'

'I woke up on the bathroom floor with blood on me. And her like that. I'm trying to clean. But I don't know if I shoumd (sic),' Risner wrote.

The photos showed Schlette lying in the bathtub with ketchup rubbed all over and the walls

Police released copies of some the text messages Risner had sent to his sister after sending out the crime scene photos

Text messages from Risner's sister showed her asking if he had committed the crime before later telling him his mother had called 911

His sister later advised him to throw away his clothes and begged him to delete the messages they had been exchanging

A letter text from his sister informed Risner that police were on their way to investigate after their called 911.

'Why the cops coming? Don't call the cops,' Risner wrote.

She responded: '(I don't know) what's going on. Just to be safe... I didn't call them Mican. Delete all this from your phone.'

Police Sergeant Dawn Allen told the Sandusky Register: 'She got into the bathtub, and they put ketchup all over to make it look like he murdered her.

'He started sending the picture and texting that he did it.

'We had three people calling in hysterical not knowing what was going on.'

The couple couldn't be reached for comment. They pleaded not guilty to the charges on Friday.

Risner had poured ketchup over his fiancee in the bathtub before sending the photo around to friends on Thursday night saying he had killed her