function messageUser($user_id,$request_user,$subject,$body) {
  $db = DB::getInstance();
  $settingsQ = $db->QUERY("SELECT * FROM settings");
  $settings = $settingsQ->first();
  $userData = $db->query("SELECT fname FROM users WHERE id = ?",array($user_id))->first();
  $date = date("Y-m-d H:i:s");

  $thread = array(
    'msg_from'    => $user_id,
    'msg_to'      => $request_user,
    'msg_subject' => $subject,
    'last_update' => $date,
    'last_update_by' => $user_id,
  );
  $db->insert('message_threads',$thread);
  $newThread = $db->lastId();


  $fields = array(
    'msg_from'    => $user_id,
    'msg_to'      => $request_user,
    'msg_body'    => $body,
    'msg_thread'  => $newThread,
    'sent_on'     => $date,
  );

  $db->insert('messages',$fields);
  $email = $db->query("SELECT fname,email,msg_notification FROM users WHERE id = ?",array($request_user))->first();
	if($settings->msg_notification == 1 && $email->msg_notification == 1) {
				$to = rawurlencode($email->email);
				$params = array(
				'fname' => $email->fname,
				'sendfname' => $userData->fname,
				'body' => $body,
				'msg_thread' => $newThread,
			);
				$to = rawurlencode($email->email);
				$emailbody = email_body('_email_msg_template.php',$params);
				email($to,$subject,$emailbody);
	}
}