Tinder Date Turned FBI Informant Foils Deadly NJ Plot
A Runnemede hairstylist faces multiple felony charges after allegedly attempting to hire a hit man to kill her police officer ex-boyfriend and his teenage daughter. Jaclyn Diiorio, 26, was arrested last month after authorities say she offered $12,000 to have the Philadelphia officer and his 19-year-old daughter murdered in a plot that unraveled when her would-be accomplice cooperated with law enforcement.
Camden County prosecutors say Diiorio met the confidential informant through the dating app Tinder and later provided a $500 cash down payment during a meeting at a Dollar General parking lot, according to FOX 29 Philadelphia.
Dating App Connection Led to Criminal Conspiracy
Investigators report that the relationship between Diiorio and the informant began innocently through Tinder but took a sinister turn when she allegedly revealed her desire to have her ex-boyfriend eliminated. Court documents show the pair first met in person at a Wawa convenience store in Runnemede on March 31 before exchanging multiple text messages and phone calls discussing the murder plot.
“The informant advised that Diiorio has been adamant about killing her ex-boyfriend,” states the probable cause statement, as reported by The Blaze. Authorities say the relationship between Diiorio and the officer began when she worked as his barber, further complicating the case.
Surveillance Operation Led to Swift Arrest
The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation on April 3 after being tipped off about the murder-for-hire scheme. The following day, under police surveillance, Diiorio allegedly met with the informant to exchange the initial payment, at which point officers from the Gloucester Township Police Department’s Special Response Team moved in to make the arrest.
During the operation, officers discovered Diiorio in possession of unlabeled prescription medication, adding drug charges to her already serious legal predicament, according to NBC Philadelphia.
Court Denies Bail Citing Public Safety Concerns
Despite defense arguments that Diiorio was manipulated and has no previous criminal record, a Camden County judge ordered her held without bail during an April court appearance. The judge determined there was no combination of release conditions that could ensure public safety given the severity of the allegations.
Diiorio’s attorney, Robert Gamburg, argued that the case against his client was “not as strong as they would have you believe,” suggesting the confidential informant operated unsupervised for days before alerting authorities. The judge remained unconvinced, remanding Diiorio to custody pending her next scheduled court appearance in June.
Precedent-Setting Case for Camden County
Prosecutors noted the rarity of murder-for-hire cases in Camden County, with Prosecutor Grace MacAulay stating that the jurisdiction hasn’t seen such a scheme in decades. The case has drawn considerable attention from law enforcement agencies across the region, particularly given the intended victims’ connections to law enforcement.
Diiorio now faces two counts of first-degree attempted murder, one count of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, and one count of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance. If convicted on all charges, she could face decades in prison under New Jersey sentencing guidelines.
