A South Jersey woman is facing multiple felony charges after prosecutors say she attempted to hire a hitman she met on the dating app Tinder to kill her former boyfriend — a Philadelphia police officer — and his 19-year-old daughter.
Jaclyn Diiorio, 26, of Runnemede, New Jersey, was arrested on April 4 after she allegedly paid $500 in cash as a down payment in a murder-for-hire plot that authorities say was foiled by a confidential informant who alerted law enforcement. The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office has charged her with 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.
Authorities say the intended victims were a 53-year-old Philadelphia Police Department officer and his teenage daughter. Their identities have been withheld due to safety concerns.
According to the criminal complaint, Diiorio met the would-be killer through Tinder, where she initiated contact under the alias “D.” Unbeknownst to her, the man she believed to be a contract killer was cooperating with law enforcement.
The two began exchanging messages on the app and later met in person at a Wawa convenience store in Runnemede on March 31. Over the following days, they remained in contact through text messages and phone calls.
Throughout their conversations, Diiorio was reportedly adamant that she wanted her ex-boyfriend dead. According to a probable cause statement, she offered approximately $12,000 for the double homicide, insisting that the hitman carry out both killings.
The confidential informant notified authorities of the plot on April 3. The next day, under police surveillance, Diiorio met with the informant in the parking lot of a Dollar General store on Black Horse Pike in Gloucester Township.
There, she handed over $500 in cash — allegedly the first installment of the promised payment.
Immediately after the exchange, officers from the Gloucester Township Police Department’s Special Response Team arrested Diiorio without incident. During the arrest, officers found an unlabeled bottle in her possession, which authorities suspect contains alprazolam, the generic form of Xanax.
The bizarre case has shocked the quiet suburban community of Runnemede, where Diiorio lived and worked. According to multiple reports, she was employed part-time as a colorist at Moxie Hair Salon in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
A spokesperson for the salon told FOX 29 they were stunned by the allegations, describing Diiorio as “quiet” and “sweet,” and saying she had been well-liked by customers.
Her relationship with the intended male victim reportedly began when she worked as his barber. Details of their romantic involvement remain unclear, but investigators confirmed that the couple ended their relationship on March 6.
Court records also show that Diiorio had filed a temporary restraining order against the officer during the summer of 2024. The order was later dropped, and it is unclear whether the incident was investigated further. The nature of the complaint behind the restraining order has not been disclosed.
In another disturbing twist, the officer told authorities that his home was vandalized with a Molotov cocktail in September 2022. It is not yet known whether that incident is connected to the current case.
Camden County prosecutors have not commented on whether Diiorio is a suspect in the arson attack or whether it is part of an ongoing investigation.
The charges Diiorio faces are serious. Under New Jersey law, first-degree attempted murder carries a potential prison sentence of 10 to 20 years per count. If convicted on both attempted murder charges, she could face decades in prison.
In addition to the attempted murder and conspiracy charges, Diiorio is also facing a drug charge for possessing a controlled substance without a prescription — a third-degree offense that can carry additional jail time.
Diiorio is currently being held at Camden County Correctional Facility pending a pretrial detention hearing, which was scheduled for Friday, April 11, in Camden County Superior Court.
No attorney has publicly come forward to represent Diiorio, and ABC News reported that her legal team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The use of a dating app as a tool in an alleged murder-for-hire plot has raised concerns about how technology can be misused for criminal purposes. Law enforcement officials say this is a rare — but not unheard-of — example of online platforms being used in violent crime conspiracies.
“This was an incredibly dangerous situation that could have ended tragically if not for the actions of the informant and the quick response by our detectives,” said Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay in a statement. “We are thankful that the intended victims are safe.”
Authorities have not said whether the Philadelphia Police Department has offered protection or other resources to the officer and his daughter. The department has also not issued a public statement regarding the case.
The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing and that additional charges or suspects have not been ruled out.
Back in Doylestown, where Diiorio worked, her former employer and customers expressed disbelief.
“She was one of the last people I’d expect to be in this kind of trouble,” one regular client said, requesting anonymity. “She was always smiling, always so kind. It’s just hard to believe.”
A photo of Diiorio was removed from the Moxie Hair Salon website shortly after her arrest. The salon has not announced whether it will be taking additional security measures in the wake of the news.
Meanwhile, in Runnemede, neighbors described her as polite and quiet, but mostly kept to herself. “We’d see her sometimes walking to her car, going to work,” one neighbor said. “It’s scary to think someone from your block could be planning something like that.”
Diiorio’s pretrial detention hearing will determine whether she will remain in custody while awaiting trial. Prosecutors are expected to argue that she poses a danger to the public and a flight risk.
If denied bail, she could remain in jail for months as her case moves through the court system. A trial date has not yet been set.
