A Florida man who allegedly planned an acid attack on his former girlfriend in New Jersey reportedly paid almost $40,000 to the individuals who carried out the assault.
William J. DiBernardino Jr., 49, from Boynton Beach, Fla., allegedly hired a couple from Jacksonville, identified as Betty Jo Lane and Jmarr McNeil, to travel to New Jersey and execute the violent plan, according to the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office.
The incident occurred on July 26 outside the 42-year-old victim’s home in Monroe Township.
She was airlifted to a burn center and still remains in the hospital in critical condition after undergoing more than 10 surgeries, prosecutors said Thursday.
On the day of the attack, Lane, 38, allegedly approached the unidentified victim as she was returning home from work. Lane threw a cup of acid onto her, prosecutors claim, causing chemical burns on roughly 35% of her body.
Lane then sped away from the crime scene with 39-year-old McNeil.
DiBernardino, Lane, and McNeil are now facing multiple charges, including first-degree attempted murder, aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit murder and stalking.
The ex-boyfriend allegedly provided instructions on where to obtain a GPS tracking device to place on the victim’s car and sent McNeil money to cover their trip to New Jersey and payment to carry out the assault.
It’s unclear what happened between DiBernardino and the victim that led to the attack. The two had been together for 12 years before their split, according to Gloucester County Assistant Prosecutor Dana Anton.
“That is murder-for-hire money. It is clear that this was personal,” Anton said during a Thursday press conference, referring to the nearly $40,000 payment. “This was his ex-fiancée. He wanted her to suffer.”
DiBernardino’s lawyer, Yaron Helmer, has challenged the charges, arguing that using acid as a murder weapon is uncommon and does not necessarily indicate intent to kill.
