A Florida man allegedly hired a pair of hitmen to murder his ex-girlfriend over 1000 miles away by tossing "highly caustic acid" at her, said prosecutors.
William DiBernardino, 49, of Boynton Beach, Florida, is accused of paying Betty Jo Lane, 38, and Jmarr McNeil, 39, of Jacksonville, Florida, to travel to Monroe Township, New Jersey and carry out the chemical attack on his former lover.
Upon returning home from work July 26, the 42-year-old victim parked in her driveway, got out of her vehicle, and was allegedly ambushed by Lane who threw a "highly caustic acid" on her, according to prosecutors.
"At first I thought it was an animal attacking another animal and then I thought, 'Well that sounds like a woman's voice,'" the victim's neighbor, Jim Glinske, recalled to WPVI-TV.
"I saw her car and it looked like there was an explosion inside her car," he said.
Lane allegedly fled in a rental vehicle with McNeil and the pair returned to Florida.
The victim suffered burns to 35% of her body and remains hospitalized at a burn center.
DiBernardino, Lane and McNeil have each been charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, weapons possession and stalking, according to prosecutors.
The trio were arrested in Florida, where they waived extradition to New Jersey.
