TRENTON
- Attorney General Peter C. Harvey announced
that a former state employee who attempted
to hire an undercover state trooper as
a “hitman” to kill her ex-husband
has been charged via a State Grand Jury
indictment with attempted murder and criminal
conspiracy.
Division of Criminal Justice Director
Vaughn L. McKoy said the State Grand Jury
indictment charged Diane M. Oakley, 48,
County Route 539, Cream Ridge, Monmouth
County, with the first degree crimes of
attempted murder and criminal conspiracy.
Oakley faces up to 40 years in state prison
and a fine of up to $400,000 upon any
conviction.
The State Grand Jury indictment charges
that from Oct. 13 through Nov. 16, 2004,
Oakley, while employed as a telecommunications
systems analyst in Office of the State
Judiciary, solicited various individuals
for help in locating a “hitman”
to kill her ex-husband, John Oakley (formerly
of Cream Ridge).
The investigation determined that Oakley
initially contacted an acquaintance seeking
assistance in locating someone to kill
her ex-husband. The acquaintance reported
the solicitation to the Federal Bureau
of Investigation (FBI). The FBI referred
the investigation to the New Jersey State
Police. On Nov. 2, 2004, an undercover
State Police detective met with Oakley
near her Monmouth County residence to
discuss the “contract.” It
is charged that Oakley reiterated her
request to have her ex-husband killed
and provided $1,000 cash as a down payment
for the murder and photographs of the
intended victim. It is alleged that Oakley
agreed to pay the undercover detective
$25,000 within three weeks of the completed
murder from the proceeds of a $100,000
life insurance policy. Oakley was arrested
on Nov. 16, 2004, as she departed her
Cream Ridge residence. Oakley was released
from custody after posting $200,000 cash
bail set by Monmouth County Superior Court
Judge Bette Ehrmacher on Dec. 23.
The
investigation was conducted by New Jersey
State Police DSG Michael Sovey and Det.
Robert M. Tobey. The prosecution was coordinated
by Deputy Attorney General Christine D’Elia
of the Division of Criminal Justice -
Organized Crime & Racketeering Bureau.
The State Grand Jury indictment was returned
to Mercer County Superior Court Judge
Maria Marinari Sypek on Aug. 3. The case
has been assigned to the Monmouth County
Superior Court for trial. A complaint
summons will be issued to Oakley requiring
her to appear in the Monmouth County Superior
Court for arraignment and bail. A copy
of the indictment is available via the
Division of Criminal Justice Web site
at www.njdcj.org.
An indictment is merely a charge and the
defendant is presumed innocent until proven
guilty in a court of law.
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