December 23, 2022

TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–A recent investigation by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Special Investigations Unit culminated this week with the arrest of a Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania woman for attempting to hire an undercover officer to murder her ex-husband’s current wife, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri reported.

Marilyn Zhou, 56, is charged with two counts of first-degree attempted murder and one count of third-degree money laundering.  The prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to detain her pending trial.

Earlier this month, the SIU received information that Zhou was looking for assistance with a murder for hire.  On Sunday morning, December 18, 2022, Zhou met with an undercover officer in Trenton, New Jersey, where she advised the officer she wanted them to murder her ex-husband’s new wife.  Zhou provided the officer with two color photographs of the victim, $21,000 in cash, rubber nitrile gloves and a towel to carry out the murder.  She also told the undercover officer that if the victim’s 13-year-old daughter was present at the time of the murder, she should also be murdered.  Zhou stated she would pay the undercover officer an additional $20,000 once the murder was complete.

Moments after the meeting, Zhou was taken into custody by the SIU.  Later that evening, members of the SIU assisted the Pennsylvania State Police in executing a search warrant at Zhou’s residence in Chadds Ford.  Detectives seized $18,000 and also located items she advised the undercover officer to use during the murder.

Despite having been charged, all persons are presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Marilyn Zhou, 56, is charged with two counts of first-degree attempted murder and one count of third-degree money laundering.  The prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to detain her pending trial.

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