A Modern Connection Gone Terribly Wrong
In 2017, Jacqueline Claire Ades, a woman from Phoenix, Arizona, met a man through Luxy, an online dating app often referred to as the “Tinder for millionaires.” The man, a successful Paradise Valley tech entrepreneur, agreed to meet her for a date.
According to his testimony, the date was unremarkable — just one outing, after which he decided he wasn’t interested. But for Ades, something had clicked.
After that single date, the man politely declined further contact. That should’ve been the end. Instead, it marked the beginning of one of the most extreme stalking cases in recent memory.
The Texts Begin – and Never Stop
After being rejected, Ades began sending messages. Lots of them.
Authorities later estimated she sent over 159,000 texts to the man in the span of 10 months. That’s roughly:
- 530 messages per day
- 22 per hour, every hour, around the clock
The texts weren’t just romantic. They escalated quickly into obsession, spiritual delusions, and eventually, violent threats. Some of the most disturbing messages reportedly included:
- “I’d wear your body parts and bathe in your blood.”
- “I’d make sushi out of your kidneys.”
- “I hope you die, you rotten filthy Jew.”
Many messages were cryptic or incoherent, referencing love, reincarnation, and religious visions. She seemed convinced she and the man were meant to be — and that the universe was trying to tell her so.
Trespassing and Arrests
The situation escalated from digital harassment to physical stalking. In April 2018, the man called police after security footage showed Ades breaking into his home while he was out of the country. When officers arrived, they found her:
- Inside his house, taking a bath in his tub
- With a large butcher knife in her car
She was arrested and charged with first-degree criminal trespassing.
More Arrests – and Even Courtroom Chaos
After being released from jail, Ades continued stalking behavior. She showed up uninvited at the man’s office, claiming to be his wife. She was arrested again and charged with stalking and threatening.
In a bizarre twist, Ades represented herself in court, and her behavior became even more erratic. During a jailhouse interview with local news, she said:
“I felt like I met my soulmate, and I thought we would just do what everybody else did, and we would get married and everything would be fine.”
She spoke of past lives, divine love, and made contradictory statements — often blending romantic declarations with disturbing threats.
Mental Health and Competency
As her case made headlines around the country and even internationally, concerns arose about her mental health. Ades was eventually declared mentally incompetent to stand trial and was ordered to be placed in a mental health facility until deemed fit.
In court records and interviews, it became clear that she was likely suffering from severe mental illness, possibly including delusional disorder or untreated schizophrenia.
Online Dating in the Age of Obsession
The Jacqueline Ades case wasn’t just a headline — it became a cultural moment. People were fascinated and horrified in equal measure. Her mugshot, featuring an oddly calm smile, went viral. Her interviews were unsettling yet mesmerizing.
This case highlighted several important societal issues:
1. The Dangers of Online Dating
Apps like Luxy connect strangers based on curated profiles — but you often know little about the other person’s mental health or past behavior. One date can open the door to months of harassment.
2. Digital Harassment and the Law
Sending 159,000 messages may sound obviously extreme, but in many places, cyberstalking laws are limited or hard to enforce. Victims must prove they feel threatened, which can be difficult before things escalate dangerously.
3. Mental Health and Public Safety
Ades’ delusions were not rooted in malice but in severe, untreated mental illness. She believed she was in love, chosen by fate, and misunderstood. Her case raised ethical questions about how to protect the public while also giving compassion and treatment to mentally ill offenders.
Where Is She Now?
As of the most recent public reports:
- Jacqueline Ades was being held in a mental health facility
- She was declared not competent to stand trial
- Her legal proceedings were paused until or unless she could be restored to competency
She has largely vanished from headlines, but the impact of her case lingers — a chilling reminder that obsession, technology, and mental illness can create explosive situations in modern dating culture.
⚠️ Final Thoughts
The Jacqueline Ades case is not just a bizarre anomaly. It’s a modern cautionary tale about:
- The vulnerability of personal access in the digital age
- The often hidden nature of mental illness
- And how boundaries — digital, physical, emotional — are more important than ever
