Ex-Boyfriend Lures Victim's Uncle Out of Home Before Going in and Murdering Her, Killing Himself

Ja'Dee Turner's stepmother remembered her as a "really good person" who liked to laugh and sing

Ja'Dee Turner. Photo: Facebook

On Thursday, Dec. 15, a man lured his ex-girlfriend's uncle out of her apartment before going inside and fatally shooting her in the head while she slept. He then shot and killed himself, according to multiple reports.

Milton Wayne Cole, 40, killed Ja'Dee Turner, 32, inside her Houston bedroom in the early morning hours of Dec. 15, according to Houston police.

Cole lured Turner's uncle, who also lived at the residence, outside with a text message, asking him to meet at the front gate of the apartment complex. Cole then snuck inside Turner's apartment while the door was unlocked, according to KHOU, where he committed the acts of violence.

The former couple had dated for about a year, ABC13 reports, and broke up less than two weeks ago.

The victim's sister, Jadairria Turner, told ABC13 that Cole had never seemed threatening to her. "This guy, you know, he seemed cool but ... You just never know. It's a disguise."

Though there were no major warning signs, her family members told ABC13 that Cole had seemed mildly controlling, saying she may have overlooked any red flags because she still saw him as a good person.

Additionally, Leticia Jackson Turner, the victim's stepmother, said Cole hadn't reacted well when Turner ended their relationship. "She just wanted some space, and he wouldn't give her space," she told KHOU.

"You can't make somebody be with you if they want to move on. Just try and go get some counseling," Leticia said to ABC13.

Turner's stepmother described her as having "a good spirit," saying Turner was a "really good person" who "liked to laugh, she liked to sing."

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Turner had spent the past few years building her own juice business, Jus-Tas-It, and worked in a local hospital reading EKGs, her family said.

She described herself as a "positive woman full of AMBITION" on her Facebook page, and her 2021 YouTube channel showed her discussing how to make healthy food choices when grocery shopping.

Turner's stepmother warned others to heed signs of mental health issues in a relationship. "I just think people need to know mental illness is real and be careful," the stepmother said, per KHOU.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.