Murder suspect whose ex posted on Facebook surrenders
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. - An East St.
Louis man turned himself in to police after authorities
wanted to question him in connection with the stabbing death of his
ex-girlfriend, who police say he had attacked on previous occasions.
Illinois State Police say 25-year-old Montrell Cooper surrendered Tuesday night.
Cooper is being held in a Belleville jail on $200,000 bond related to an alleged probation violation. As of Wednesday morning, he had not been charged in the death of Michelle Rowling, 25.
Authorities say Rowling, a mother of two, was found stabbed to death in her apartment last Saturday.Just five days before her death Rowling posted a Facebook status update that read, “Sooo, if anything happens to me tonight just let my kids know I love them dearly and tell momma that I love her.”
According to KMOV, the message as posted the day that Cooper was released from jail.
“He got out four days ago, four days ago and from what I understand from others in jail with him that was his word, he was going to kill her,” said Rowling's grandmother, Diane Simmons.
Police have said Rowling and Cooper had a turbulent relationship, and that he stabbed her in the neck in 2012 and spent a year in jail. He was also reportedly arrested in August for allegedly assaulting Rowling.
The station reports Cooper and Rowling were the parents of a 5-year-old girl.