Ex-Walmart employee shot former partner outside store over immigration dispute, DA says
A former Walmart employee who allegedly married his coworker to maintain legal status in the United States is now charged in her death, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, officials said Monday.
Destino Jean-Louis, 23, is charged in the murder of 45-year-old Latosha Ann Cooper outside the Walmart on Easton Road in Cheltenham.
Officials said around 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, Cooper had just left work and was talking with a coworker near her car when Jean-Louis walked up to her and shot her in the head, District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a news release.
Jean-Louis, wearing a mask, was seen on surveillance video waiting near a bush that had a line of sight to the store's entrance. Prosecutors believe he was waiting for Cooper to leave so he could commit the killing.
An affidavit of probable cause in the case indicates the motive for the killing may be connected to Jean-Louis' immigration status, and a relationship with Cooper that was an attempt to gain legal status in the U.S.
Jean-Louis emigrated from Haiti in November 2023 as part of a humanitarian program, according to the document. The couple began dating around April 2024.
Detectives interviewed relatives and former coworkers and learned that Jean-Louis and Cooper were issued a marriage license in March 2025 and had a ceremony the following month. While the two were at one point in a relationship, employees explained the main goal of the marriage was to help Jean-Louis with his immigration status.
However, Cooper later cut ties with Jean-Louis, and he was not happy. Records showed that in July 2026, she later withdrew an application to allow him to remain in the U.S. as her spouse.
Jean-Louis was later terminated due to issues with his immigration status, according to the affidavit.
Detectives spoke to Jean-Louis' family and relatives, who said they had not met Cooper, according to the affidavit. A relative stated they were aware that Jean-Louis married an "older woman" for immigration purposes after the Trump administration terminated the program that allowed Jean-Louis to remain in the country.
Prosecutors say cell tower evidence places Jean-Louis' phone near the store on several nights leading up to Oct. 21, and on the night of the killing itself. Walmart had also received a report of a suspicious man lingering in the parking lot on the night of Oct. 18.
U.S. Marshals arrested Jean-Louis Friday at a relative's home in West Oak Lane. A sandwich bag containing .22 caliber ammunition was found in the home.
Jean-Louis was later interviewed by detectives and admitted to contacting Walmart employees to ask whether Cooper was working. He denied ever possessing a firearm and said he was at that relative's home during the time of the murder, and that his cellphone was with him.
It's not clear if Jean-Louis has retained an attorney. He's awaiting a preliminary hearing.
