Woman Shot At Walmart Was In 'Sham Marriage' With Accused Killer: Montco DA

CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — The Walmart worker fatally shot in her store's parking lot last week was in a "sham marriage" with her alleged killer, according to a criminal complaint.

Detectives confirmed with City Of Philadelphia Marriage license records that Destino Jean Louis and Latosha Ann Cooper were issued a marriage license on March 31, the criminal complaint states.

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Cooper was shot and killed after working her shift at the Walmart in Cedarbrook Plaza in the late hours of Oct. 21 allegedly by Jean Louis, whom she had worked with at the Walmart and was in a romantic relationship before it faltered.

He is charged with First-Degree Murder, Third-Degree Murder and related firearm charges. He was processed and arraigned on Monday and is being held in Montgomery County Prison.

According to the criminal complaint, Walmart employee Danial Melgar said that Jean Louis had worked at the store for a year and a half before being terminated sometime the previous year due to issues with his immigration status.

Melgar told police that he had received a call from Cooper, his manager at the store, that she had married Jean Louis, a Haitian native, to help him remain in the country.

The complaint states that Jean Louis told Melgar that he had assaulted Cooper, telling him that in Haiti such disrespect was not tolerated.

Michelle Mitchell, a friend and former colleague of Cooper, told detectives that the primary goal of the marriage was to secure immigration status with the United States for Jean Louis, the criminal complaint states.

Mitchell stated to authorities that the application for immigration for Jean Louis was denied, the complaint states.

Jean Louis began his employment at Walmart on March 2024, where he first met Cooper. They began dating in April of that year, the complaint states.

Jean Louis stated Cooper told him, "I could make you get a Green Card" and they married on April 19, 2025, in Glenside.

Jean Louis stated that he and Cooper went to Philadelphia for an immigration appointment on July 30.

During the appointment, he was told there was an issue with the paperwork and the application was denied, the complaint states.

Cooper then later "cut ties" with Jean Louis after that.

Jean Louis then tried to call her at Walmart, and called her colleagues about her schedule, saying she owed him money before the fatal shooting took place, the complaint states.