Colorado Community Grieves After Terminally Ill Mother Gunned Down in Home
A Town Shattered by a Tragedy That Defies Reason
In the peaceful town of Berthoud, Colorado, a horrifying act of violence has left a community in shock and mourning after a mother of four and a four-time breast cancer survivor was senselessly killed in her own home.
Jennifer James, 49, had already survived the unimaginable—battling breast cancer four separate times since the age of 29. She was undergoing chemotherapy when tragedy struck on the night of April 28.
According to police, 20-year-old Ebenezer Worku opened fire on James’s residence, firing a .40 caliber Glock 22 into her home. One of the bullets shattered a window and struck James in both the arm and chest. She died from her injuries on the scene.
A Violent Act with No Clear Motive
Worku was arrested at the scene shortly after the shooting. According to arrest affidavits reported by FOX 31 Denver, Worku admitted to firing at the house but claimed ignorance about hitting anyone. He told investigators that he discharged his weapon again while attempting to clear the chamber.
Two of James’s four children were reportedly inside the house when the gunfire erupted.
Police tracked Worku using surveillance video and license plate recognition technology. The swift identification and arrest highlighted the urgency and weight of the case for local authorities.
A Small Town in Mourning
Jonah Beeken, owner of B-Rad’s Arcade and Family Fun Center near the victim’s home, told 9 News Denver that he received a lockdown alert from other local businesses the night of the shooting.
“They were walking up and down the street, kind of checking the buildings out,” Beeken said of the police response. “It was our community, and it was somebody that was important to us, because we’re small.”
Beeken confirmed what many have since echoed: Jennifer James was not only known—she was deeply loved. A fighter. A mother. A friend.
A Daughter’s Heartbreaking Tribute
James’s daughter, Ashley, released a powerful statement to 9 News Denver:
“My mom was a single mom of four of us kids. She was a four-time breast cancer survivor. It feels like a cruel joke that she was taken from us in such a senseless and violent way, when she did nothing but fight for her life since she was 29-years-old.”
“She never once complained about her treatments in those 20 years. She was the most selfless mom and did everything for us kids. Her resiliency is something that I have always admired and is something that I hope to carry on in her memory.”
Legal Proceedings Begin
Worku now faces a first-degree murder charge and is being held in the Larimer County Jail on a $1.25 million cash-only bond. No motive has been publicly released. Authorities are continuing to investigate the full scope of the events leading up to the fatal shooting.
Help for the Family
The Berthoud community has rallied around the James family, organizing support for the four children she leaves behind. Donations to support the family and help cover funeral and living expenses can be made [HERE].
As the community begins the long process of healing, Jennifer James’s story will be remembered not for how it ended, but for the two decades she spent defying death and loving her children with quiet strength and courage.
