00:00Police in Montgomery County have arrested the man believed to be behind last week's deadly shooting of a woman outside
00:06of the Walmart in Cheltenham. Investigators say the two were in a relationship and that the suspect was dealing with
00:13immigration issues when things fell apart in the relationship. Action News reporter Elizabeth Worthington live for us in Cheltenham Township
00:21with the story. Elizabeth.
00:23Yes, sorry. Investigators say this was a targeted attack. They say the suspect actually waited outside the Walmart last Wednesday
00:29night for the victim's shift to end. She and a co-worker walked to their cars together after their shift
00:35ended when the co-worker says a masked man suddenly approached and shot Cooper. Police now believe they know why.
00:41This is 23-year-old Destino Jean Lewis now facing murder charges in connection with the shooting death of 45
00:48-year-old Latasha Cooper outside of the Cheltenham Walmart in Cedarbrook Plaza last Wednesday night. According to his arrest paperwork,
00:55the pair entered into what investigators now believe was a sham marriage last year in order to secure Jean Lewis's
01:02immigration status in the U.S.
01:03It was one of those things where they're married. Immigration comes in, does an interview and says, no, this isn't
01:08really legitimate. We're not going to approve this for immigration purposes. And then she decides not to go further on
01:14in the process.
01:15Investigators say Jean Lewis and Cooper met in 2024 while they both worked at the Walmart and began dating. Jean
01:22Lewis was fired from Walmart sometime last year due to issues with his immigration status. Investigators say he originally entered
01:29the country from Haiti in 2023 as part of a Haitian refugee program.
01:33However, in 2025, that temporary protective status of that program was terminated. At that point, he should have self-deported.
01:42Staying as long as he did, he was considered a visa overstay.
01:45According to court documents, the suspect told police Cooper offered to marry him to help him get a green card.
01:51When his immigration application was denied this past July, Cooper allegedly cut ties with the suspect and he became upset.
01:58Cooper's coworkers at Walmart told police after she was killed that Jean Lewis had recently been calling them, asking about
02:04her work schedule. In the days leading up to the shooting, cell phone records placed Jean Lewis at the Walmart
02:10several times late at night.
02:11He was picked up by the U.S. Marshals on Friday outside a home in West Oak Lane on immigration
02:16violations because this was such a violent crime because we had the means to arrest him quickly and bring him
02:23into custody before he had a chance to flee the country. We wanted to get on this as soon as
02:27possible.
02:29Now, for his part, Jean Lewis denies killing Cooper and says he wasn't even at the Walmart when this happened.
02:35When confronted with the evidence that his cell phone records pinged him at this location, he allegedly told investigators, I
02:40don't know how that's possible. He says he only contacted Walmart employees asking about Cooper's work schedule because she owed
02:46him money. He did tell police, though, that he believes she messed up his life. We're live in Cheltenham Township
02:51tonight. Elizabeth Worthington, Channel 6 Action News.
02:54Sorry. All right. Elizabeth, thanks.
