Overview

• Jennifer James, 49, was struck and killed by a stray bullet in her Berthoud, Colorado home on April 28 while two of her children were present but unharmed.
• The suspect, 20-year-old Ebenezer Worku, allegedly fired the fatal shot while cleaning his Glock 22 handgun in his car, claiming it was accidental.
• Investigators used surveillance footage and license plate reader data to identify and arrest Worku on May 1; he remains in custody on a $1.25 million cash-only bond.
• Worku is charged with first-degree murder under Colorado’s extreme indifference statute, with a disposition hearing scheduled for June 6.
• James, a single mother of four battling breast cancer for the fifth time, is remembered as a devoted parent and resilient fighter by her family and community.