Haitian man charged in Philadelphia murder
Prosecutors allege Destino Jean Louis shot his estranged wife outside a Walmart after immigration officials voided their marriage.
By Fatou Mitchell ·
Philadelphia police officers responded to a shooting outside a Walmart in Cheltenham on Tuesday, October 21, where a 45-year-old employee was found dead. Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele identified the victim as Latosha Ann Cooper. Her husband, Destino Jean Louis, a 23-year-old Haitian national, now faces murder charges in connection with the fatal incident.
Court documents state that Jean Louis waited near a bush outside the store where Cooper worked. He allegedly wore a mask and remained hidden until Cooper finished her night shift. When she exited the building, Jean Louis ran toward her and fired the fatal shot, according to the filings.
The couple married in March 2026. Immigration officials later determined the union was not legitimate and served primarily for immigration purposes. Cooper withdrew her petition to sponsor Jean Louis' visa in July. She had previously worked at the same store, and Jean Louis was employed there before being terminated for immigration-related reasons.
U.S. Marshals arrested Jean Louis on Friday, October 23, on the 6600 block of N. 18th Street in Philadelphia. The federal agency charged him with overstaying his visa, a status he held through a relief program for Haitian nationals. The district attorney's office filed murder charges while Jean Louis remained in federal custody.
Phone records revealed that Jean Louis made multiple trips from his Philadelphia residence to the Cheltenham Walmart in the weeks preceding the shooting. The records also show he repeatedly contacted store staff to obtain Cooper's work schedule. Prosecutors noted that Jean Louis had physically assaulted Cooper in the past.
Jean Louis is currently held without bail at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. He faces five counts: murder in the first degree, murder in the third degree, illegal alien use of a firearm, carrying a firearm without a license, and possession of an instrument with intent to commit a crime.
The U.S. Marshals Service Philadelphia posted details of the arrest on X on Monday. The agency confirmed Jean Louis was the prime suspect in the October 21 shooting. The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office confirmed the charges and the circumstances of the arrest.
