‘Bravely battling cancer yet again’
On the night of April 28, 2025, just before 11:20 p.m., Jennifer James was inside her home when a bullet shattered the window, piercing her arm and chest, according to police reports.
Despite her injuries, she found the strength to call 911 and alert authorities that she had been shot.
By the time first responders arrived, James—who was reportedly undergoing chemotherapy—had tragically already passed away.
“She was courageously fighting cancer once again when tragedy struck and took her from us,” wrote Juliána King, who started a GoFundMe campaign to support Jennifer’s four children—two of whom were reportedly home during the shooting.
“Jennifer was pure sunshine. Everyone who knew her described her as the kindest, most genuine soul they’d ever met,” King shared.
‘Put me in jail’
On May 1, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 20-year-old Ebenezer Worku in connection with the tragic shooting.
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According to an affidavit reported by Fox affiliate KDVR News, Worku—who claimed to suffer from “homicidal schizophrenia”—had stopped his vehicle in the middle of the road near James’ home while attempting to clean a gun given to him by his “adopted uncle” for his April 11 birthday.
Worku then “accidentally” fired the gun twice out of the driver’s side window, aiming toward a nearby house.
Unaware that anyone had been hurt, he said he panicked and drove away, deliberately turning off his headlights to avoid drawing attention.
Once he realized he had taken a life, the police report states he was visibly distressed.
“I did it, and I’m getting punished for it… put me in jail,” he reportedly said, even requesting the death penalty.
Following his confession, Worku was immediately arrested and charged with first-degree murder under the classification of “extreme indifference.” He was booked into Larimer County Jail and now faces a staggering $1.25 million cash-only bond as the investigation continues.
‘Most selfless mom’
Meanwhile, the small town mourns the loss of a remarkable woman who had already beaten cancer four times—only to have her incredible fight for life cut tragically short by bullets fired into her own home by a stranger she never even knew.
“It just makes me so angry that something so senseless could happen, and you never think it will happen to you,” said Ashley James, Jennifer’s oldest daughter, in an interview with KDVR.
“She was the most selfless mom anyone could ask for. She devoted her entire life to us kids, and I’ll be forever grateful for everything she did,” Ashley added, remembering how her mother raised all four children on her own.
‘Cruel joke’
“My mom was a single mother to four of us. She was a four-time breast cancer survivor,” Ashley wrote in a statement shared with 9News. “It feels like a cruel joke that she was taken from us in such a senseless and violent way, especially after fighting for her life since she was just 29. In all those 20 years, she never once complained about her treatments. She was the most selfless mom, doing everything for us kids. Her resilience is something I’ve always admired, and it’s a strength I hope to carry forward in her memory.”
On May 14, as the community of Berthoud gathered to honor Jennifer James, they didn’t just grieve the tragedy that took her away—they celebrated her fierce love for her children, the battles she courageously fought and won, and the radiant light she brought to everyone around her.
