DALLAS, TEXAS: In a tragic turn of events, Jenean Chapman, a former personal assistant of Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, was found dead in Texas, and her husband, James Patrick, who she had been only married to for about two months, now faces murder charges.
The incident has shed light on a relationship described by her family as "rocky" and "toxic."
Jenean's lifeless body was discovered in her downtown Dallas apartment around 1.15 pm on Monday, September 25, after local authorities responded to a wellness check request, as per the New York Post.
The details surrounding her death remain shrouded in mystery, as the police refrain from divulging specific information
Sarah Ferguson pays tribute to Jenean Chapman
Expressing her shock and sorrow over the tragic loss, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York and former wife of Prince Andrew, took to Instagram to remember her former assistant.
She described Jenean Chapman as a "loyal, hardworking, beautiful, and fun" individual, expressing deep sympathy for her family and friends. The Duchess also revealed that she had recently been in touch with her, who had appeared happy.
Jenean's death initially puzzled investigators, leading to its classification as "unexplained." However, subsequent examinations determined that she had been the victim of a homicide.
On the same day that her body was discovered, James Patrick, a 48-year-old man, was identified as a suspect. Remarkably, he was already 200 miles away in Austin when the suspicion fell on him.
Soon, the University of Texas Police apprehended and transported him back to Dallas for questioning.
Jenean Chapman's relationship with James Patrick
Friends and family of Jenean Chapman identified James Patrick as her husband and disclosed that their relationship had been marked by abuse leading up to the tragic incident. Moreover, her family had limited knowledge of him, but they were aware of the toxic nature of the couple's relationship.
Despite knowing each other for six years, they had only been married for two months, a decision made shortly after their move to Dallas to facilitate Jenean's new job.
Nicole Chapman, her sister, shared that the couple's relationship had been turbulent and marked by on-and-off dynamics.
"We were shocked because before that it was an on-and-off relationship. It was rocky, we were aware of that. She broke the news to our mother (about the marriage) and of course, our mother told us and yeah, we definitely didn’t see that coming. And no, there was no wedding, so we weren’t involved, unfortunately," said Nicole, as per NBC.
Another of Jenean's sisters, Crystal Marshall, expressed her grief on social media, recounting the brutality of her sister's demise and the impact she had on those around her.
"The past couple of days have been absolutely the worse (sic) days of my life. My sister was recently a victim of physical abuse and her life was brutally taken away from her. She had so much to look forward to and impacted so many people in her life," said Crystal.
"Even though her presence is no longer with us her light will continue to shine in our hearts and fond memories we have of her. I love and miss you dearly sis and wish you weren’t taken away from us so soon," she added.
Investigators conveyed to the family that Jenean's body may have remained in the apartment for several days before discovery. Patrick has been charged with murder and is currently being held on a $100,000 bond, with an additional "out of county felony" charge pending.
