Court records describe a failed immigration petition, a broken relationship and alleged efforts to track the victim’s work schedule before the killing.
CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — A former Walmart employee accused of fatally shooting his wife outside the Montgomery County store where she worked had married her as part of an effort to remain in the United States, according to investigators and court records.
Destino Jean-Louis, 23, of Philadelphia, is charged with first-degree murder, third-degree murder and firearms offenses in the Oct. 21 killing of Latosha Ann Cooper, 45. Authorities say Cooper had finished her shift at the Walmart in Cedarbrook Plaza and was speaking with a co-worker near her car when a masked gunman approached shortly before 11:30 p.m. and opened fire. Cooper was pronounced dead at the scene. Jean-Louis has denied killing her.
The investigation has focused in part on the couple’s relationship and Jean-Louis’ immigration status. According to an affidavit of probable cause and accounts from people interviewed by detectives, Jean-Louis and Cooper met while working at the Walmart and began dating in 2024. Philadelphia marriage records showed they received a marriage license in March 2025, and Jean-Louis told investigators they married the following month. Co-workers told police that obtaining legal immigration status for Jean-Louis was a primary reason for the marriage.
Jean-Louis, a Haitian national, entered the United States in 2023 through a humanitarian program, according to court records cited by news organizations. Investigators said his ability to remain in the country later became uncertain. The couple pursued an immigration petition based on their marriage, but the application encountered problems. According to the criminal complaint, Cooper later cut ties with Jean-Louis, and records showed she withdrew a petition supporting his effort to remain in the United States as her spouse in July 2026. Authorities have not announced a separate marriage-fraud charge against either person.
Investigators allege Jean-Louis became increasingly focused on Cooper after the relationship deteriorated. Several Walmart employees told detectives he contacted them seeking information about whether Cooper was working. According to the affidavit, he complained that she had damaged his life. Cellphone records reviewed by investigators allegedly showed his phone traveling between a Philadelphia residence and the Walmart area repeatedly before the shooting, including on the night Cooper was killed.
Surveillance footage also became a key part of the case, authorities said. Video showed a masked person arriving in the parking lot before Cooper finished work and waiting near a bush with a view of the store entrance. Cooper and a co-worker walked outside shortly after 11:20 p.m. Investigators said the person then approached Cooper from behind near her vehicle. The co-worker reported hearing gunfire and running back toward the store. Video showed the gunman fleeing across Cheltenham Avenue toward Philadelphia.
Police said evidence collected after the shooting led them to a home in Philadelphia’s West Oak Lane neighborhood where Jean-Louis had been staying with a relative. U.S. Marshals arrested him there on Oct. 23. Investigators said they found a bag containing .22-caliber ammunition inside the home. Authorities also said Jean-Louis’ cellphone records placed the device near the Walmart around the time of the shooting and during earlier trips to the area.
During an interview with detectives, Jean-Louis acknowledged contacting Walmart employees to ask whether Cooper was working but denied possessing a firearm or killing her, according to investigators. He told detectives he was at his relative’s home at the time of the shooting and that his cellphone was with him. Authorities said the account conflicted with the location information they obtained from his phone. The allegations against Jean-Louis have not been proven in court.
Cooper had worked at the Walmart for about 22 years and most recently served in a management role, according to published reports citing investigators and co-workers. The Cheltenham Township Board of Commissioners expressed condolences to Cooper’s family and her colleagues and praised local police for their work on the investigation. The township called her death a tragic and senseless killing.
Jean-Louis remained in custody as the criminal case moved toward a preliminary hearing. Published court information did not identify an attorney representing him. Prosecutors have described the failed relationship and immigration dispute as important parts of their investigation, but the ultimate question of guilt will be determined through the court process.
Author note: Last updated October 27, 2026.