Colorado Mom, a Four-Time Cancer Survivor, Tragically Killed by Stray Bullet While Battling Cancer Again
After nearly two decades of courageously fighting cancer, a beloved Colorado mother’s inspiring journey came to a tragic and unexpected end when a stray bullet pierced her home and took her life—just as she was undergoing chemotherapy once again.
Jennifer James, a 49-year-old single mother of four from the quiet town of Berthoud—about 50 miles north of Denver—was killed late at night on April 28, 2025. Authorities say a bullet fired through her window struck her in the arm and chest. Despite being critically wounded, she managed to call 911 before collapsing. Paramedics arrived to find her already deceased.
James, known for her warmth and strength, had beaten cancer four times and was fighting once more at the time of the shooting.
“She was bravely battling cancer yet again when she was taken from us,” wrote Juliána King, a family friend who launched a GoFundMe page to support James’ children—two of whom were home during the shooting.
“Jennifer was the epitome of sunshine. Anyone who knew her thought of her as the nicest person they had ever met,” King added.
Shooter Claims Mental Illness After Deadly Mistake
On May 1, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office arrested 20-year-old Ebenezer Worku in connection with the shooting. According to court documents, Worku told investigators he suffers from “homicidal schizophrenia” and claimed he had been cleaning a gun in his car—gifted by an “adopted uncle” for his birthday—when it accidentally discharged twice from the driver’s side window.
He reportedly panicked and drove off, turning off his headlights to avoid detection. When he later realized someone had died, he turned himself in, telling police, “I did it, and I’m getting punished for it… put me in jail,” even going so far as to request the death penalty.
Worku has been charged with first-degree murder under the category of “extreme indifference” and is currently being held in the Larimer County Jail on a $1.25 million cash-only bond.
A Community in Mourning
James’ death has devastated the small community of Berthoud and left her four children facing the unthinkable—life without their devoted mom.
“She was the most selfless mom anyone could ask for,” said Ashley James, Jennifer’s oldest daughter, in an emotional interview with KDVR. “She devoted her entire life to us kids. I’ll always be grateful for everything she did.”
Ashley also shared a powerful written tribute, calling her mother’s death “a cruel joke.”
“She never once complained about her treatments in 20 years,” Ashley wrote in a statement to 9News. “She was a single mom of four, a four-time breast cancer survivor. She was taken in such a senseless and violent way. Her resilience is something I’ve always admired and something I hope to carry on in her memory.”
A Life Remembered
On May 14, the Berthoud community gathered to honor Jennifer James—not just to mourn her loss, but to celebrate her life. Friends and neighbors remembered her fierce love for her children, her unwavering courage, and the joy she brought to everyone who knew her.
