Haitian man, 23, charged with murder after wife shot outside Pennsylvania Walmart

Destino Jean-Louis, 23, has been arrested and charged over the death of his estranged wife, Latosha Ann Cooper, 45. Both Le Floridien and Rhinews report the arrest and the charges. Rhinews places the case in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania.

Further detail comes from Le Floridien alone. According to that outlet, Jean-Louis faces first-degree murder, third-degree murder and related firearms charges over the shooting on October 21, outside a Walmart in Cheltenham Township. Cooper, a longtime employee of the store, was pronounced dead at the scene.

What investigators allege

Le Floridien, citing the criminal complaint, says surveillance footage showed a masked person waiting near bushes outside the store shortly before Cooper's shift ended on October 21. At about 11:30 p.m., she was walking to her car with a coworker when Jean-Louis allegedly came up behind her and shot her.

Investigators say cellphone records placed him near the store on several occasions before the killing. They also say he had contacted Walmart employees to ask about Cooper's work schedule. He was arrested on October 23 at a Philadelphia residence, where investigators recovered .22-caliber ammunition. Jean-Louis reportedly denied responsibility when questioned and is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The marriage and the immigration petition

Court documents cited by Le Floridien state that Jean-Louis came to the United States from Haiti in November 2023 under a humanitarian immigration program. He met Cooper while working at Walmart. The couple obtained a marriage license in March 2025 and reportedly married the next month.

Investigators say the marriage was meant, at least partly, to help him gain lawful permanent residency. In July 2026, Cooper withdrew the immigration petition she had filed for him. Former coworkers reportedly told investigators he was deeply upset and blamed her for his immigration difficulties. His job at Walmart had also ended because of immigration-related complications.

What is not established

Le Floridien reports that investigators found allegations of earlier domestic disputes, physical abuse, unwanted contact and attempts to track Cooper's movements. The outlet adds that there is no established evidence that changes to Haitian Temporary Protected Status caused the killing. It notes that Jean-Louis reportedly entered through a humanitarian parole program, which is legally distinct from that status.