Immigration-related sham marriage preceded shooting outside Walmart, investigators say

Police in Montgomery County have arrested the man believed to be behind last week's deadly shooting of a woman outside of the Walmart in Cheltenham. Investigators say the two were in a relationship and that the suspect was dealing with immigration issues when things fell apart in the relationship. Action News reporter Elizabeth Worthington, live for us in Cheltenham Township with the story. Elizabeth. Yeah, sorry. Investigators say this was a targeted attack. They say the suspect actually waited outside the Walmart last Wednesday night for the victim's shift to end. She and a co-worker walked to their cars together after their shift ended when the co-worker says a masked man suddenly approached and shot Cooper. Police now believe they know why. This is 23-year-old Destino Jean Lewis now facing murder charges in connection with the shooting death of 45-year-old Latasha Cooper outside of the Cheltenham Walmart in Cedarbrook Plaza last Wednesday night. According to his arrest paperwork, the pair entered into what investigators now believe was a sham marriage last year in order to secure Gene Lewis's immigration status in the U.S. It was one of those things where they're married, immigration comes in, does an interview and says, nah, this isn't really legitimate. We're not going to approve this for immigration purposes. And then she decides not to go further on in the process. Investigators say Gene Lewis and Cooper met in 2024 while they both worked at the Walmart and began dating. Gene Lewis was fired from Walmart sometime last year due to issues with his immigration status. Investigators say he originally entered the country from Haiti in 2023 as part of a Haitian refugee program. However, in 2025, that temporary protected status, that program, was terminated. At that point, he should have self-reported. Staying as long as he did, he was considered a visa overstay. According to court documents, the suspect told police Cooper offered to marry him to help him get a green card. When his immigration application was denied this past July, Cooper allegedly cut ties with the suspect and he became upset. Cooper's co-workers at Walmart told police after she was killed that Jean Lewis had recently been calling them, asking about her work schedule. In the days leading up to the shooting, cell phone records placed Jean Lewis at the Walmart several times late at night. He was picked up by the U.S. Marshals on Friday outside a home in West Oak Lane on immigration violations. because this was such a violent crime because we had the means to arrest him quickly and bring him into custody before he had a chance to flee the country we wanted to get on this as soon as possible now for his part Jean Lewis denies killing Cooper and says he wasn't even at the Walmart when this happened when confronted with the evidence that his cell phone records pinged him at this location he allegedly told investigators i don't know how that's possible he says he only contacted Walmart employees asking about Cooper's work schedule because she owed him money. He did tell police though, and he believes she messed up his life. We're live in Cheltenham Township tonight. Elizabeth Worthington, Channel 6, Action News. Sorry. All right. Elizabeth, thanks.