46-year-old mother of two died after her 37-year-old boyfriend who had a history of violent crimes strangled her to death; boyfriend charged
Ohio – In a harrowing case of domestic violence that has shaken Ohio residents, a 37-year-old man, identified as J. Palmer, has been charged with murder following the death of his 46-year-old girlfriend, identified as R. Prince, a beloved mother of two and a longtime art teacher. Palmer was formally charged with murder and is being held on a $10 million bond, according to court records.
The case unfolded after police were called to a home on July 13, responding to an “unknown complaint.” Officers arrived around 1:20 p.m. and found Prince unresponsive inside her apartment. She was pronounced dead at the scene. According to charging documents, surveillance footage played a key role in the investigation. On the night of July 12 at approximately 10:30 p.m., Palmer was seen outside the apartment standing over Prince, who was lying on the concrete walkway. He allegedly “carried/dragged” her back inside. The following morning, Palmer was the only person recorded leaving the apartment at 7 a.m. The coroner’s office determined that Prince’s cause of death was strangulation. She also sustained blunt force trauma to her head and arms. Palmer’s arrest two days later came after police interviews and evidence collection confirmed the timeline and details leading to Prince’s death.
Prince’s tragic end was the culmination of an escalating pattern of violence. Palmer’s record reveals multiple past charges. In November 2023, Palmer was charged with domestic violence for allegedly threatening to kill everyone in Prince’s home, an incident so terrifying that Prince and her two children reportedly hid behind a bed. Police at the time observed red marks circling Prince’s neck. Although the domestic violence charge was later dismissed, Palmer pleaded guilty to aggravated menacing.
In another case from September of the same year, Palmer faced a charge of strangulation, posing a substantial risk of serious physical harm. That charge was also reduced; he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor domestic violence and served 180 days in jail, though he was released for time served. Despite these red flags, Palmer was free in the community — a reality that advocates and Prince’s loved ones now call a tragic failure of the legal system.
Palmer’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 25. Prince leaves behind two children, ages 9 and 11. Prince’s sister-in-law, Jennifer Belemu, who had accompanied her to the emergency room and written letters to the court on her behalf, voiced her anger and heartbreak. “This could have been prevented had they kept him in jail in February instead of letting him out,” she told local media sources.
Attorney Z. Klein also commented, emphasizing on social media that “domestic violence survivors should know where to access support before it’s too late.” A GoFundMe set up in Prince’s memory describes her as “the embodiment of kindness and compassion,” praising her decade-long work as an art teacher and her dedication to spreading love and warmth through art. This tragic case has reignited calls for reform in how the justice system handles repeat domestic violence offenders — a system that, in this case, failed to protect a mother, a teacher, and a woman loved by many.
