Harper Woods woman charged in fatal shooting of her child's father

Nija Starke charged in Eugene Jones Jr.'s death

Nija Starke (WDIV)

HARPER WOODS, Mich. – A Harper Woods woman has been charged with murder in the shooting death of her child's father, officials said.

Nija Monet Starke, 23, has been charged with first-degree murder and a felony firearms violation, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced Wednesday. If convicted, Starke faces the possibility of life in prison without parole.

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Investigators said Starke shot and killed Eugene Jones Jr., 44. He was the father of her child, according to authorities. Police said they were living together at the time of the alleged shooting.

At 5:59 a.m. Sunday, Harper Woods police were called to a home in the 21400 block of Kingsville Street, where they found Starke in the front room and Jones on the bathroom floor suffering from a gunshot wound, police said.

Officials said an altercation escalated and Starke fatally shot Jones. Medics were called to the scene, but Jones was declared dead at a nearby hospital.

Starke was arraigned Wednesday at 32-A District Court in Harper Woods. She is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail.

A preliminary examination is scheduled for March 27.


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Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.