When Jenean Chapman, a 46-year-old African American woman from Dallas, Texas, was found dead in her apartment in October 2023, her family was left stunned and devastated. She was a successful businesswoman who once worked as an assistant for Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, and had only been married to James Michael Patrick for three months when she was brutally killed.
Earlier this year, her family finally faced Patrick in court as he was sentenced to 72 years in prison for her murder.
According to Fox 4 News, during the sentencing, Chapman’s sisters and mother delivered powerful statements directed at Patrick. “May you endure a life of perpetual fear and decay, confined to an existence devoid of solace or redemption. I want you to suffer every day for the rest of your life,” said her sister, Charene Chapman.
Another sister, Nicole Marshall, looked directly at him and called him “a monster,” adding that she would sleep well knowing he was locked away. Their mother, Ann Marshall, remembered her daughter as selfless, describing her as someone who “gives what she doesn’t even have” and always put others first.
Jurors deliberated for two days before reaching a decision. They rejected the possibility that Patrick acted in sudden passion, which could have resulted in a sentence as low as two years. Instead, after hearing evidence of his history of violence toward Chapman—including reports that he had recently choked her unconscious—they handed down the lengthy 72-year sentence.
Chapman’s life had taken a tragic turn just months after her July 2023 marriage. Her sisters said the relationship had been rocky, and although they were aware of arguments, they never imagined it would escalate to murder. “That’s why I use the word blindsided,” Crystal Marshall explained. “We knew it was toxic, but we never thought it would go this far.”
Details from the investigation painted a grim picture. After Chapman’s employer reported not hearing from her for five days, police conducted a welfare check and found her dead with visible injuries to her neck, face, and body.
The apartment showed signs of a violent struggle. That same day, Patrick was admitted to a hospital in Austin, where a doctor discovered a bloody fingernail lodged on his body. When questioned, Patrick admitted he had been in a fight with his wife. He was arrested soon after.
Friends and colleagues remembered Chapman as loyal, hardworking, and kindhearted. Sarah Ferguson posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, saying she had spoken to Chapman just months earlier and that she “seemed so happy.” Ferguson added that her heart breaks for Chapman’s family and praised her as “loyal, beautiful, hardworking, and fun.”
For Chapman’s family, the sentencing provided a measure of justice, though not closure. “My sister was a classic domestically abused woman,” Crystal Marshall reflected. Her sisters and mother vowed to continue honoring her memory, ensuring that her life is remembered not only for its tragic end but for the love, loyalty, and generosity she showed throughout it.
SOURCE: blacknews.com