Leominster woman charged with killing boyfriend had accused him of violence before, court docs say

A Leominster woman who’s been charged in the shooting death of her boyfriend had previously accused him of domestic violence, according to court documents.

Jami Parker, 28, pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of armed assault with intent to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon after she allegedly shot and killed her boyfriend, 53-year-old  Jeffrey Carr, during a domestic dispute in her home Wednesday night. She was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing next week.

According to a report by The Telegram & Gazette, court documents show that Parker accused Carr of domestic violence on two occasions in 2023, but dropped the charges. 

In one instance, according to the documents, Parker said Carr struck her when she was driving a vehicle because she asked him to stop smoking. Parker was pregnant at the time. Parker told investigators Carr had verbally abused her that day after he’d been drinking, and officers noticed the smell of alcohol. Parker took out a restraining order on Carr after that incident, according to the report.

In the second incident in the documents, Parker said Carr threw glass Christmas ornaments at her while he was under the influence of alcohol, although she wasn’t injured. Police arrived at the home after Carr had left and found broken glass on the floor. 

In an interview with MassLive, Parker’s court-appointed defense lawyer, John Roemer, indicated that Parker acted in self-defense during Wednesday’s shooting. 

A police report said Parker called 911 around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday to request an ambulance for her boyfriend, who had been shot. Police arrived and found Carr dead on the kitchen floor with a gunshot wound to the head. Investigators said they believe Parker got a gun from a bedroom and shot Carr during an argument.

Parker is a sergeant in the Massachusetts Army National Guard and recently gave birth to the couple’s child.