Suspect in slaying of ‘smart, loving’ woman surrenders to Dallas police; boys at center of Amber Alert found safe

Curtis Everett Jeter II, 24, faces a murder charge in connection with the slaying of Hope Hensley, police said. He was booked into the Dallas County jail just after 5 a.m.

Jeter’s bail was set at $500,000. He also faces a charge of aggravated assault, but details about that case were not immediately available. It was unclear whether he had an attorney.

Hensley, who was remembered as a loving mother to her three children, was shot through the window of her apartment about 9:15 a.m. Monday in the 4700 block of Meadow Street, near Elsie Faye Heggins Street.

Police said she was shot in the neck and was pronounced dead at a hospital. They have not provided any details about what led to the shooting.

Jordan May, 21, who was in a relationship with Hensley, said the children — ages 6 and 1 and 9 months — were with their mother when she was shot. He said that none of the children was injured but that their 6-year-old daughter was aware of what happened.

May said Tuesday that he can sleep easier with Jeter behind bars but that the case “still hurts” because he and many loved ones remain “messed up” over Hensley’s death.

“It hurt more people than he knows,” May said.

Jeter was also being sought in connection with an Amber Alert that was issued Monday evening for his 4-year-old and 2-year-old sons, who were Hensley’s nephews.

Police said about 3 a.m. Tuesday that the boys had been found and were safe, but they didn’t provide any information about how or where they were found.

Tiffani Butler, a Texas Department of Family and Protective Services spokeswoman, said the boys were with Child Protective Services and would be placed in a foster home.

‘A smart, loving person’

May said there had been recent trouble between Hensley and her older sister, who he said was dating Jeter.

“I just know I’m hurt because we are all family,” May said. “It never has to come to this.”

He remembered how much family had meant to Hensley, adding that she often said, “Anyone who knows me knows I put my kids first before everything.”

“She was like a mom to everyone, though, not just our kids,” May said. “She was naturally a leader and loving. A lot of people gravitated toward her because they saw how hard she loved.”

May said Hensley was the greatest person he’d ever met.

“It was her smile that caught my eye, and then just hanging out with her I saw how loyal and loving she was,” he said. “She was the sun, literally. She lit up any room she walked in.”

Tybresia Epps, 21, of South Dallas said she went to Lincoln High School with Hensley and had been close friends with her for more than four years.

“I thought somebody would text me like ‘It was a misunderstanding, she wasn’t the person that got shot.’ I was waiting on that,” Epps said.

She said Hensley recently had been trying to find a job to provide for her children. She said Hensley should be remembered as a goofy person who loved to dance and listen to music.

She was also upfront and “liked to just laugh a lot,” Epps said.

“She was really close to her family,” she said. “She was just a smart, loving person. I wouldn’t trade her for anything. She was the closest friend I had.”