Midvale Assassination: The woman's family fears her friend's ex-wife before killing

The family of a woman who, according to authorities, was reportedly killed by her boyfriend's ex-wife while she was decorating a Christmas tree sounds a warning about the # The devastating impact of domestic violence that exceeds two people.

Lisa Vilate Williams, 26 years old. He was making homemade ornaments with his boyfriend's twins in his apartment on Sunday when his ex-wife, 32-year-old Chelsea Watrous Cook, burst in and shot her in front of the boys. children, the police said.

The murder came after Cook targeted Williams with online bullying, face-to-face confrontations and harassment for months, his sister told The Associated Press.

"I worried about her safety every day," said her mother, Tawny Williams. [19659002] Chelsea Cook's lawyer did not respond to calls for comment and family members on the phone refused to comment or did not return messages. She was arrested for aggravated murder after her ex-husband took out the gun and pinned her to the wall until the police arrived, authorities said.

Lisa Williams died in a hospital.

She had loved reading books and buying dying plants for healing. On her 16th birthday, she saved money to buy gifts for all members of her family, said her sister Bekah Williams. She loved children and was so eager to start Christmas decoration with her boyfriend's twins that she left early Thanksgiving party from her own family in Centennial Park, Arizona, with a popper of popcorn hanging on the back seat of his car.

"I talked to her about an hour before anything happened, and she was so happy (…) to give something to these kids," said Bekah Williams.

But during the six months that she attended, Travis Cook, a colleague of the bank where she was a cashier, she was allegedly targeted by her ex-wife. The harassment began in June and included clashes at the bank, Instagram bullying and phone calls from high school where Chelsea Cook was a health professor, Bekah Williams said.

The court records show that the couple's divorce was finalized in January, but Chelsea Cook had been charged with domestic violence in the presence of a child the month prior to the murder. She pleaded not guilty.

Chelsea Cook's lawyer in this case did not respond to calls for comments, and family members contacted by phone declined to comment or did not return any messages.

Bekah Williams said he reported the behavior and use of the school. She calls the director of Skyridge High School in Lehi in August, but "it seems to me that nothing has been done," she said.

Alpine School District did not return messages seeking comment on Friday, but Ben Rasmussen, director of law and professional practice at the Utah State School Board, said the behavior of teachers outside of the classroom could be difficult for schools to solve.

School officials also did not know that Chelsea Cook had been arrested on October 16 for suspicion of domestic violence. Although teachers were required to report such arrests to their superintendents within 48 hours, she did not, Rasmussen said. The state also reports arrested teachers to a fingerprint database, but it was a crime case and its fingerprints have not been reported for more than a month. The notification was made after his arrest for murder.

"It took a lot longer than we expected," Rasmussen said.

At school, meanwhile, Chelsea Cook was an attractive teacher whose classmates were eager to attend school, said KUTV in Salt Lake City. 19659002] The details of the arrest for domestic violence were not made public, but Bekah Williams said that she did not concern her sister.

Lisa Williams was reluctant to report Chelsea Cook's behavior to the police, fearing to call on the authorities to improve the situation. harder for the kids, his sister said. In hindsight, she wondered if it was a mistake.

"In hindsight, I think the best thing for the kids would have been to call the police every time," said Bekah Williams.

explain exactly what led to it. The last conversation between the two women was encouraging. Chelsea Cook thanked Lisa Williams for picking up the twins at the daycare. They had not had any contact before because she was with her family for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Lisa Williams had moved to American Fork a few years ago to take care of her sister, who had been hospitalized for a potentially fatal lung disease. She remained after convalescence and lived with two of her sisters.

In the end, it is this kind of solicitude for others whose family Lisa Williams hopes will be remembered from her.

"She had a wise soul," says Bekah Williams. "I feel lucky to have had it in our lives."