RICHLAND COUNTY, SC (WIS) -
The mother of a woman who investigators say was gunned down by her estranged husband in her home on Monday says the suspect also threatened to kill her and then himself.
Yvonne Thomas says 41-year-old Dexter Lee Boulware and her daughter, Teacora, 27, had been in the process of separating before the violence turned deadly Monday morning.
The couple's history of domestic violence started escalating the day before when Boulware, according to Thomas, threatened Teacora while she was working at Academy Sports Sunday afternoon.
Deputies were called to investigate the threats which came from a man who was out on bond for another domestic violence episode against Teacora just three weeks earlier. He paid just over $5,000 to get out of jail.
Thomas said that she and Teacora went to the home at 200 Thornfield Road on Monday morning to gather their belongings because they were moving to a new home. In the backyard, the family's dog, Max, was irritated.
"He was biting the gate trying to get to us," said Thomas. "We were like, 'Max, what's wrong with you?' We ignored him and went on in the house anyway."
As the two entered the house, Boulware, who had broken in earlier, jumped out of the closet armed with a gun, according to Thomas.
"He just pointed the gun at both of us and said 'Y'all goin' to die today,'" said Thomas. "And he said 'You gonna watch your daughter die, then I'm gonna kill you.'"
At the point Thomas tried to get her daughter out of the house, but according to her, Boulware grabbed Teacora by the hair and shot her in the head at point blank range.
Thomas managed to get to a neighbor's house who called 911.
"I feel the only reason I'm standing here is because of the neighbor," Thomas said. "He helped me, because he really wanted to get me too."
Boulware, according to investigators, ran from the scene, but was apprehended shortly after the incident.
"He said he was going to kill himself, but he never did," said Thomas.
Thomas' family said after Boulware was arrested for beating her in September, she'd done all she could to move on, including a protection order.
When threats were made Sunday while she was at work, they question why more wasn't done. Managers walked her out at night. Her mom had been picking her up and staying close. Now they're left trying to explain it to her children, including four year old Chase.
"He don't understand," said Thomas. "He's nothing but 4 years old, so he don't understand and all last night he kept jumping out of bed, talking in his sleep, talking to his mommy, wanting his mommy."
The Thomas family hopes moving forward the justice system won't let them down.
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Teacora Thomas (Source: Yvonne Thomas)
Yvonne Thomas speaks to WIS on Tuesday.
