A man accused of ambushing and killing his ex-girlfriend outside her southwest Houston apartment in 2014 was killed Monday during a shootout with police in South Carolina.
Damon Jonard James, 41, was charged with murder in the death of Rita Joyce Salton. The 43-year-old mother of four was gunned down on Oct. 6, 2014 at the Sunswept Townhomes in the 1200 block of Thicket Green.
According to Houston police, Salton was leaving for work around 4:30 a.m. and James was waiting on her.
When the mother stepped outside of her apartment, James opened fire, shooting her multiple times, then fled the scene.
Salton's body was found lying on the sidewalk.
[RAW: Police speak about Houston murder suspect killed in South Carolina]
Police initially investigated Salton's death as a possible robbery, but friends and family members suspected that James was responsible for her death.
Salton's loved ones said the couple had a troubled, rocky relationship and police learned that James was charged with assaulting Salton just a couple of weeks before she was killed.
James was arrested the following day and he was officially charged. He later bonded out and after missing a court appearance on Jan. 1,2015, went into hiding.
James remained on the run for more than a year until authorities were tipped off that he was in Columbia, South Carolina.
"He called me last week. Said through social media he had contacted I think a confidential informant that was able to tell him where the suspect was. He contacted the marshal's office here I believe," bail bondsman Bill Pastor said.
On Monday, members of the U. S. Marshals' warrant service team located James and attempted to arrest him.
"These officers responded to that location. They encountered Mr. James. He started shooting at officers. There was a short gun battle. He got into his vehicle. Once in his vehicle, there was a single gunshot from inside the vehicle," Richland County Sheriff Leon Lett said.
Police have not confirmed if he was killed by police, or if the fatal shot was self-inflicted. However, a medical examiner believes James shot himself.