The ex-girlfriend of former American football wide receiver Travis Rudolph has been identified as a key witness in the case of the shooting of two men, resulting in one death, outside his home in April 2021.
In a cross-examination Friday, Dominique Jones said that the night unfolded tragically after she found texts from other women in his phone, but rather than escalating the matter, she chose to leave. As she attempted to leave, Rudolph stopped her, she said.
An argument ensued, resulting in four men arriving at Rudolph’s house at his girlfriend’s request. Rudolph and the men then got into a heated exchange that turned physical. As the unexpected visitors attempted to drive away, Rudolph allegedly fired 39 shots at them with a semi-automatic rifle. One man, Sebastien Jean-Jacques, died in the shooting.
During testimony, the defense called into question a text message sent to her brother Keishon, one of the four men involved in the shooting. Attorneys say Jones texted the term “shoot up,” but she insists the term was not to be taken as a threat but more of an emotional form of expression.
“I was upset, and my adrenaline was running, and I said something I didn’t mean. That is the bottom line of that. I didn’t mean for my brother to do any of that. That’s not why my brother left the house,” she said.
Rudolph maintains he acted in self-defense. He is charged with one count of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder.
The trial is expected to end later this week.
