More details emerge in Greenbelt homicide case: Why the victim filed for divorce and more
GREENBELT, Md. (ABC7) — ABC7 uncovered new divorce details surrounding the woman, married to two men, who was shot and killed when leaving work Friday in Greenbelt. Documents show, she and her first husband both cited infidelity as reasons for divorce.
Reporter Victoria Sanchez went to the Prince George’s County Courthouse and found 56 pages of divorce documents filed on behalf of Bettie and Kedrick Jenifer. Each submitted paperwork separately within days of each other last month.
According to Greenbelt Police and Maryland court records, Bettie Jenifer, 44, was married to two men – one is a convicted drug trafficker Kedrick Jenifer and famous Ghanaian actor Chris Attoh. Sources tell ABC7 News, the Drug Enforcement Agency is helping Greenbelt Police investigate.
Before Greenbelt’s first murder of the year, Bettie Jenifer was a married mother of two who was shot two days before Mother’s Day. She shared her 17-year-old twins, a daughter and a son, with Kedrick Jenifer. The couple married in 1999.
Kedrick was arrested in 2014 for drug charges. He pleaded guilty to distributing cocaine and was sentenced January 2016 to 20 years behind bars at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix in New Jersey. About a year and nine months later, Bettie made Headlines in West Africa for marrying Ghanaian actor Attoh in October 2018 during a ceremony in the Ghana capital. The entertainment and news articles do not mention Bettie Jenifer’s other husband.
On April 9, 2019, six months after the Ghana wedding, her first spouse filed for divorce. In court documents obtained by ABC7 News, Kedrick Jenifer cited two grounds for divorce including his incarceration and claims Bettie was unfaithful.
“That the Defendant did commit adultery and the Plaintiff has neither forgiven nor condoned said conduct and there is no reasonable hope or expectation of a reconciliation between the parties,” it stated in the document.
Kedrick also requested property, joint custody of the children, legal fees and alimony.
Six days after that filing, Bettie Jenifer filed for divorce from her imprisoned husband on April 15. She alleges her husband was unfaithful too.
“That although the conduct of the Plaintiff toward the Defendant has always been kind, affectionate and above reproach, the Defendant nevertheless did, on numerous occasions, commit adultery,” the court document said.
She requested sole custody of the children and division of the assets.
On May 10, just after 5 p.m. in Greenbelt, Bettie Jenifer was shot and killed.
Timeline
- May 12, 2019Actor Chris Attoh posts on social media about work and does not address wife’s murder
- May 12, 2019Chris Attoh’s talent agency representative sends out statement about wife’s death
- May 11, 2019Chris Attoh posts an audio file talking about his favorite music, does not address wife’s murder
- May 10, 20195:10 p.m. EST Bettie Jenifer murdered
- May 10, 201910:31 a.m. PST Actor Chris Attoh posts about faithfulness and “loyalty” on Twitter
- May 8, 20198:22 p.m. PST Actor Chris Attoh posts a video clip of him in costume on what appears to be a movie set
- May 1, 2019Burlington County, NJ sheriff’s deputy serves Kedrick Jenifer divorce papers in prison
- April 15, 2019Bettie Jenifer files for divorce from Kedrick Jenifer
- April 9, 2019Kedrick Jenifer files for divorce from Bettie Jenifer
- October 2018Bettie Jenifer marries Chris Attoh
- Early 2017Actor Chris Attoh divorces first wife
- Jan. 26, 2016Kedrick Jenifer sentenced to Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix, New Jersey
- Oct 20, 2015Kedrick Jenifer pleads guilty to drug trafficking and sentenced to 20 years in prison
- October 2014Kedrick Jenifer arrested for drug trafficking
- 2001Bettie and Kedrick have twins
- March 1999Bettie and Kedrick Jenifer wed in Baltimore City, MD
