In the early morning hours of January 24, 2023, the life of 35-year-old Temara King, a beloved Jersey City teacher, was tragically cut short in what authorities would later describe as an act of domestic violence. Inside her third-floor apartment at the Toy Factory building on Bergen Avenue, King was shot multiple times. The incident unfolded around 7:10 a.m., and despite being rushed to the Jersey City Medical Center, she was pronounced dead just over an hour later.
The call to 911 was made by King's own teenage daughter, who identified her father as the shooter.
The suspect was quickly identified as King's 39-year-old husband, Lucas Cooper. Following the shooting, Cooper fled the scene, prompting a manhunt that ended with his arrest in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, later that same day. He was subsequently charged with murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and endangering the welfare of a child. This was not Cooper's first encounter with the law regarding domestic violence, as records showed a prior guilty plea for violating a domestic violence order.
Temara King was remembered as a dedicated and passionate educator who had worked for the Jersey City Public School district for a decade. She was a special education teacher at Dr. Michael Conti Public School Number 5, specializing in working with children on the autism spectrum. In 2018, her commitment to her students was recognized when she was named 'Inclusion Teacher of the Year'. A GoFundMe campaign was established to support her daughter's future college education.
Ultimately, Lucas Cooper pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter. In September 2025, a judge sentenced the 41-year-old to 25 years in state prison for the death of his ex-wife. The sentence is subject to the No Early Release Act.
