Jessica Lynn Ewers, a 44-year-old Caucasian female from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, tragically lost her life on December 28, 2020, in a violent act of domestic abuse. A creative and passionate mother of five, Jessica was known for her warm and unique spirit. She was a talented artist with a love for painting willow trees and a deep interest in religion and philosophy.
Her life was cut short by her ex-boyfriend, who ended her life before taking his own.
The events leading to her death began months prior, in October 2020, when she was the victim of a brutal assault by her then-boyfriend, James "J.T." Budworth. During this incident, he beat her, attempted to strangle her, and bit her, causing significant injuries. Following this attack, Budworth was arrested, and a protective order was issued, stipulating that he was to have no contact with Jessica and was required to surrender all of his firearms.
Despite the legal measures in place, the system failed to protect Jessica. Budworth did not turn in all of his weapons. Two months after the initial assault, he used one of the retained guns to fatally shoot Jessica at her home near Cottage Grove. After murdering her, he committed suicide. The tragic discovery of their bodies was made by one of Jessica's daughters.
This final, fatal act of violence was the culmination of a history of abuse. Jessica had reported to authorities that Budworth was a heavy drinker who also abused testosterone and human growth hormones and had threatened to kill her and her children on previous occasions. Her death left her five children without a mother and highlighted critical failures in the system designed to protect victims of domestic violence. In the wake of this tragedy, there were no arrests to be made, as the perpetrator had taken his own life.
