Woman Stabbed to Death After Calling Off Engagement Had Texted Father After Attack

A 28-year-old Chicago woman was mortally wounded by her ex-fiancé while attempting to return his engagement ring.

Julia Martin and Rodney Harvey Jr., 35, were together for three years before Martin ended their relationship six months ago. Harvey went to her residence on Oct. 7 to collect the ring he once gave her, but when he got there, he forced his way inside, where he repeatedly stabbed the young woman, reported the Chicago Tribune. 

He then jumped to his death from her apartment in block of South King Drive. 

A critically wounded Martin frantically sought help, dialing 911 as well as her father’s number. As Martin took her last breaths, she made a dying declaration and told 911 dispatchers that Harvey was her attacker.

Emergency responders rushed Martin to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 7:37 p.m. local time.

Twenty minutes earlier, Harvey was declared dead at the same hospital. His death was ruled a suicide.

The murder-suicide was shocking to Martin’s family, who said Harvey didn’t show any violent tendencies.

“There was no indication he was dangerous...I never would’ve thought that in a million years,” said her father, Derrick Martin. Martin admitted that his daughter didn’t share many details about her relationship with Harvey, but he noted that Julia did say it ended and she was going to return the engagement ring.

Her father said that he didn’t see his daughter’s calls or the text message that read: “Call me ASAP” until after the incident. 

“Not only did she call me, she texted me while she was going through all this,” Derrick said. “She was calling everybody, saying that she wanted help. She called another friend and she was panting over the phone, trying to get her breath. He thought it was a prank and he hung up on her. He feels so bad.”

Derrick said he recently buried his father, brother, and mother. He’s only left with the younger sister of Julia, named Jasmin, and her son, Cameron. “I just pray,” he added.

Martin will be buried in her hometown of Detroit.

Following the murder-suicide, Harvey’s family created a GoFundMe page, seeking money to help cover funeral expenses. Loved ones of Martin were displeased with the page, calling for it to be shut down, given that the full details of the deaths weren’t disclosed. The page said that Harvey died “unexpectedly” but doesn’t make mention of Martin’s murder or his suicide. 

The page has since been removed.