Minnesota woman murdered by co-worker in parking lot before shift after refusing to date him, say cops

A woman was allegedly murdered by her co-worker after she rejected his romantic advances.

Nicole Hammond was fatally shot by Jordan Carpenter in the car park of their place of employment, Dubow Textile in St. Cloud, Minnesota, say police. Carpenter allegedly shot Hammond in the neck with a handgun at around 7 am the morning after she asked him to leave her alone in a text message exchange.

Police officers found Hammond's body "laying in the parking lot with a gunshot wound," and attempted to save her life, but she died at the scene. Carpenter is said to have already fled the scene when law enforcement arrived, but was found three hours later at a house in Sauk Rapids.

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He was taken into custody for questioning and arrested on second-degree murder charges. Carpenter did not admit killing Hammond and told officers that he had been walking towards her car when he heard the gun go off. He then claimed that he ran away feeling "too traumatized" after he saw her body and the blood.

Police officers noted that Carpenter "didn't render aid, go to work, nor did he call 9-1-1." Hammond had reportedly repeatedly told Carpenter that she was not interested in a romantic relationship with him. A probable cause statement showed that text messages she sent to Carpenter the night before she was killed told him "she did not want to be touched or manipulated by him "and asked him "not to make things uncomfortable at work."

The police statement said that she had rejected his advances numerous times over the previous month. A message from her to a friend telling them that Carpenter was mad at her was also discovered by police. Hammond's co-workers told the Kansas City Star Carpenter had repeatedly harassed her and had a "bad temper."

However, CEO of Dubow Textile, Rob Dubow, told Fox that Hammond had never reported anything to management about the issue. He said: "Unfortunately, we had no idea. Any time there is anything that requires out intervention we step in. But in this case, we had no indication that there was anything awry."

Ms Hammond's obituary read: "Nikki is survived by her parents, Steve (Sandy Yurrick) Hammond of Aitkin and Terri (Christopher) Anderson of Leesburg, Florida; siblings, Amy Hammond of Ocean Shores, Washington, Chad Hammond of Orlando, Florida, Troy Hammond of Riverton and Cody Hammond of Aitkin; other relatives and many friends."

Meanwhile co-worker, Savannah Shawn Townley, remembered her on Facebook writing: "You deserved to live your best life but instead got your life taken from you. Even though we were not close outside of work, you were one of the best employees anyone could ask for. Our team is forever broken without you. Fly High Angel! "