National Guard sergeant arrested for fatal shooting of boyfriend in Leominster

LEOMINSTER — The woman arrested for killing her boyfriend during a domestic dispute has been identified as 28-year-old Jami S. Parker.

Parker was arraigned in Leominster District Court on Thursday after she was arrested for allegedly shooting her 53-year-old boyfriend Jeffrey Carr in the head during an argument in their 888 Main Street residence Wednesday evening.

According to the Telegram & Gazette, Parker, who is a sergeant in the National Guard with no criminal record, cried throughout her arraignment. In addition to being a member of the National Guard, Parker has also worked as a campus police officer.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by MassLive, Parker dialed 911 around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, requesting an ambulance for Carr. She reported that a “domestic dispute” between them had escalated into a shooting.

When first responders arrived at the home, they discovered Carr on the kitchen floor with a single gunshot wound to the head. He was declared dead shortly thereafter. Parker was then arrested at the home and charged with armed assault with intent to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury

Investigators, after interviewing Parker and reviewing her 911 call, believe she retrieved a gun from her bedroom during an argument and shot Carr, the complaint states.

During a phone call with MassLive on Thursday, Parker’s attorney, John Roemer, said the Commonwealth is going to have a hard time proving his client wasn’t acting in self-defense.

“At the hearing today, the Commonwealth provided no evidence — just allegations,” Roemer told MassLive.

Leominster police arrested Carr twice in 2023 for assaulting Parker, who then requested that the charges for both incidents be dropped against her then-boyfriend, prosecutors say.

In January 2023, Carr was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon after Parker claimed he threw glass Christmas ornaments at her while he was intoxicated at 888 Main Street.

The most recent charges against Carr, which included domestic assault and battery and assault and battery on a pregnant victim, were dismissed in February of this year.

According to court documents, Parker had driven herself and Carr to the Leominster Police Station after he allegedly struck her during an argument over smoking in the car. (Parker asked Carr not to smoke in the car because she was pregnant).

In this case, Parker got a restraining order that has since expired. She claimed in her affidavit that Carr had been drinking all day and verbally abused her when she asked him to leave the car. At the station, police observed Carr was unsteady and smelled of alcohol.

When questioned about the incident, Carr responded that he “didn’t know” what occurred. Police records also mention that Carr acknowledged Parker’s pregnancy, noting he carried a picture of an ultrasound in his wallet.

Parker was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing following her arraignment in Leominster District Court on Thursday. Her dangerousness hearing is scheduled for Monday.