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Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, posted on Instagram about the tragic murder of her former personal assistant, Jenean Chapman.

Her family informed Sky's US partner, NBC News, about her recent move to the city, where she had assumed the role of senior vice president at Critical Mass, a prominent digital marketing agency.

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Jenean Chapman's life was brutally cut short on Monday, September 25, less than five months after her relocation to Dallas, Texas, for a new job opportunity. 

Her body was found at her residence on after her company asked Dallas Police for a “wellness check.” 

The news of Chapman's murder went public with the arrest of a suspect identified by the police. James Patrick, 48, was arrested in Austin, Texas on September 26 where he had allegedly fled the day after Chapman's body was discovered. 

The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office subsequently determined that her death was a homicide.

Jenean Chapman was a “force”

Chapman, whose journey began as a post-college graduate working for the Duchess, met a horrific end in a shocking incident that has left her family and friends in mourning.

Jenean Chapman was not just an accomplished professional but also an inspiration to her family, particularly her sister, Nicole Marshall, who described her as a "force to be reckoned with" and a role model in her corporate career. 

"I always looked up to her as like what I wanted to accomplish in my corporate career," Nicole shared with NBC Dallas-Fort Worth (DTW).

Tragic revelations emerged from Chapman's family, indicating that she had been married to James Patrick for a few months. Their relationship, however, had been marked by turbulence for six years. 

The sudden wedding took the family by surprise, as they were aware of the rocky, on-and-off nature of their connection. 

Nicole Marshall noted, "The most we can just say is that the relationship was toxic."

According to reports by The Dallas Morning News, the University of Texas Police apprehended James Patrick, 48, on Tuesday night in Austin. He is now in custody in Travis County, under the jurisdiction of the Dallas Police Department, where he is being held without bail.

The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, expressed her profound shock and sadness upon learning of Jenean Chapman's untimely death. She remembered Chapman as "beautiful, loyal, hardworking, and fun." 

Chapman's professional journey began when she secured a job with the Duchess of York shortly after her graduation from Syracuse University. From 2001 to 2005, she was an integral part of the Duchess's team, overseeing press, publicity, and daily scheduling.

In addition to the ongoing investigation, authorities have called on anyone with information on the homicide of Jenean Chapman to contact Detective John Valdez at [email protected].

To support the costs of transporting Jenean Chapman's remains from Texas to her home in New York, the family has established a GoFundMe page, a gesture of solidarity in their time of grief. Sarah Ferguson also shared this fundraiser on her Instagram page.