Woman Found Stabbed to Death Left Terrifying Warning Post on Facebook
An East St. Louis woman who was found stabbed to death in her apartment Saturday night had posted a Facebook status update prior to her murder warning her friends that she might die.
"If anything happens to me tonight just let my kids know I loved them dearly and tell my momma I love her," Michelle Rowling posted on November 25th.
Less than a week later, police were called to Rowling's housing complex to investigate a disturbance and found the 25-year-old bleeding out, having sustained several stab wounds.
She was rushed to a nearby hospital, but was pronounced DOA.
According to the St. Clair County State's Attorney Brendan Kelly, Rowling's post was in reference to the release of her ex-boyfriend, 25-year-old Montrell Cooper, who had been jailed since August for assaulting her.
Cooper, who is the chief suspect in Rowling's murder, had assaulted Rowling before, but she testified on his behalf and managed to get his sentence reduced to probation.
Kelly says he wanted to keep Cooper behind bars following the lapse of his most recent jail stint, but Rowling was uncooperative, forcing Cooper's release on probation.
Rowling's relatives accused Cooper of murdering the mother of two because she was attempting to leave him behind and move on.
Police are still searching for Cooper, and are asking anyone with information to come forward.