EAST PALATKA, Fla. – Putnam County deputies say a man went to Corky Bell's Seafood restaurant in East Palatka on Wednesday night to confront his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend, then shot both of them before taking his own life.
Witnesses told investigators that Johnny Kemp, 30, approached and shot his 38-year-old ex-girlfriend, Detret Burley, and her boyfriend, 40-year-old Travis Hall, as they drove into the parking lot about 6:45 p.m. According to the Sheriff's Office, Kemp shot them, then immediately turned the gun on himself.
A restaurant employee reported hearing three shots about 6:45 p.m., then a pause before two more shots rang out.
Investigators said Kemp learned that the couple would be together at the restaurant and went there specifically to confront them and that jealousy was apparently the motive in the shooting.
News4Jax learned that Kemp (pictured far right in photo of the three who died) has an extensive arrest record including charges of robbery, aggravated battery, carrying a concealed weapon, battery, resisting police, trespassing, criminal mischief and several traffic citations.
Burley had requested an injunction protecting her from dating violence last year, but it was denied because she failed to detail at least two incidents of repeat violence.
"(He would) break in her house. Calling her phone, stalking her," said Burley's twin sister, Delolah Taylor. "He always came driving past her house all the time. She called the cops. Nothing was done because they couldn't prove anything."
Burley's grandmother, Betty Jean Hodges, said Burley told her Kemp had threatened to kill her.
"That Sunday after I got out of church, I stay with Detret, and she said, 'Grandma, he came to my house to get me. I told him to leave,'" Hodges said. "I say, 'Granddaughter, you've got to get a restraining order for him.'"
Her family, shattered by grief, suddenly finds itself planning for her funeral.
"She has five kids, beautiful kids," said Burley's aunt, Queen McGee.? "My heart is really hurting because I love my niece I saw her all the time. She's just a wonderful person. I just can't believe; I'm in shock."
Hodges said even though she knew there had been problems, she could never imagine why anyone would want to hurt her granddaughter.
"I couldn't believe this, last night, when I seen my granddaughter was dead," Hodges said. "I still don't believe it."
Burley's family chooses to remember her as the person she was: Kind, hard-working, a loving mother of five children. Above all, they are praying for peace.
"I just pray that god give me the strength to take care of my 5 children and her 5. I just want the world to pray for me and my family," Taylor said.
Taylor offered advice for other women in abusive relationships.
"Get help," she said. "Go somewhere. You need to go somewhere. Just keep going. She fought, but we didn't know he was going to do this."
News4Jax reached out to Burley's uncle, Anthony Hodges. Hodges, along with other relatives, said Burley once tried to protect herself from her ex-boyfriend, Kemp. She filed a petition for injunction for protection against domestic violence against him in 2013.
"She didn't actually believe that he was going to kill her," Hodges said. "But she had actually told my mother that he said he was going to kill her."
News4Jax has learned the motion filed by Burley was denied, which begs the question: Could the approval of the restraining order have saved Burley's life? Family attorney Eric Friday explains that key factors were missing in order for the petition to be approved to keep Kemp away.
"If it's just a boyfriend and girlfriend situation then the only injunction you can get is for repeat violence, and that requires that there has to have been two incidents of violence and one of them has to have been within the past six months, " said Friday.
Friday said the judge ruled that Burley had the ability to amend her petition and provide two detailed incidents of repeat violence, but court records show she never re-filed.
"It's unfortunate that she either didn't have sufficient facts or didn't take the next steps. If a judge tells you that you haven't alleged enough, put the additional facts in," Friday said. "Don't let it go because unfortunately sometimes when we decide to let it go because it's too difficult, things like this can happen."
Attorney Eric Friday said Kemp's past charges alone wouldn't be relevant for a repeat violence injunction.
"The system has to work for everybody and it's not perfect," said Friday. "It's the best system in any country on earth. It's the best system that we have and it works most of the time, but unfortunately it's not perfect."
As family members continue the search for more answers, Burley's uncle said his niece is now in a better place.
"She's with God now," he said. "So she no longer has to worry about suffering no more pain."
Burley's family told News4Jax they believed she had filed again or was about to file another injunction against her ex-boyfriend the day she was killed.?