Mother: Woman acted in self-defense when ex-fiance was killed

Woman held on violation of probation charge not connected with shooting

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 36-year-old man was shot several times Sunday evening, and News4Jax has learned that his ex-fiancée was present and may have been acting in self-defense at the time, but it's not clear if she pulled the trigger.

The woman had once obtained a domestic violence injunction against the man who was killed.

Jacksonville police will not name the man they said was shot several times about 6 p.m. Officers found him lying in the kitchen of a home on College Street just west of King Street. He later died at a hospital.

Family members said Shane Dyson was killed and Jennifer Mathis, 36, was present at the time. Mathis' mother said her daughter was acting in self-defense but would not say whether Mathis shot Dyson. Just after midnight, Mathis was booked into the Duval County jail on five counts of violation of probation.

On Sunday night, police said they were not yet sure if foul play was involved in the shooting death. 

"We're working to determine the relationship, the circumstances and everything that led up to the shooting," JSO Sgt. Doug Molina said.

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Court records show Mathis claimed in 2017 that Dyson physically abused her, even when she was pregnant. But that injunction was dismissed when neither of them showed up for a court hearing. Mathis also had a paternity test pending against Dyson.

Mathis' mother also requested an injunction against Dyson, citing abuse of her grandchild and that he drilled holes in her tires. In court documents, she called Dyson a violent man. A third woman sought an injunction against Mathis for stalking and domestic violence.

Dyson served eight years in prison for convictions for home invasion and cocaine possession and was released in 2013.

Dyson's mother, Cynthia, admits he had an anger problem and been in and out of jail, but she has a lot of questions about what happened Sunday night.

"His violent tendencies he was overcoming," she said. "I mean, I’ve got a temper.  But ... you know how to control it at the last second.  You can either make a decision to act on it or walk away.  And that’s basically what I was trying to teach him.

"My son tried so hard," Cynthia Dyson added.

Mathis is being held on violation probation for convictions in both Jacksonville and St. Johns County for credit card fraud. She currently faces no charges related to the shooting. Her lawyer told News4Jax that police believe the shooting will be ruled justifiable.

A Riverside resident is concerned that the violence she has heard about in Jacksonville has come this close to her neighborhood.

"They’ve cleaned up the streets a lot. The house across the street used to be a drug house and the cops cleaned it up. Then all of a sudden, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom," Maria Marchitto said.


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Scott is a multi-Emmy Award Winning Anchor and Reporter, who also hosts the “Going Ringside With The Local Station” Podcast. Scott has been a journalist for 25 years, covering stories including six presidential elections, multiple space shuttle launches and dozens of high-profile murder trials.

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