On January 31, 2011, what began as a seemingly ordinary day in Boynton Beach, Florida, turned into a tragic story that would shock the community and make national headlines.
Sheri Deann Carter, a 29‑year‑old woman with a bachelor’s degree in English and dreams of attending law school, had placed an online ad advertising her services. She was expecting a client that afternoon — but she had reason to feel uneasy from the beginning. According to her last text messages to her boyfriend, Sheri sensed that something was not right with the man who arrived at her apartment.
“Omg have a total weirdo in my bathroom, a little scared…” she wrote, sending what would become her final texts.
Moments later, the client — Jimmy Dac Ho, an off‑duty Florida Atlantic University (FAU) police officer — shot her twice. Sheri was found unconscious in her condominium and rushed to the hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery. Though she survived the initial attack, she was left paralyzed and in critical condition. Tragically, Sheri Carter passed away on February 4, 2011, just four days after the shooting.
A Betrayal by a Man in Uniform
The man who shot Sheri was not a stranger — he was a police officer who responded to her online ad. Jimmy Dac Ho had joined the FAU Police Department in 2006, after being fired by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office for misconduct and rejected by other law enforcement agencies.
After the shooting, Ho initially claimed he acted in self‑defense, telling detectives, “It was self‑defense.” He resigned from his job and was arrested the next day. Soon, charges of first‑degree murder and false imprisonment were added as Sheri’s condition worsened and she eventually died.
The Legal Aftermath
Once Sheri passed away, prosecutors upgraded the charges against Ho to reflect her death. In 2014, he was convicted of first‑degree murder and kidnapping and received two life sentences — one for each conviction.
The sentencing marked a moment of accountability, but the impact of Sheri’s death continued in more ways than one.
Civil Lawsuit and Settlement
Sheri’s mother, Sandi Cooper, pursued a civil lawsuit against Florida Atlantic University, arguing that the university was negligent in hiring and supervising Ho because of his known history of violent behavior and misconduct.
In 2015, FAU and Sheri’s family reached a settlement. The university agreed to resolve the wrongful‑death lawsuit, bringing closure to one chapter of the family’s long legal struggle.
Where the Case Stands Today
As of the latest public records:
- Jimmy Dac Ho is serving two life sentences in a Florida prison for Sheri Carter’s murder and kidnapping.
- The civil lawsuit against FAU has been settled and formally closed in court.
- The case remains a frequently cited example of abuse of power by someone in law enforcement, raising ongoing discussion about screening and oversight in police hiring practices.
A Life Remembered
Sheri Carter was more than the headlines her case generated. She was a woman with ambitions and goals, someone who sought independence and had a circle of friends who cared about her. The shock of her death cut through society not just because she was killed, but because she was killed by someone sworn to uphold safety.
Her last messages reveal a young woman’s fear — a fear no one should ever have to face alone. Her family’s pursuit of justice and the consequences Ho now faces stand as both a reminder of her life and a warning of the dangers that can arise when trust is betrayed.