The Duchess of York has stated she is “shocked and saddened” after the homicide of her former assistant, Jenean Chapman.

The physique of the 46-year-old was discovered inside a Dallas residence on Monday afternoon. Police stated it was a murder case.

Who was Ms Chapman, how have her household described her and what was her relationship to Sarah Ferguson?

The Duchess of York’s ‘hardworking and enjoyable’ PA

Working because the Duchess of York’s assistant was Ms Chapman’s first job after college.

The duchess described her as “loyal, hardworking, beautiful and fun”.

She spent 4 years within the function, in accordance with her LinkedIn profile, with obligations together with dealing with press, planning journey and arranging safety.

In a put up on Instagram, the duchess wrote: “My heart breaks for her family and friends.

“I heard from her simply a few months in the past and he or she appeared so glad.”

Climbing the company ladder

Ms Chapman moved to Dallas, Texas, about 5 months in the past for a brand new job, her household instructed Sky’s US associate NBC News.

She was a senior vice chairman at Critical Mass, a digital advertising and marketing company, on the time of her demise.

“She was a force to be reckoned with, she was a role model,” her sister Nicole Marshall instructed NBC Dallas-Fort Worth (DTW).

“I always look up to her as like what I wanted to accomplish in my corporate career,” she stated.

She was additionally about to start out her personal enterprise, one other sister Crystal Marshall instructed the news outlet.

Ms Chapman lived in New York and San Francisco earlier than shifting to Dallas.

A ‘rocky’ relationship

A 48-year-old man known as James Patrick has been arrested in connection along with her demise, and police say he’s anticipated to be charged with homicide.

Her household instructed NBC News Ms Chapman been married to Patrick for just a few months, they usually had been in a turbulent relationship for years.

There had not been a marriage when the couple married, they stated, and it got here as a shock.

Her sister Nicole Marshall stated: “We were shocked because before that it was an on-and-off relationship. It was rocky, we were aware of that.”

“The most we can just say is that the relationship was toxic,” she added.

Patrick stays in jail on a $100,000 (£82,000) bond.

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Tributes from household

Nicole Marshall instructed NBC DFW her sister “had a heart of mush” however was additionally an “accomplished intellectual”.

“Even though she was an independent black woman, she was the definition of that, but she had that sweet softness to her as well,” Crystal Marshall added.

In an Instagram put up, Crystal Marshall stated: “She had so much to look forward to and impacted so many people in her life.

“Even although her presence is now not with us her gentle will proceed to shine in our hearts and fond recollections now we have of her.”