Greeley teacher, mother murdered by estranged husband with child in car ...Middle East

GREELEY, Colo. (KDVR) — A Greeley special education teacher was killed at the hands of her estranged husband in a murder-suicide in March.

Laura Ruben was inside her car, with her 2-year-old child in the backseat, when her husband opened fire and turned the gun on himself. The last conversation Jessica Callaham had with her sister, minutes before the murder, still haunts her.

 "One of the first things she said is, 'I'm scared that he's going to do something,'" Callaham shared.

Ruben was on the phone with police when her husband shot her to death, according to Greeley Police. The 40-year-old mother was described as caring, kind and compassionate.

 "She had such a big heart," Callaham said. "She's always just had a heart for special needs children".

It was that calling that brought her to Greeley one year ago to work with visually impaired students in School District 6. Ruben, her two daughters and her husband of 10 years made the cross-country trip to Colorado, eager for new beginnings.

But Callaham says Ruben's husband struggled with mental illness for years

"She stayed around in hopes that he understood the severity of his mental health," Callaham said.

She shares that her sister did everything possible to support the man she vowed to love in sickness and in health by going to therapy, setting up medical appointments, admitting him, locking up pills and knives in the home and more. But over the last two years, the red flags grew louder and louder.

"Him starting to physically harm her, along with the verbal abuse, the psychological abuse and just outbursts. Very violent outbursts," Callaham explained.

December outburst spurred changes

It was an outburst in December that involved her husband destroying their home and putting the girls at risk that was the last straw for Ruben. Over the next few months, Ruben was determined to walk a new path. She enrolled at the University of Northern Colorado to earn a master's degree, filed for separation, rented a new apartment and was granted a temporary restraining order.

The Victim Services Unit covers 13 police departments in Weld County and works closely with Ruben. Coordinator Heather Wright and Advocate Specialist Faith Thompson connected Ruben with the vital resources to leave, start fresh and navigate the legal system.

 "She was leaving him and at the end of the day, he decided to take her away from all of those wonderful people who love and supported her because she said I will not be with you anymore," Wright said. "As details were coming in on what exactly happened to Laura and her family that day my anxiety started to go up and up".

That day was March 17, 2025.

The separated couple had a court hearing that morning where a judge implemented a more permanent restraining order and granted supervised visitation with the children, which Callaham said caused Ruben's husband to become agitated. While driving home, Ruben called her sister scared and said her husband was tailing her.

"I was the one that told her it's going to be okay," Callaham cried.

Ruben reached the parking lot of her apartment complex and was sitting in the front seat with her 2-year-old daughter in the backseat when she received a call from a Greeley Police officer in regard to her estranged husband violating the restraining order. All of a sudden, her husband appeared in the parking lot and Callaham says he blocked her car in.

Ruben was trapped and still on the phone with the officer.

"They did an all-call. Witnesses said eight to 10 cop cars rushed in, but unfortunately, they just couldn't get to her fast enough," Callaham recalled.

With his daughter in the car, the 36-year-old man shot into Ruben's car multiple times, killing his wife and then shot himself, according to police. The toddler was not hurt.

"To know that there wasn't a moment where he stopped to check for her, it haunts me," Callaham cried. "It's bad enough to leave your child without her parents, but to expose her to that".

Ruben's girls are now left in this world without a mother. Thompson and Wright responded to the crime scene to soothe the children and help the family navigate the unthinkable.

"Her family is absolutely amazing," Wright said. "They came into a horrible situation and always kept the girls and Laura at the forefront of every action that they did".

And that grace goes both ways. Callaham is praising the Greeley Police Department for ensuring her sister always felt heard and seen.

 "I'm just tremendously thankful for the people of Greeley for taking care of her when I couldn't," Callaham cried.

Although nothing will bring Ruben back, Callaham has a message for other women.

"Normalize that it's not our job to save other people. It's our job to save ourselves," Callaham cried. "It's something I wish my sister had grasped a little bit more ... that he has to save himself and that she couldn't save him."

A judge has ruled that Ruben's daughters do get to stay together and the two are currently in Georgia with Callaham. However, it's going to be a long road with a lot of financial responsibilities. Callaham is working to set up college funds for both girls. If you'd like to donate, click here.

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