Prosecutors: Naperville-area woman told police abuse led her to shoot boyfriend

A Naperville-area woman charged with murdering her boyfriend told police dispatchers "she went ballistic and shot him" after he attacked her during an argument Tuesday night, a DuPage County prosecutor said Thursday.

Judge Jeffrey MacKay set bail at $500,000 for April O. Turner, 36, of the 6S100 block of Lakewood Drive, during her court appearance Thursday morning.

According to Assistant DuPage County State's Attorney Claudia Fantauzzo, Turner and her boyfriend of eight years, Nicarro L. Drake, were drinking heavily Tuesday night at the home on Lakewood, along with two other women.

After the visitors left to go to a Walgreens store. Turner told police she accused Drake of flirting with the other women. Drake attacked her, she said, hitting her in the face and knocking her down. They struggled, and she hit him with a metal towel bar, Fantauzzo said.

The two women returned as Turner went into a bedroom to get a 9 mm handgun out of a closet, authorities say. Despite one of the women urging her not to, Turner fired three shots, hitting Drake once in the chest, Fantauzzo said.

Turner then called 911.

Fantauzzo said Turner told investigators she "had swallowed everything up and could not take it anymore."

Court records show Turner received an emergency order of protection against Drake in 2012.

The couple have a 2-year-old son, and Turner has a 17-year-old daughter. Both are staying with relatives. Turner, who has a concealed-carry gun permit. has worked for 17 years as a customer service agent for Comcast, officials say.

If she posts bail, Turner will have to surrender that permit, and any guns and ammunition, to the DuPage County sheriff's office. She also will have to wear a GPS monitor.