Kriti Mehrotra
When 19-year-old Danielle Boone suddenly lost her life in her Maple Heights, Ohio, apartment on May 6, 2005, it honestly left all her loved ones and the entire community baffled to their core. That’s because not only was she a new mother, but it soon also came to light that the person responsible for her demise was actually her partner/the father of her baby, Jamel Dontez Hatcher. However, as explored in Netflix’s ‘I Am a Killer: Redemption,’ he has apparently long managed to make genuine amends, turn over a new leaf, and even find everlasting love in JaNaé Bates.
JaNaé Bates Believes Jamel Dontez Hatcher is The One For Her
Although it was back when JaNaé was merely 16 when she first came across Jamel (or as she prefers to call him, Dontez) in their hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, they were just friends at first. She has actually conceded she always thought him to be emotionally intelligent despite his early involvement with substances, firearms, as well as bad local crowds, driving her to respect him. Yet, as per her own accounts, they lost touch shortly after he became involved with Danielle at the age of 17 and didn’t really reconnect until he reached out to her by himself in the mid-2010s.
The truth is, JaNaé had just evolved into a Minister when Dontez contacted her to ask if she would support his appeal for early release, to which she agreed before also looking into his record. She thought this was God’s way of opening a pathway for her to provide pastoral care to a friend in need, just for her to then be reminded of what she used to think of him upon looking into his growth. After all, he had not only completed multiple prison courses on restorative justice by this point, but he had also established his own program called The Danielle Project to combat toxic masculinity.
JaNaé and Dontez thus gradually began talking on a more personal level, which actually resulted in them unexpectedly falling head over heels in love and then happily tying the knot on March 3, 2021. Danielle’s grandparents also attended their ceremony through an online link, making it clear they cared for and supported him despite being his victim’s family, as they could see his efforts for change. As for JaNaé, she was also glad to have them attend because she knew they played an important role in her partner’s life, which then led to them establishing an almost familial relationship too.
JaNaé and Dontez Are Still in Blissful Matrimony
While Dontez’s continued incarceration is hard for JaNaé and their union as a whole because of the personal limitations it poses, they have managed to remain strong because they both have hope. The fact his parole eligibility date has been set for late 2025 also keeps them going, right along with the possibilities it presents for them as a couple and as a family alongside his daughter as well as Danielle’s grandparents. Nevertheless, she has made it clear she will stand by him through everything no matter when he is released because she truly believes he is the one for her, and she can’t wait for their real life to begin, whenever it may be.
JaNaé is a Thriving Minister of Social Justice
It was back in 2008 that JaNaé graduated with a Bachelor’s in Communication and Media Studies from Wilberforce University, following which she actually pursued a career in journalism. In fact, she was the Editor-in-Chief of The New Mirror student newspaper from 2006 to 2008 before going on to be a Reporter at Call & Post Newspapers and a Senior Editor at PR Newswire. However, during this period, she somehow also became inspired to earn a Master’s in Theology, Ministry, and Missions from the University of Aberdeen (class of ’14), which opened up countless new doors for her.
Therefore, JaNaé proudly served as a teacher at the Imani Bible Institute from 2013 to 2017, just to then spread her wings and become the Director Of Communications at Yes 4 Minneapolis, Faith in Minnesota, and ISAIAH.
While Yes 4 Minneapolis is a Black-led campaign that seeks to replace the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) with an entirely new department of public safety, the latter two organizations are multi-racial, multi-faith, state-wide vehicles that advocate for equity in the state of Minnesota.
So, with her currently serving as Interim Co-Executive Director at both Faith in Minnesota and ISAIAH, it’s evident this Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area resident, as well as Fulbright Scholar, specializes in integrating communications, grassroots community organizing, and narrative strategy. In other words, this travel enthusiast and fun-loving 38-year-old is a powerful force of nature working towards the betterment of people.
Read More: Jamel Dontez Hatcher: Where is Danielle Boone’s Killer Now?
