Former judge: 'PPO is just piece of paper' after woman killed allegedly by ex-boyfriend in Saline

FOX 2 (WJBK) - A family is mourning the death of 40-year-old Amber Jo Thomas. She was murdered across the street from her work in Saline, the Linden Square Assisted Living Facility.

Thursday morning she went to her car with a co-worker and that’s where police say, her ex-boyfriend was waiting – with a gun.

The 58-year-old man opened fired on her and the co-coworker. He will recover – but Amber died later Thursday night at the hospital.

A Lenawee County judge had signed off on the PPO just six days earlier against the suspect.

The facility where she worked released a statement to us, saying they’re deeply saddened by her death and that, "Over the course of her time at Linden Square, Amber Thomas was a dedicated employee. She always put the residents first and many of her co-workers looked at her as a mentor."

Carl Marlinga, who served as a Macomb County judge, was in charge of granting PPOs during his time on the bench.

"This is just a piece of paper - if this person is determined to hurt you, this person will likely do it anyway," said Marlinga, former circuit court judge and prosecutor. "Remember when it's served - a person who is already unhinged, already a threat, it might go the other way, it might cause a person to go off the deep end."

Unfortunately, he says, it’s the only judicial recourse someone like Amber Jo Thomas could take. And they’re not always granted.

"It has to be a credible threat evidenced by some type of an overt act," Marlinga said.

A PPO serves as a warning to stay away, but with that can come a false sense of security.

"Don't do anything on the assumption that this piece of paper is ultimately going to save you from a very violent person," he said.

A vigil will be held by the assisted living  facility on Monday afternoon.

In the meantime, charges against her ex-boyfriend may come as soon as Saturday.

Amber Jo Thomas