W35 sprinter April Jace slain; won world title in Sacto 4×1 relay

April had just turned 40.

April had just turned 40.

April Jace, a masters sprinter in Southern California who won gold at 2011 Sacramento worlds in the 4×100, was shot to death Monday night at her Los Angeles home. The suspect is her husband, actor Michael Jace, who played a cop in “The Shield” and “Southland” TV shows. “Law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times that Jace confessed to fatally shooting his wife, April, multiple times around 8:30 p.m. Monday at their home in the 5400 block of Brynhurst Avenue. April Jace, a well-liked financial aid employee at Biola University, had walked in the door just 10 to 15 minutes earlier after picking up the couple’s sons from baseball practice,” said the Times. April competed as recently as February, when she won the 60, 100 and 200 at age 39 at Andy Hecker’s “indoor meet outdoors.” Such a loss.

April Jace (in yellow) beat Brenda Matthews (left) and Linda Cohn at a February 2014 meet at Mater Dei High School in Santa.

April Jace (in yellow) beat Brenda Matthews (left) and Linda Cohn in a 60-meter dash at February 2014 meet at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana.

Thursday on Facebook, comments were being posted about April on Sacramento teammate’s Maryline Roux’s page.

And Nesto Rhea’s incredibly touching video honors April:

Staci Tallmon: I remember my 1st race in Master’s & she was in my heat…she came up to me with her warm smile and welcomed me. It was really sweet of her & I will never forget that. You can just see how loved she was from everyone there that knew her!

Maryline Roux:What A loss! Ran with April, the 4Ă—100 in Sacramento and we won the gold with LaTrisha and Maureen. I remember this race very well and April was such a gracious Lady and athlete. I am really sad that the Masters track scene lost such a talent and soul. I will treasure this title forever and will be even prouder to have been on your team to win it. May you run fast in Heaven.

Derek Pye: I think everyone is just stunned that this could actually happen to someone so nice. She was always so welcoming and friendly and happy. I don’t have her personal info, but if I come across anything, I will gladly share it. It’s just shocking. Our masters track family has lost an angel. Pray for her family, and especially her boys.

Here are April’s results from Sacramento worlds:

W35 100 Meter Dash

===============================
Name Age Team Finals
===============================
Section 1 Finals Wind: 0.9
1 Birade, Dena W39 United States 12.36
2 Hubbard, Julia W35 Great Britain 12.44
3 Paunica, Emilia W39 Spain 12.44
4 Sorokina, Nataliia W36 Ukraine 12.74
5 Beckles, Khama W36 Canada 12.92
6 Story, Vanessa W37 New Zealand 13.38
7 Jace, April W37 United States 13.41
8 Schwab, Simone W35 Germany 13.45

W35 200 Meter Dash
===============================
Name Age Team Prelims
===============================
Heat 1 Preliminaries Wind: -2.0
1 Dendy, LaTrica W38 United States 26.29Q
2 Paunica, Emilia W39 Spain 26.53Q
3 Baggiolini, Emanuela W39 Italy 26.63Q
4 Rodriguez Corado, Rosana W35 Guatemala 27.88q
5 Rosborough, Lisa W38 United States 28.03
6 Beckles, Khama W36 Canada 28.10
7 Dierauer, Isabelle W38 United States 28.79
8 Karnale, Sneha W38 India 31.84
Heat 2 Preliminaries Wind: -1.9
1 Birade, Dena W39 United States 26.01Q
2 Hubbard, Julia W35 Great Britain 26.56Q
3 Story, Vanessa W37 New Zealand 27.45Q
4 Talavera Talavera, Ana E W35 Venezuela 27.66q
5 Cardenas, Janet W38 Belgium 28.11
6 Jace, April W37 United States 28.16
7 Edwards, Deaneth W39 Jamaica 29.31
8 De La Fuente, Judith W38 Chile 29.39

W35-64 4Ă—100 Meter Relay
===============================
Team Finals
===============================
1 United States of America 51.26
1) Jace, April 37 2) Walles, Maurelhena 36
3) Dendy, LaTrica 38 4) Roux, Maryline 44

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May 21, 2014

14 Responses

  1. Grant Lamothe - May 21, 2014

    Sad, sad, sad indeed. RIP April, you don’t deserve this -Grant L.

  2. al cestero - May 21, 2014

    terrible to hear..prayers for her family

  3. Tom Phillips - May 22, 2014

    Very sad to hear this. Here’s April in happier times, in the line up for that Sacto 100m final in 2011 #3019. http://www.tomphillipsphotos.co.uk/wma20119july/slides/_TP13804wtmk.html

  4. R. Shepherd - May 22, 2014

    That is Ruthlyn Greenfield Webster, Toccata Murphy and Donna Lawrence representing Team USA in the picture.

  5. Peter Taylor - May 22, 2014

    So much sadness … No words will do justice to this loss. Apparently she was very popular in the working world as well as in track and field, and why would she not have been? I had the pleasure of announcing her at 2010 Sac nationals, and I will miss her presence.

    By the way, for those trying to identify April in this photo the three American athletes are as follows:

    Donna Lawrence (3102)
    Toccata Murphy (3161)
    Ruthlyn Greenfield-Webster (3019)

    April is not in the photo.

  6. Maryline Roux - May 22, 2014

    What A loss! Ran with April, the 4×100 in Sacramento and we won the gold with LaTrisha and Maureen. I remember this race very well and April was such a gracious Lady and athlete. I am really sad that the Masters track scene lost such a talent and soul. I will treasure this title forever and will be even prouder to have been on your team to win it. May you run fast in Heaven.

    With Love
    Maryline

  7. Mary Harada - May 22, 2014

    tragic –

  8. Derek Pye - May 22, 2014

    April was the perfect representative for our sport. A beautiful, loving, and caring talent who made you feel welcome and proud to be a part of the master’s track community. She always had a smile on her face and it was contagious. It was an honor to have gotten to know her a little bit at some of our local meets! Thank you for the memories, April! You will always be remembered.

  9. Cornell - May 22, 2014

    Truly heartbreaking. April, you will definitely be missed. R.I.P.

  10. Aeron Arlin Genet - May 22, 2014

    amazing this tragedy hits the track scene. very sad… but glad April was part of the track and field family.

  11. Ken Stone - May 23, 2014

    Maryline Roux reports:

    f you would like to donate to help April Jace’s family please click on the link below. Thank you. You can also watch a short beautiful video that has been made as a tribute for April.

    Click here to support April Jace Funeral & Children Fund by Chris Henry

    http://www.gofundme.com/9f6kd8?pc=fb_f_my_t

  12. Mark Cleary - May 23, 2014

    This is such shocking news. She was such a nice person and wonderfully talented athlete. She was at all the Southern California meets. She was a standout in every way. We will miss her, what an heartbreak for all that knew her. Prayers for her boys family and close friends.

  13. Ken stone - May 24, 2014

    I’m told that services will be Tuesday at Forest Lawn in  Cypress, 2 PM,  Church of Our Fathers chapel

  14. Ken Stone - June 1, 2016

    Justice for April:
    http://mynewsla.com/hollywood/2016/05/31/shield-actor-guilty-of-killing-wife-in-front-of-their-kids/

    Michael Jace was convicted of second-degree murder.

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