just responding to the issue of choking at the gas station; non-fatal choking is one of the danger signs that indicates an abuser will eventually kill his partner, along with a few others (substance abuse, possession of a gun, etc). Choking is highly positively correlated with eventual domestic homicide. Combine that with JC recently getting out of a women's shelter and it looks a lot like DV. Likely combined with the fact that was "outing" some people or person allegedly and that these people may have been abusing her in the past, increasing her risk of violence by them. Abusers believe they are entitled to punish their victims for doing something wrong to them, hence they do violent things in public places - they feel entitled. they do NOT lose control. they believe their victims have no rights.
this crime is a very personal escalation of abuse type of crime.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2573025/