The nephew of the victim who was shot and killed Wednesday in a restaurant parking lot is sharing insight into what he calls a toxic relationship between his uncle and the woman accused of killing him.

Nicco Palladino says his uncle, Joshua Jones, was like a father figure to him.

"He was a well-loved guy," Palladino said.

The Lawrence County Sheriff says a murder warrant has been issued for Jones' ex-wife, Belinda Adkins.

The sheriff says Jones was shot several times in the parking lot of the McDonald's near South Point. The sheriff says it's believed Adkins was the shooter. She allegedly took off in a white car after firing the shots.

"She was unstable mentally," Palladino said. "He did his best to stay away from her, but because of their long relationship together, their history, it was always hard."

The couple had three children together, two teenagers and a 9-year-old.

"We knew she didn't want to give them up," the victim's nephew said.

Jones pleaded guilty to one count of child endangerment in 2013 connected to one of his step-kids.

Despite that, his nephew says he was still a devoted parent.

"He may not have always done the right things in his life, but he made sure he persevered, and he made sure no matter what that he was going to better himself," Palladino said.

The nephew says it came as no surprise when Jones was awarded full custody of their kids last week.

"He'd done all this work to secure a good job and a house," he said. "He wanted to provide for his kids the best he knew how. We never saw something like this coming about from it."

As of 10 p.m. Thursday, police were still looking for the ex-wife.

"It is absolutely senseless for something as simple as wanting to give his child the best life she could possibly have to lead to murder," the nephew said.

Palladino says it would be unfair to the family if the suspect is not forced to pay for what's happened.

"I want them to find her before she has the opportunity to opt her way out of it," he said, "whether it be to run or to take her own life. It would just be too good for her to not have to face the consequences of killing the father of her children, leaving all of her children without a father and now ultimately without a mother."

The victim's attorney tells WSAZ the children involved are staying with family members. He says there will be another court appointment within 10 days to determine who will get custody of them.