HONOLULU (KHON2) — A grand jury has indicted Samuel Jones for the murder of 21-year-old Laau Jordan Laulusa, who was found in a burning car at Mililani high school. Prosecutors said this is a domestic violence case.

Tonight an ex-girlfriend of Jones is speaking out to say there were some troubling signs in that relationship — things she brought up in a restraining order request.

Before Jones met Laulusa, he went out with another woman who agreed to speak to us if she could stay anonymous. She went out with him for three years and she says he showed a dark side that not many others saw.

“It took me a year to see the signs it took me another year to convince myself to get out of it, and it took me the year after that to actually get myself out of it,” said the former girlfriend.

She says it started out like many other relationships, but then he started telling her more and more of what she can and cannot do.

“Started getting more controlling to where I couldn’t wear shorts without him being with me,” she said.

She says the breaking point was when she said she wanted to leave him.

“He just straight up, looked at me and like — ‘if you try to leave me or if you succeeded, leaving me, I’m gonna find you and kill you,'” she said.

Not long after that, when he went on a trip, she filed a Temporary Restraining Order against him, which a judge granted, and she left him for good.

The woman said she feels terrible for the Laulusa family. She wishes she could have warned them about Jones and could have prevented a tragedy.

“To know that Jordan’s mother is mourning her daughter, it hurts my heart,” said Jones’ former girlfriend.

Domestic violence experts said such behavior presents big red flags in a relationship.

“That kind of control leaves the foundation for isolation, intimidation and threats,” said Nanci Kreidman from the Domestic Violence Action Center.

Kreidman said it’s important to know that those who are in that type of relationship can get outside help.

“Just know that they can talk this over with a domestic violence program and make some plans for themselves or set some boundaries,” said Kreidman.

Jones’ former girlfriend hopes her story inspires others to get out of a bad relationship and get help from family and outside agencies.