Family of slain pregant woman seek death penalty
The family of a pregnant woman shot to death last week, whose premature
baby boy died Thursday, said they are pushing for the death penalty
against the man now facing 2 1st-degree murder charges in connection with
their deaths.
The family of Angel Bollinger, 21, who was shot Feb. 5 at a home in the
1000 block of Martin Road in an unincorporated area south of Coolidge,
also has set up a bank account at Wells Fargo Bank seeking donations for
her surviving son, Tramell Powell, 2.
Shelly Lister, Bollingers older sister, said Friday that Bollinger was a
wonderful mother who loved her children and said she formerly worked at a
daycare center, but was preparing to go to cosmetology school.
Bollinger, 7 months pregnant, was pronounced dead on arrival at Case
Grande Regional Medical, and her son, Cornell Angel Bollinger was born at
11:17 p.m., less than 30 minutes after his mother died, Lister said.
Cornell, who weighed a little more than 2 pounds, was pronounced dead at
Phoenix Children's Hospital at 1:30 a.m. Thursday, according to Lt.
Tamatha Villar of the Pinal County Sheriffs Office.
"She was a wonderful mom who was extremely proud," Lister, of Florida,
said. "Those babies meant the world to her. We're all pulling together for
Tramell, who is going to need all the help in the world. My sister's death
is a horrific thing to have happened, and its hard for us to think right
now."
Tramell now will be raised by his father and Bollinger's younger sister,
Samantha Bollinger, Lister said.
Angel Bollinger was the middle sibling of 3 girls in her family. Their
mother, Roberta Bollinger, died at age 31 in 1996, also the victim of a
homicide in New Mexico when Angel was 8, Lister said.
Lister said that 2 men are serving life sentences in a New Mexico prison
for their mother's murder, but they would like to see the person
responsible for Angels death get the death penalty.
A Pinal County grand jury handed down a 4-count indictment against Ronald
Thompson, 31, of Coolidge, on Thursday in connection to the murders of
Bollinger and her son, according to Pinal County Superior Court documents.
Thompson, who is being held in the Pinal County Jail in Florence without
bond, was charged with 2 counts of 1st-degree murder, 1 count of attempted
murder and 1 count of misconduct involving a weapon.
Bollinger's boyfriend, Harvey Rushing Jr., 23, was shot in the arm during
the altercation, and is expected to recover from his injury, according to
Villar.
"Were hoping he gets the death penalty," Lister said. "That's what we
want."