Authorities in Tuscaloosa have charged a suspect with the 1999 murder of a young mother.
Stephanie Collins was 21 years old, working full time, going to school and raising two children, when she was killed September 23rd, 1999. Captain Loyd Baker with the Tuscaloosa Metro
Homicide Unit says her body was found off Moody Swamp Road.
"Where concrete trucks come in and out to dump there load. One of the drivers saw a body which turned out to be Miss Collins. She had been shot once in the head," said Captain Loyd Baker.
The victim's mother, was planning her youngest grandson's first birthday party when his mother was killed. James and Jessie Collins have been raising both grandchildren and waiting for justice ever since.
"I look at them and I know she is missing so much," said Jessie Collins." They miss her and sometimes you don't even know what to tell them. You do the best you can but sometimes there is just no answer to tell them. They ask you questions that you just can't answer."
The investigation has stretched out over a decade with no one being charged for the murder, until recently.
"At times I gave up hope, but faith in the Lord and the Tuscaloosa Police Department never let me give up completely," said Jessie Collins.
Last week Captain Loyd Baker and Sgt. Ken Jenkins knocked on her door with a break in the case.
"It was Tuesday, I hugged them and cried and it was just. It was just a whole flood of emotions. It was wonderful," said Jessie Collins.
Thirty-six year old Eric Horton has been charged with the crime.
"He was served with a grand jury indictment for capital murder," said Capt Loyd Baker.
Horton is currently serving time in the St. Clair County Correctional Facility for an unrelated case. "We believe that the suspect knew the victim. For how long we don't know, but we are pretty convinced that at least at this point that he knew her and had known her for at least a short time," said Captain Loyd Baker.
The other investigator, Sgt. Ken Jenkins transferred out of the homicide unit years ago, but never forgot about the case.
"He continued to work this case even after he left our unit and brought this case to a conclusion- years after he left homicide. So we appreciate his tenacity and his persistence in staying with this case," said Capt. Loyd Baker.
Stephanie Collins' mother says Jenkins kept his promise.
"He told me that he would not give up on the investigation and I believed him. And I thank the lord that he was right," said Jessie Collins. "I'm sad and I'm happy and it will be good for the kids to have some idea what happened to their mother."
Captain Baker says Eric Horton will remain in the St. Clair County Correctional Facility until he stands trial in the capital murder case.
