Family of Angelina Betz who was stabbed to death by love rival sets up GoFundMe to cover legal costs
BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA: The family of a California woman, who was barbarically stabbed to death by a love rival in 2020, has set up a fundraising page for the potential legal and funeral cost.
Angelina Betz, 25, was brutally murdered by Jennifer Maldonado, 21, who had a romantic interest in the same man as her. Maldonado had been absconding and evading arrest for nearly eight months after the murder but when she was finally arrested, she pled no contest to voluntary manslaughter. Maldonado was sentenced to nine years of imprisonment.
READ MORE
87-year-old who raised money for Ukraine stabbed to death, suspect arrested after tense standoff
The justice for Angelina came after a long legal battle. Her family has now set up a GoFundMe page to bear the cost of the legal struggle. The fundraising page was created back on May 23, 2020, by Amelia Harrison and Mark Oconnor on behalf of the Betz O’Connor family. "Early before sunrise on May 21st, 2020, Angelina’s life was tragically taken from us far too soon by the senseless act of another. For those of us that had the treasure of experiencing life with Angelina, we already know life without her will never be the same," the page reads.
The page further reads, "I am asking for assistance on behalf of the Betz O’Connor family towards future upcoming expenses in regards to Angelina's celebration of life and potential legal costs." Till now, the page has collected over $17,622 of the $30,000 goal. Angelina is survived by her grandmother Lorraine, parents Tina, Mark, and Nathan, two younger sisters Serena and Hayley, and younger brother Nathanael.
In the latest development of the case, Angelina’s sister Serena Recalde received the deceased's phone from the police, nearly two years after the horrific incident. Taking to TikTok, Serena Recalde has shared the final contents of her sister's phone in the hours leading to her death, from her final selfies to the last dialed number -- 911.
Bitz was murdered in May 2021 after she got into a fight with Jennifer Maldonado over an unidentified man. An anonymous witness, who lived with Jennifer told deputies that he and Bitz went to Jennifer’s place because she owed him money. But when Jennifer got to know that Angelina is with him, she went outside and charged Angelina, according to court documents.
@serenarecalde The part of losing someone that no one talks about. Cleaning out their home, getting their phone, figuring out what you’re supposed to do with it all. #siblingloss #grief ♬ Possibility - Lykke Li
Another witness told the officials that Jennifer and Angelina were the only two fighting and suddenly, Jennifer took out a knife and started stabbing her. Jennifer stabbed Angelina in her left leg and made her unable to stand. The witnesses present at the moment tried to take Angelina to the hospital but their car crashed at an intersection near the hospital. The autopsy revealed Angelina died of stab wounds and not because of the collision.
Jennifer became the prime suspect in the murder after multiple witnesses were questioned following Angelina's death. After evading the arrest for eight months, Jennifer was finally caught by the US Marshalls. Charged with first-degree murder, she was sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison.