An unfolding tragedy began to take shape on a cold January morning in Detroit, forever altering the lives of several families. What started as a misguided quest for vengeance by two sisters, Symone and Shavelle Runels, spiraled into the horrific and senseless death of an innocent woman. The sisters reportedly believed a man named Ferman 'Rico' Rodriguez was connected to their mother's death, which authorities had officially ruled as an overdose. Fueled by this unsubstantiated belief, they allegedly orchestrated a plan to lure him to a house on the city's west side.
Once Rodriguez arrived, he was met with brutal violence. He was allegedly beaten with hammers and stabbed by the sisters and their associates. In a desperate act of survival, Rodriguez pretended to be dead, and when the assault paused, he seized the opportunity to escape his captors. His escape, however, left an unwitting witness in a perilous situation. A 28-year-old mother of two, Angela Nielson, had accompanied Rodriguez and remained in a car nearby, where she witnessed the savage attack.
With their initial target gone, the Runels sisters and their accomplices turned their attention to Nielson. Fearful of her being a witness, they allegedly forced her into the trunk of a car. The group then drove to a gas station, where they were captured on video purchasing kerosene. Their final destination was an isolated industrial area in the Delray neighborhood. There, they set the vehicle on fire with Angela Nielson trapped inside. First responders later found the vehicle engulfed in flames and discovered Nielson's remains. An investigation by the Detroit Police Department determined that she had been burned alive.
In the aftermath of the gruesome discovery, law enforcement launched an intensive investigation. Authorities arrested and charged several individuals involved in the heinous crime, including Symone Runels. However, her sister, Shavelle Runels, described by police as the ringleader, managed to evade capture and became a top fugitive wanted by the U.S. Marshals. Law enforcement officials considered her to be armed and dangerous and offered a cash reward for information leading to her arrest. The tragic and violent end to Angela Nielson's life, a woman who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, left a lasting scar on the community and her grieving family.
