Iona “Sissy” Coleman Collins, a White female, 66, of Harmony, North Carolina, died on May 16, 2025. She was born on July 11, 1958, and was a longtime member of the Harmony community. Obituaries published in late May confirmed her death and the basic details of her life, including her nickname and age.
On the morning of May 16, a man later identified by authorities as her husband, 70-year-old Bobby Lee Collins, called Iredell County Emergency Communications at about 8:13 a.m.
and said he had shot his wife around 7 a.m., locked the house, and left with the keys in his pocket. Deputies found him sitting in his truck near the intersection of Powell Bridge Road and Harmony Highway and took him into custody. Investigators then entered the couple’s home on Powell Bridge Road and found Iona Collins deceased.
The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office charged Bobby Lee Collins with first-degree murder, and he was held without bond. Booking records from Iredell County list the arrest on May 16, 2025, for first-degree murder. News reports at the time emphasized that he had allegedly confessed during the 911 call; authorities did not announce any additional suspects.
Tributes published shortly after her death remembered her as “Sissy,” noted her West Virginia roots, and recorded the family she loved. One obituary stated she was survived by her husband of 50 years, Bobby Lee Collins, and other relatives. Funeral home and local notices marked her passing on May 16 and invited the community to share memories.
Neighbors described the shooting as shocking and out of character for what they believed they knew of the couple. As of the contemporaneous reports, investigators had not released a motive, and the case proceeded with the single named suspect under the murder charge.
