In the late fall of 2016, a 33-year-old woman named Jacqueline Cline was tragically killed in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A mother to a young six-year-old son, she was known by friends and family as a free spirit who embraced life and saw the best in everyone. She had dreams of becoming a massage therapist and was remembered for her loud, passionate, and fun-loving nature.
For nearly eight years, she had worked as a waitress, supporting her son, Conway.
On November 29, 2016, Jacqueline's life was cut short when she and another woman, 23-year-old Victoria Loftis, were fatally shot. Their deaths were part of a violent crime spree that had begun three days earlier with the killing of a 21-year-old man, Marcus Williams. The senseless violence left Jacqueline's young son without his mother and her family and friends devastated by the loss of a woman described as having a pure heart and a beautiful soul.
In the aftermath of the killings, an investigation led to the arrest of two men, Richard Spanks and Haywood Miller. In March 2018, both men were found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Jacqueline, Victoria, and Marcus. They were also convicted on a host of other charges, including attempted murder and assault.
The judge presiding over the case handed down sentences of three life terms without parole for both Spanks and Miller, ensuring they would spend the rest of their lives in prison. During the sentencing, Jacqueline's sister tearfully spoke of the pain the murders had caused, particularly for her young nephew who would now have to grow up without his mother. The verdict and sentencing brought a measure of legal justice to the families of the victims, though the void left by the loss of their loved ones could never be filled.
