Family Outraged as North Carolina Woman Accused in 133-Stab Murder of 21-Year-Old Allowed to Remain Free Despite Violations
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA — The family of 21-year-old Mary Collins, who was stabbed 133 times and stuffed inside a mattress in one of Charlotte’s most shocking murder cases, says they are outraged after a judge allowed one of the accused accomplices to remain free despite repeated violations of her bond conditions.
America Diehl, who was 18 years old at the time of Collins’ killing in 2020, has failed to charge her electronic ankle monitor multiple times, missed curfew, and violated other release terms — yet a Mecklenburg County judge refused to revoke her bond and even ordered the ankle monitor removed, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors Say Diehl Masked Victim’s Body With Pumpkin Spice Shower Gel and Detergent
According to prosecutors, Diehl helped others clean the crime scene after Collins’ murder and used Cascade dish detergent and pumpkin spice shower gel in an attempt to mask the smell of decomposition.
Diehl, who currently lives in South Carolina, faces charges of accessory after the fact to murder and concealing a death. She has pleaded not guilty.
During Friday’s bond review hearing, prosecutors from the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office urged the judge to revoke Diehl’s release and set a $500,000 bond, citing ongoing noncompliance.
However, Judge Lambert Guinn agreed with Diehl’s defense that ankle monitoring is unreliable and allowed her to remain free.
“She was 18 years old when this happened and was forced into a terrible situation,” Diehl’s attorney argued. “She’s employed, she’s stayed out of trouble, and she continues to cooperate.”
Family Outraged: ‘There’s a Place Reserved in Hell for Them’
Mary Collins’ family said the ruling is another painful blow in a case that has already dragged on for years.
“The pain just keeps going,” said Collins’ mother, Kasei Canfora, in an interview with WBTV. “I feel like I’ve been violated over and over again. Not just with what happened with my daughter, but every time I come to this courthouse.”
Collins’ grandmother, Mia Alderman, said the brutality of the crime should disqualify any defendant from being free before trial.
“They bled her out in a bathtub like an animal in a slaughterhouse,” Alderman told the court. “Mary had a leash around her neck, blood everywhere, stabbed over 130 times. And now one of the people involved walks free?”
The family said they were “stunned” that Diehl was permitted to live outside jail while awaiting trial despite the horrific details and ongoing bond violations.
Four People Charged in Collins’ Murder
Four people were charged in connection to the killing:
- James Salerno, charged with murder, kidnapping, and concealing a death (currently awaiting trial)
- Kelly Lavery, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2022 and is serving 25 to 32 years in prison
- Lavi Pham, charged with murder and kidnapping, remains in custody
- America Diehl, charged as an accessory after the fact, remains free pending trial
Prosecutors allege Collins — who had 22q deletion syndrome, a developmental disability giving her the mental capacity of a 15-year-old — was lured by people she considered friends before she was brutally killed.
Trial Expected in 2026
The trial for the remaining defendants is expected to begin in 2026, six years after Collins’ death in Charlotte’s NoDa neighborhood, known for its arts and entertainment scene.
“The mother, the person who carried her for nine months and gave birth to her, gets no say,” Canfora said. “All I can do is sit in this courtroom and beg for justice — and we still don’t have it.”
The case continues to draw outrage across North Carolina, with residents calling for stricter enforcement of bond conditions in violent crime cases. For continuing updates on the Mary Collins murder case and local justice news, visit ChicagoMusicGuide.com.