Arrest Made in Murder of Natalie Bollinger, Murderer Says He Saw Her Ad on Craigslist

An arrest has been made in the murder of Natalie Bollinger, 19, who was found shot to death in a wooded area of Adams County, Colo., on December 29, 2017, approximately 26 hours after she had been reported missing.

Joseph Lopez, 22, was arraigned and formally charged on Wednesday, February 13, 2018. Lopez was charged with first degree murder after deliberation.

Lopez is a resident of Northglenn, Colo., was arrested on the evening of the 8th after an interview with Adams County Sheriff’s investigators. His claims regarding the alleged motive are described as shocking.

Investigators stated Lopez claims he did not see Bollinger die, changed his story to “she committed suicide”, then changed his story again, saying she had solicited someone to kill her on Craigslist to help her commit suicide.

According to an arrest affidavit, Lopez told investigators he met Bollinger on December 28th after responding to a Craigslist ad entitled “I Want to Put a Hit on Myself” in the “women seeking men” section of the online marketplace website. He also stated he met Bollinger for the first time that day.

Bollinger’s autopsy report states Bollinger died from a gunshot wound to her head, noting she had a lethal level of heroin in her blood. The medical examiner found fresh needle marks on her arms.

Adams County Sheriff Michael McIntosh announced the arrest during a Friday news conference, referencing Lopez as the sole suspect but said, “Just because we have a suspect in custody, doesn’t mean the investigation is over.”

#NatalieBollinger #Craigslist #CraiglistMurder #JosephLopez #AdamsCoSheriff #Murder #KymPasqualini #MissingLeads #Hitman