REMEMBER Nellie
Nellie Denise Collins
59 YEARS OLD ·
Pinellas Park,
Florida
Nellie Denise Collins, known to her family as Denise, was 59 years old and deeply loved by her siblings. Her sister Ruth remembered Denise as the person who kept their family connected and informed about one another. She described her as extraordinarily giving, always willing to help others, and as both her big sister and one of her greatest supporters.
Denise was born on February 4, 1958. Her sister Ruth remembered her as a central connection within their family—the person who helped keep relatives in touch with one another. She described Denise as generous and eager to help anyone who needed it.
Ruth also preserved smaller, personal memories of her sister, including Denise regularly complimenting her and proudly talking about her to other people. She fondly remembered Denise struggling with her cell phone and accidentally calling her, including during Ruth’s workday and commute home. Those ordinary calls became memories Ruth deeply missed after her sister’s death. Denise was survived by her siblings.
THE RECORD
On August 8, 2017, Denise was at her Pinellas Park home with Thomas Lee Owens and Owens’s sister, Tracy Starks. Police reported that Owens had armed himself with a handgun before an argument developed between him and Denise. During the dispute, Owens pulled out the firearm and shot Denise, who died at the scene. Owens then pointed the firearm at his sister, but did not shoot her. She escaped to a neighboring residence and called 911.
RELATIONSHIP CONTEXT
Live in Boyfriend
Denise and Thomas Lee Owens were in a romantic relationship and lived together at a home in Pinellas Park. Police described the fatal incident as a domestic dispute between Owens and his live-in girlfriend. Available sources reviewed do not establish additional pre-homicide IPV history between Denise and Owens.
ADDITIONAL VICTIMS
ADDITIONAL VICTIMS DOCUMENTED
homas Lee Owens pointed the firearm at his sister, Tracy Starks, following the shooting of Denise. Starks was able to escape without being shot and called 911 from a neighboring residence.
PATTERNS DOCUMENTED IN AVAILABLE RECORDS
These indicators reflect what could be established from available sources. Absence from this list does not establish that a behavior did not occur.
LEGAL / SYSTEM RESPONSE
Thomas Lee Owens was arrested following Denise’s death and charged with second-degree murder. He was additionally charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Records cited in contemporary reporting indicated that Owens had previously been incarcerated by the Florida Department of Corrections for drug-related convictions.
INFORMATION LIMITATIONS
Available sources do not establish whether there was documented IPV before the fatal incident, a separation, protective order, previous law-enforcement contact involving the relationship, stalking, strangulation, threats to kill, coercive control, or escalating violence.
TRANSPARENCY / RECORD NOTE
Contemporary reporting identifies Denise’s death as occurring during a domestic dispute with her live-in boyfriend. Owens had armed himself with a handgun before the argument and subsequently threatened another person with the firearm. The Pinellas Coalition to End Domestic Violence also includes Nellie Denise Collins in its memorial of people lost to domestic violence in Pinellas County.
REMEMBER Nellie.
Every statistic had a name. Every name had a life.
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