BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP, Mich-- A mother in Barry County is devastated and reaching out to FOX 17, demanding answers following the murder of her daughter on Sunday.
Cheyenne Bowling, 26, was found dead at her mother's home off Bird Road early Sunday morning. Police say she had been chased down by her estranged husband, Ralph Bowling III, and shot to death in the driveway. Investigators say Ralph also shot another man at the home, 31-year-old Nathan Farrell, leaving him with a neck injury. Family members say Cheyenne and Nathan were friends.
Afterwards, investigators say Ralph went back to his home off Coats Grove Road--about 20 minutes away-- and lit the place on fire.
FOX 17 spoke to Cheyenne's mother, Melissa Wymer, who says she's heartbroken over the loss, and upset that she wasn't there when her daughter lost her life.
“I’m mad, I’m sad. I wasn’t here to protect her,” says Wymer. “I have to walk in this house where she got killed on my property. Every time you look outside that’s where she was. There’s no coping with it.”
Wymer says she's also upset, after learning her daughter, Cheyenne contacted police the Wednesday prior to her death. During Ralph Bowling's arraignment on Monday, Cheyenne's father said his daughter was being stalked by Ralph, and said he had placed deer cameras around the home to take photos of her.
During a phone call with Michigan State Police on Thursday, Lt. Angel Ouwinga with the Wayland Post confirmed that Cheyenne made a call to the Sheriff's Department last Wednesday and was then transferred to Michigan State Police. Lt. Ouwinga says the call regarded a trail camera Cheyenne had discovered and that she wanted someone to call her back about it. Lt Ouwinga told FOX 17 unfortunately, the message did not get properly transferred, so nobody called her back.
"MSP was supposed to contact her, to take her information down of what her husband was doing. But they didn’t," says Wymer.
Michigan State Police says they're investigating what went wrong with the phone call, and that they're working to make sure something like that doesn't happen again.
Meanwhile, as Wymer waits for answers in her daughter's murder, she's now trying to get the rest of her family back together.
She tells FOX 17 Cheyenne and Ralph's 4-year-old son has been taken away by Child Protective Services, who is restricting visitations.
“That’s not right for that little boy. He should be surrounded by his family right now,” Wymer told FOX 17.
FOX 17 spoke to a CPS spokesperson on Thursday, who said the agency cannot comment on specific cases, but that their top priority is the safety of the child.
The agency also told us all decisions about contact with family members is made on an individual basis.
“I just want my family back together,” said Wymer.
Court documents show Wymer's 4-year-old grandson will undergo a psychiatric evaluation and counseling. His permanent placement is still pending on the outcome of the next family court date on July 11.
Ralph Bowling III has been charged with open murder, attempted murder, first degree home invasion and second degree arson in the case. He remains behind bars on a $1 million bond and is due back in court on June 21.
