Mary Collins: Tragic Murder of a Girl Who Just Wanted Friends

In a world where it seems essential to “fit in,” one must hope teenagers choose the right friends. Adolescence is when teens spread their wings, and parents give a certain amount of trust.

As parents, we wait up at night when they are even a little bit late, and we can never imagine that their friends would hurt them, let alone kill them.

Mary disappeared on March 28, 2020, the day the governor of North Carolina issued the stay-at-home order for COVID-19. Because of the lockdown, this dreadful story went largely unreported.

Who Was Mary Collins?

Mary Santina Collins was born on July 6, 1981, to her mother, Kasei Delpezzo. At 20 years old, everyone who talked about Mary described her as kind and gracious. Her elementary school principal, Caroline Horne, described her as innocent and said she always wanted to hug her in the hallway. People also used the words "sweet" and "vulnerable" to define her.

"She had such a light about her," Mary's aunt Kara Williams told WCNC News. "She was loving and silly."

Her grandmother, Mia Alderman, raised Mary like her child, giving her a stable environment to thrive, which her mother could not provide. Mary had a large family of aunts, cousins, siblings, and her mother, who all protected and loved her.

"She was just such a sweet person that she expected everybody to be like that, and so she was very vulnerable and easily manipulated," Kara told WCNC.

At three years old, Mary was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Velo-Cardio Facial Syndrome, which posed some difficulty for her. It can cause learning disabilities, developmental delay, skeletal abnormalities, immunodeficiency, and neurologic and psychiatric problems.

Mary had a severe speech impediment and the mentality of a 15-year-old. Counting change or navigating her neighborhood was difficult for her. She was also born with a severe cleft palate and didn’t speak until she was six years old, and her speech was difficult to understand. However, by the time she was in her teens, she could talk to anyone but could not make loud noises or scream.

Mary loved cooking, listening to music, and doing photo shoots that captured her extraordinary beauty with her dramatic makeup and various hair colors.

The Bully

High school was a fairly good experience for Mary. She hung out with a small group of girls and was not overly picked on. She went out with a couple of boys, but they were normal teen relationships of short duration.

One boy was Lavi Pham. The two did everyday adolescent things like listening to music, eating sushi, and spending time with family. However, the relationship did not last long, and there were no hard feelings after the breakup. Mary and Lavi continued their friendship, evolving into pleasant acquaintances.

After high school, Mary’s friend list diminished. As people were going to college, working, and readying for adulthood, Mary was still a 15-year-old in mind, and she wasn’t ready for life changes.

With Mary’s entire family so protective of her, it was especially concerning when a young lady named Kelly Lavery put a target on Mary’s back and began bullying her on social media.

Kelly would post comments like: “Eww. Nobody would want you; if I were you, I would want to disappear as soon as possible,” or “You’re a dumb Bitch!”

Kelly would verbally abuse Mary, then apologize and pretend to be friends with her. Because Mary was so forgiving, she perceived that Kelly was being sincere.

Kelly began living with Mary’s former boyfriend, Lavi, and continued manipulating Mary’s feelings. Lavi even participated.

Mary’s family could see all of Mary’s social media activity and surmised that Kelly had severe mental health issues. They tried to caution Mary that Kelly was not her friend.

Mary was already insecure about her speech disorder and glasses, and the last thing her family wanted was to see her suffer at the hands of Kelly.

Who Is Kelly Lavery?

Kelly Lavery was born to Patrick and Karen Lavery and lived a privileged life. Her father is a chief enterprise architect in a prestigious and lucrative position and "Daddy" gave Kelly anything she wanted.

Kelly grew up in a million-dollar home at 1047 Rolling Park Lane in Fort Mill, South Carolina. She was known to harass other girls, and Mary was no exception.

According to Annie Elise, host of the YouTube channel Law & Crime Network, Kelly would write to Mary:

I’m not jealous, your really ____ stupid!

I graduated with a 4.0 and honors so I don’t think so.

I’m living rent-free.

Bills free.

My entire life is handed to me on a diamond-encrusted platter, so I don’t think so, sweetie.

Mary asked Kelly why she was so mean to her, and Kelly replied:

See, you wanna know why it doesn’t matter? My parents are millionaires. I get to have a bad personality. Are your parents private jet rich? Tesla rich? Designer sh*t rich? Does your daddy make $700k annually? I can treat people however I want.

Kelly was the epitome of spoiled and would rub it in the face of others.

When Mary Vanished

Mary left her home at approximately 2:30 p.m. on March 28, 2020, and was last seen walking along Burnley Road in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her so-called friends Kelly and Lavi had sent an Uber to pick her up and take her to the couple's upscale NODA (North Davidson) apartment.

Knowing Mary's problems with Kelly, Mary's grandmother and family were adamant that she stay home that day. However, wanting to encourage her independence, they gave in, and Mary went.

Mary's grandmother, Mia, didn't hear from Mary after texting her several times and became worried. The following day, on March 29, Mia tracked Mary's phone to Kelly and Lavi’s apartment and went there.

When she arrived, Mia knocked and knocked and got no answer. Finally, she began yelling: "I guess I will have to call 911.” Kelly answered the door and told Mia that Mary had already left. Mia asked to look around the apartment, and Kelly hesitantly agreed but would not let Mia in the master bedroom. She told Mia that friends were in there and accused Mia of alarming them.

Mia begged Kelly to tell her where her daughter was, and Kelly responded: "I couldn't give a ___ about Mary."

Crying, Mia asked if Lavi was in the master bedroom, and Kelly reluctantly went to get him. Lavi came out, and Mia began asking him where Mary was. Kelly, in complete control of the situation, would not permit Lavi to answer the questions. It was then that Mia saw Kelly holding a hammer in her hand.

Mia looked at Kelly and said: "You can't hit me hard enough with that hammer to make me forget about Mary."

Kelly then began talking kindly about Mary and said she would help her find her. Mia left and searched around the complex and the neighborhood.

Mia filed a missing person report with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department at 11 p.m. on March 31. She told the investigators that Mary had a cognitive disability, but she didn't feel the police department took it seriously.

Mary's mother made flyers, and the family posted them around town.

Initially, the police went to Kelly's apartment. When they got no answer, they left.

Mia was not satisfied that the authorities had yet to talk to anyone at the apartment, so she decided to go back. She called the apartment manager, who agreed to look at the surveillance footage later that day.

Det. Jonathan Gaskin told her he could not go back to the apartment that day but recommended that Mia call 911 again to request the department go out if she felt Mary's life was in danger. Gaskin said he could work the case remotely and that going to the apartment was unnecessary.

That would be the first of many disappointments for Mia.

Mia informed Gaskin that the manager had surveillance footage, and he replied, "That's good." The detective did not go to view the footage himself.

Mia decided she was not getting anywhere with Gaskin, so she called 911 again. Mary's mother met Mia at the apartment, and they waited for the police to arrive.

When the officer arrived, he knocked on the door, and Lavi answered but refused the officer's entry. Instead, Lavi let Kacei in. This time, he let Kacei into the back master bedroom, and she saw someone asleep on the bed. Lavi told her it was Kelly. Kacei left without being any closer to finding her daughter.