Eighteen-year-old Sara Angelia Holtrop was found with a gunshot wound at a residence on Carmel Drive in Columbus, Georgia, on the evening of February 10, 2021. She was taken to Piedmont Regional Hospital and pronounced dead at 7:47 P.M. Holtrop, a senior at Harris County High School who was born in Guatemala, was active in her church, worked part-time as a hostess and waitress, and hoped to become a veterinarian or pursue a career in the Air Force. Friends and family described her as kind, compassionate, and willing to help others.

Police say the investigation led to the arrest of 20-year-old Elijah Farral. According to testimony, Farral and two friends were handling a loaded handgun that discharged and struck Holtrop while she slept on a nearby couch; the shooting has been described as accidental. Farral was charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct and was released on bond.

If anyone was at the Carmel Drive residence that night or has information about the handgun’s handling, please come forward.