A College Park man who shot and killed his pregnant girlfriend for trying to leave him has been convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison plus 40 years.
Reginald Jones shot 23-year-old Faith Bittinger in the summer of 2017, killing her and the couple’s unborn child, police said.
According to prosecutors, Jones abused his longtime girlfriend throughout their relationship, both physically and emotionally.
In July 2017, the woman called a friend and divulged details of the abuse, saying she intended to leave her boyfriend. That evening, Jones stood over her in the bedroom of their Camp Creek Parkway apartment and shot her in the chest. Bittinger was two weeks pregnant with Jones’ child, according to police.
Sad Update: family of Faith Bittinger says 23 y/o was pregnant when she was killed. Police say, her boyfriend confessed to the crime. @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/PKu3L7hpQ8
— Audrey Washington (@AudreyWSBTV) July 12, 2017
When investigators arrived on scene, Jones told them Bittinger shot herself, but later admitted to pulling the trigger.
College Park police noticed that Bittinger’s neck, lower back and thighs contained bruises consistent with ongoing physical abuse.
Family and friends said the two dated about two years and that Jones would regularly get upset about finances and his girlfriend’s social media activity. Friends said he didn’t allow her to have a cellphone.
The couple moved to College Park after they were evicted from their home in Cobb County.
He was convicted of murder, felony murder, feticide, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a first offender on probation, according to the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office.
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