By Your Side: Trina Hollings

In this episode of Hunting 4 Answers: On a quiet February morning in Bloomington, Illinois, the unthinkable happened. Trina Hollings, her best friend Chelsea Lusher, Chelsea’s teenage son, and a man named Christopher Simmons were all found dead inside a home on Lee Street. What appeared to be a murder-suicide left behind a trail of heartbreak—and a haunting mystery. Why did such a tragedy even happen? 

This is the story of Trina Hollings. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network and iHeartRadio. Welcome to Hunting for Answers, a
true crime podcast. I'm your host Hunter, and today we're
taking a look inside a case out of Bloomington, Illinois,
a city nestled in the heart of the Midwest. It's
a place known for its quiet neighborhoods and strong community roots.

(00:23):
But on a cold February morning in twenty twenty five,
that peace was shattered. Four people, including a child, were
found dead inside a home on Lee Street. It was
a case that sent shock waves through the town, not
just for its violence, but for the mystery that surrounded it.

(00:45):
This is the story of Trina Hollings. Trina Hollings was
just thirty years old. She was known for her warmth,
her kindness, and her loyalty to her best friend, Chelsea.
Chrina was family, a constant presence, the kind of friend

(01:05):
who never left your side. And it was that loyalty
that loved for her friend that might have brought Trina
face to face with tragedy. On February twenty third, twenty
twenty five, Chrina was visiting Chelsea at her home on
Lee Street. Also in the home was Chelsea's thirteen year

(01:26):
old son, Armani Bennett, a kind, respectful kid who loved
school and wanted to be an engineer. And then there
was Christopher Simmons, Chelsea's boyfriend. At eleven thirty eight am,
Bloomington police were called to the scene. Inside the home,

(01:46):
they made a gruesome discovery. Chelsea, Trina, Armani, and Christopher
all dead. Authorities believe Christopher Simmons shot and killed the
others before turning the gun on himself. The gun was
found beneath his body, but the tragedy raised immediate questions

(02:10):
why and why now. Simmons, who was thirty three years old,
had no public history of domestic violence. He legally purchased
a firearm in twenty twenty one, but his firearm owner's
identification card had been revoked prior to the shooting, making
his possession of the gun illegal. His background included struggles

(02:35):
with substance abuse, but nothing that on paper suggested he
was capable of mass murder? So what changed? What happened
behind the closed doors on Lee Street that morning? As
news spread, the Bloomington community gathered. Handlelight vigils were held

(02:56):
outside the home. Family, friends, and neighbors showed up to
honor the lives that were taken. Trina's cousin, Amber Burnett,
rejected the idea that Trina was just quote in the
wrong place at the wrong time. She said, Trina was
where she always was, by her best friend's side. At

(03:21):
that same vigil, Chelsea's sister, Amber Thompson spoke out. She
urged anyone experiencing abuse to seek help, to leave, even
if it's hard. Quote if you're in a domestic violence relationship,
she said, run, it's not worth it. Today, the mystery remains,

(03:45):
why did this happen? Was there history between Christopher and
Chelsea that never came to light? Did Trina's sense something
was off that day? Or was this a moment of
sudden violence, a terrible act that no one could have foreseen.
To this day, there are still many more questions than answers.

(04:11):
My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends
of Trina, Chelsea Armani, the Bloomington community, and all who
were affected by this tragedy. If you were someone you
love is experiencing domestic violence, reach out to the National
Domestic Violence Hotline. Their number can be found in the
description box below. As we close out this episode, don't

(04:33):
forget to hit the follow button to stay updated on
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leave us a five star rating. Thank you so much
for joining us on another episode until next time. Hunting

(05:14):
for Answers is a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network.
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