A mother of three who relocated to West Virginia for a new job was found murdered in the woods, allegedly at the hands of the man who hired her. Angel Whitaker, 37, was reported missing on May 4 after moving from Bristol to Bluefield, West Virginia, more than 100 miles away. Her sister Angela told police no one had seen or heard from her since April, according to WVNSTV.
Relocation and Relationship
Whitaker had been offered an assistant manager position at an O'Reilly Autoparts in Bluefield by former colleague Donald Pennington, prompting her relocation in January 2026. Pennington, 59, who offered Whitaker the managerial role, was not only her boss but also believed to have been a romantic partner. However, their relationship turned sour last month, police said. Pennington's ex-girlfriend told investigators that the pair had been constantly arguing.
Angela informed police that Whitaker had recently moved into a hotel in Princeton, West Virginia, to get away from Pennington, staying there between April 9 and April 13. The last time anyone saw Whitaker was when she allegedly showed up to work intoxicated on April 17.
Investigation and Arrest
According to court records, investigators pieced together Facebook messages, surveillance videos, and witness statements to identify Pennington as the alleged killer. While police were investigating Whitaker's disappearance, Pennington's ex allegedly told them, 'you're not going to find her, he murdered her,' reported Law & Crime. On April 17, Pennington allegedly admitted to the anonymous ex that Whitaker threatened him. He allegedly 'snapped' and picked her up by her throat until she suffocated and died.
Pennington then took a picture of Whitaker on her phone and showed it to his ex-girlfriend, police said. According to investigators, Pennington got rid of the phone by dumping it in bleach. Officials claimed that Pennington dumped Whitaker's body in the woods across the border in Bastian, Virginia, 18 miles from her home.
Evidence and Charges
According to court documents, Pennington's ex-girlfriend met him at a Lowe's Department store after he allegedly killed Whitaker, where he purchased bags of concrete. The pair then allegedly drove to Bastian, Virginia, where Whitaker's body was buried. Court documents alleged that the ex-girlfriend eventually led police to Whitaker's remains in the very same spot. Detectives noted spilled concrete, a quilt with red rope, and a makeshift tombstone in the area. The ex-girlfriend reportedly handed her phone over to the police so that they could search deleted messages between her and Pennington.
Pennington was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and concealment of a body in connection with her death. He was booked on May 13 and is being held at West Virginia Regional Jail & Correctional Facility Authority. He has pleaded not guilty.
Family's Grief
Whitaker's oldest son, Braiden, set up a GoFundMe to support himself and his siblings, Daizy, 17, and Christopher, 12, after their mother's murder and help pay for her funeral. 'Tragically, our mother was murdered in West Virginia by someone we thought we could trust,' he said. 'We are devastated and struggling to process this loss.'
'My siblings and I are all very young and we simply cannot afford the funeral expenses on our own,' the 18-year-old wrote. 'We are setting up this GoFundMe to help with funeral arrangements and to give our mother the proper goodbye she deserves, surrounded by her loved ones.'
Whitaker's daughter, Daizy, posted a tribute to her mother on May 13, just one day after her body was found. 'We finally found you momma I'm so sorry this happened to you,' she wrote. 'You didn't deserve it and I promise we'll do everything in our power to get justice for you. We found out my mom was murdered in Bluefield, WV, and they found her body last night on the Virginia side of Bluefield. The man who murdered her has been arrested and charged.'
