DAUGHTER WANTS TO HELP OTHERS AFFECTED BY MURDER
THE daughter of a woman who was murdered by two brothers is starting a foundation to help families who have suffered similar losses. Twelve years ago Shirley Oliver was beaten and strangled to death by Stuart and Christopher Jones, who then dumped her body in a Cardiff alley.
Now daughter Stephanie Davis wants to start the Shirley’s Angels Trust and Support Fund.
“I have been speaking to a lot of people over the last few weeks who have lost someone through murder and I have offered a bit of support,” the 33-year-old said.
She’s launched a crowdfunding page appealing for donations to help the organisation.
Stephanie wanted to do something in return for the support she has had.
“It seems the least I can do is to give something back and help others if I can,” she said.
“I recently had a message from someone through Facebook.
“It was very apologetic, saying they did not mean to intrude, but they had lost a friend through murder.
“They said he was struggling because they had lost someone else through violence.
“I told him to take one step at a time.”
The man thanked her and said her help had been “important.”
Stephanie is also hoping to open a “weekly support centre”. It will help people remember loved ones by funding memorial trees.
She also wants to provide a 24- hour helpline.
“A few people have offered to volunteer, I wouldn’t employ people.
“I was hoping to get people to volunteer and then maybe apply for some government funding,” Stephanie, from Cardiff, said.
“This is the first time I have done something like this and I am hoping it will be really good.
“I think I need to do it as much as other people do to keep me busy.
“The more I do the less I think about the horrible things that have gone on.”
She added: “I’m launching on June 8 and hopefully then it will be up and running by the end of June.”
On the same day she is planning to launch a petition calling for murderers to face a minimum of four decades in jail.
“I want anyone who commits murder to face a minimum sentence of 40 years,” she said.
Earlier this month Stephanie spoke about how she is already “living in fear” at the prospect of bumping into Stuart and Christopher Jones as their release dates near.
Christopher Jones received a 13year sentence, while his brother was ordered to serve at least 15 years in prison.
Shirley was killed after accepting a lift from the brothers after visiting a nightclub.
As she sat in the front seat Stuart, from Roath, Cardiff, attacked her from behind.
Cardiff Crown Court heard she was removed from the vehicle by Christopher and dropped on the floor.
He then stamped on her. She was then strangled, beaten and left for dead.
Shirley was just a few hundred yards from her home. The killers believed she owed their family money.
The Ministry of Justice previously said it did not comment on individual prisoners.
But a source said it was not unusual for prisoners approaching the end of their sentences to be sent to open prisons and to be allowed on day release.
This was to allow them to reintegrate into society, seek work and reestablish family links.