Kriti Mehrotra
It was October 8, 2022, when Angela Marie Prichard was found shot to death at her workplace in broad daylight, leaving her entire community and loved ones heartbroken. The truth is it was her estranged husband, Christopher Eugene Prichard, who had ambushed her and pulled the trigger on her after months of stalking, a fact all her loved ones were well aware of. However, it only multiplied their grief tenfold, and arguably the most affected by it were her sons from previous relationships; Josh Close and Colton “CJ” Hancock, as explored in CBS’ ’48 Hours: Could Angela Prichard Have Been Saved?’
Josh Close and Colton “CJ” Hancock Were Well Into Adulthood When They Lost Their Mom
While Josh Close was reportedly born in 1987, Colton “CJ” Hancock was born a few years later, but they were both primarily raised by their mother and thus have always shared an incredible bond. In fact, even as they grew old, stepped into adulthood, and began building lives of their own, they always stayed in touch with not only their mother and relatives but also each other. Therefore, they were well aware of what was happening to Angela in 2022 and were shocked at how their once-loving stepfather, Christopher Prichard, had turned abusive, controlling, and possessive in the worst of ways.
CJ, in particular, still remembers the way his mother had accused him of domestic violence on April 18, 2022, resulting in his arrest and their separation for good. Yet, it was only followed by him exhibiting disturbing behavior, going as far as to stalk and intimidate her whenever he could. In fact, CJ remembers how terrified his mom was at every step of the way because her estranged husband had gone as far as to place a tracking device on his jeep and bug her home with cameras. Angela had reported him to the police after every incident, but it never really panned out as they took no real action against him.
Angela was granted a temporary restraining order against Christopher on September 1, 2022, but he still continued with his ways, resulting in him being arrested for violation on September 15. He only spent a night in jail before being released, but then he failed to show up for his court proceedings, his sentencing of 6 days in prison for his violation, and his scheduled date to turn himself in. This resulted in there being an arrest warrant issued against him on September 30, and just a little over a week later, Christopher took matters into his own hands and shot Angela as soon as she came into work.
Where Are Josh Close and Colton “CJ” Hancock Now?
While Christopher was arrested and charged with first-degree murder as well as robbery within 16 hours of his horrific offense, it wasn’t until early 2024 that he stood trial for the charges against him. Both Josh and CJ took the opportunity to say their piece to him during the court proceedings, and he was ultimately convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole. However, this only brought a small sense of closure and relief to them since they believe the City of their native small town of Bellevue, Iowa, also played a role in her murder. They believe the city failed to protect her despite all her complaints.
In a federal lawsuit filed by the brothers in 2024, they alleged Angela’s murder was the result of a “state-created danger” as the Bellevue Police Department was reckless or intentionally bad at their jobs. They actually alleged that local police officers not only showed “favoritism toward Christopher” but also deliberately concealed details about their personal amicable bond with him. Their suit and the amendments they had filed with alleged backing were dismissed in their entirety in January 2025, but they are now appealing the decision in the hopes of what they believe to be a much-needed systematic change.
Josh Close and Colton “CJ” Hancock Are Proud Family Men
Whenever Josh and CJ are not dedicating themselves to their mother’s case, either via the federal lawsuit or by sharing her story with the world to help others in similar situations, they spend most of their time at home with their families. After all, they are both happily married husbands and fathers. Josh has been married to a woman named Tina since September 14, 2014, and they are currently the proud parents of three little ones; Milaya, Micah, and Mirella. As for CJ, he has happily tied the knot with a woman named Brittany, with whom he shares three kids too. Both brothers reside in Dubuque, Iowa, at the moment, where they prefer to lead rather quiet lives these days. All we know is that they are doing their best to move on while keeping the memories of their mother alive in their hearts.
Read More: Wendy Budde: Where is Angela Prichard’s Sister Now?
