Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

If the case had gone to to trial, prosecutor J. Patrick Youngs would have presented in court that Bolden, ranked as a world champion in the Professional Kickboxing Federation Cruiserweight Division, and Sample -- with whom he lived in Baltimore -- came to Rhode Island with another couple for a March 18, 2006, kickboxing tournament at the Rhode Island Sports Center in Warwick. At about 8 a.m., the couples checked into rooms at the Motel 6 on Jefferson Boulevard.

Bolden lost in the tournament that evening. Bolden, Sample and others dined at the Motel 6 restaurant between midnight and 12:30 a.m., then Bolden and Sample returned to their room. Bolden and Sample were scheduled to return to Baltimore in the late morning of March 19.

At checkout time, two of Bolden's friends sat in a parked car waiting for Bolden and Sample, but the couple never appeared.

The Motel 6 manager called Warwick police. As the police opened the door in the motel room, Bolden rammed into one officer and tried to run. The two responding officers tried to restrain Bolden and a struggle followed. When the police entered the room, Sample was found lying on the floor covered in blood. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The state medical examiner's office found Sample's injuries were consistent with being hit with hands, feet and an iron. Footprints were found on the victim's face and an arm. There was evidence that Maria Sample was alive and conscious during the infliction of all the injuries, according to the attorney general's news release.