(KNZA/KAIR)--Convicted murderer Roger Hollister is dead.

That word is confirmed Wednesday by Captain Dale Call, Public Information Coordinator for the El Dorado Correctional Facility where Hollister was spending life in prison for the death of rural Horton resident Patricia Kimmi.

Hollister was found guilty by an Atchison County jury at the conclusion of his capital murder trial in 2011.

Hollister was found dead around noon Wednesday, and Jeremy Barclay, Communications Director for the Kansas Department of Corrections, says it appears Hollister died of natural causes.

The death of Roger Hollister comes one week after his wife, Rebecca, was arrested on a Nemaha County, Kansas warrant on the felony charge of aiding a felon.

It's alleged that, between November 6th, 2009, and March 1st, 2011, Rebecca aided Roger with the intent that he avoid arrest, trial, conviction or punishment for the commission of a felony.

She was scheduled for a bond reduction hearing in Nemaha County Wednesday afternoon. However, due to Hollister's death Nemaha County Attorney Brad Lippert requested that she be released on her own recognizance in order to be with her family. He additionally requested that her preliminary hearing, set for Monday, be delayed due to the death. The judge granted both requests, continuing the preliminary hearing until April 22nd.  Rebecca Hollister wasn't present for the hearing.

She had been held in the Atchison County Jail on bond of $100,000 since her March 12th arrest. 

At the time of his trial, Hollister could have faced the death penalty for his crime, but the family of Patricia Kimmi didn't want that. 

Instead, her daughter, Rita Boller, said that because their mother was pro-life, that included all human beings, including Hollister. 

Now, with his death, Boller, releases the following statement: 

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." ~Hebrews 11:1

As the investigation into our Mom's case has continued, her faith has been our guide.  We love her and miss her so much.  I will NEVER in any situation NOT hear her voice saying, "No matter what anyone else does, YOU do the right thing."  She was always one of the strongest people I've ever known, but I didn't know how truly strong she had to be in her life until the investigation into her murder.  I am so, so proud of her and I wish I could tell her that.

The greatest gift she ever gave us was her faith and her example to us as a Mom by living it.  We could never have known how precious that would become.  We are grateful to God for all the years that we were blessed with her in our lives and the lives of our kids; we are grateful to God for His never-ending love and mercy that He shows without fail to ALL of His children.  In light of the news of Roger Hollister's death today, our family's hope is that he made peace with His Creator before he left this earth.

No one could predict the twists and turns that our Mom's case has taken, with one exception. GOD.  He goes before us and behind us. He, and only He, knows the beginning, the middle, and the end.  While it would be very easy to let the loss, grief, bitterness, and anger change who we are, we made a choice early on that we would stay united as a family and be who our Mom raised us to be and who God CREATED us to be.  I have said many times:  The biggest part of our Mom's murder is not the evil that was done to her, it is about her faith.  We will never give up hoping for truth and justice for what was done to her.  God has a plan; our job is believe in it.    

Thank you to our family, friends, and community who have loved and supported us and continue to do so, God bless you.

Rita Boller