Troy, AL — On Sunday, December 21, 2025, at approximately 7:06 p.m., the Troy Police Department responded to the 100 Block of US 231 South following reports of a motor vehicle accident involving a pedestrian. Upon arrival, officers discovered 59-year-old Annie Laura Cooper of Troy, who had been struck by a vehicle and was found in the roadway with injuries consistent with such an impact. Sadly, Ms. Cooper was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The investigation into the incident was immediately turned over to the Troy Police Department’s Traffic Homicide Unit for further analysis and examination. The department has remained diligent in its pursuit of justice for Ms. Cooper.
On Saturday, December 27, 2025, the Troy Police Department’s Traffic Homicide Investigators and detectives, after an exhaustive investigation, traveled to Lucedale, Mississippi, following new leads and technological resources provided by the City of Troy. Through tireless efforts, investigators were able to locate the possible whereabouts of the suspect’s vehicle.
After obtaining a search warrant for a residence in Lucedale, authorities discovered the vehicle involved in the incident and identified the suspected driver. As a result of the investigation, an arrest warrant was issued for 45-year-old Malvin Geovany Villalbos-Bonilla of Lucedale, Mississippi, on the felony charge of Leaving the Scene of an Accident with Death.
Both the vehicle and Villalbos-Bonilla were transported back to Troy, where he was processed at the Troy City Jail before being transferred to the Pike County Jail, where he remains held on a $250,000 bond. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that Villalbos-Bonilla is from Honduras and is believed to be in the country illegally, for which he has been deported previously. The Troy Police Department notified Immigration and Customs Enforcement to make them aware of the charge filed against Villalbos-Bonilla and allow them to place a detainer on him.
The Troy Police Department extends its deepest gratitude to the community members who assisted throughout the investigation, providing invaluable video footage and tips that helped advance the case. This arrest is the result of dedicated and tireless work by the entire Troy Police Department team, whose commitment to justice never wavered.
Special thanks are also due to the Lucedale Police Department and the Pike County District Attorney’s Office for their instrumental support throughout this investigation.
This case is still under investigation by the Troy Police Department and Pike County District Attorney’s Office.
