Holly Attacked in Jail

Police arrested Zachary Holly, 28, who lives in this home at 702 S.E. A St. in Bentonville on Monday in connection with the death of 6-year-old Jersey Bridgeman.
Police arrested Zachary Holly, 28, who lives in this home at 702 S.E. A St. in Bentonville on Monday in connection with the death of 6-year-old Jersey Bridgeman.

— The accused murderer of a 6-year-old Bentonville girl was attacked by a jail trusty Tuesday morning.

Zachary Holly, 28, was arrested Monday night in connection with the capital murder and kidnapping of Jersey Bridgeman, whose funeral was held Tuesday afternoon.

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Benton County Jail

Zachary Holly

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Jersey Bridgeman

Holly is being held in the Benton County Jail pending a bond hearing at 1:30 p.m. today before Circuit Judge Robin Green. Sgt. Andy Oliver said the Sheriff’s Office will provide extra security at the hearing.

Jail Capt. Chris Sparks confirmed Tuesday night Michael Moran was placed in lockdown after jail deputies stopped Moran while he was attacking Holly.

According to Sparks, Holly was being held in administration segregation away from other inmates when the incident between Moran and Holly occurred.

Sparks said a jail deputy was passing whites — boxers, a T-shirt, socks and a towel — to inmates in segregation. The deputy turned to look into the cell next to him when Moran went into Holly’s cell and began fighting with him, Sparks said.

The deputy called for assistance and other deputies responded to end the incident, Sparks said. Moran may face criminal charges in connection with the incident, Sparks said.

Holly suffered a small bruise on his left temple and was taken to a jail nurse, Sparks said.

Sparks said he didn’t interview Moran and jail officials don’t know Moran’s reason for the attack.

According to jail records, Moran lives on Southeast 11th Street, just a few blocks away from where Jersey was killed.

Holly will continue to be held in administration segregation and jail staff will also limit other inmates’ access to Holly, Sparks said. He said inmates are aware of Holly and the charges against him.

“Inmates in jail read the newspaper,” Sparks said. “We are going to do our best to make sure nothing like this occurs again.”

Holly was booked into the jail at 8:53 p.m. Monday after a nearly weeklong investigation into Jersey’s death. He lived at 702 S.E. A St., next door to Jersey’s home at 608 S.E. A St. Jersey’s body was found in a vacant home just south of the Holly’s mobile home at 704 S.E. A St.

Amanda Holly, Zachary Holly’s wife, sometimes took care of Jersey and her younger sister, according to family members. Amanda Holly changed her name on Facebook to Amanda Brodersen on Tuesday and changed her status to divorced.

She posted on a friend’s page that Jersey was “like her own child.”

“I feel sick, scared, hurt, pissed off, and now worried,” she wrote. “I’m not sure how to take all of this. I’m still in shock over it all.”

Thomas Bridgeman, Jersey’s uncle, said Tuesday he’s glad the police made an arrest in the case. He said he had never met Zachary Holly.

“I hope he rots in hell,” Bridgeman said. “I hope he gets everything that’s coming to him.”

Zachary Holly’s Facebook page was removed Tuesday, but he previously wrote he attended Huntsville High School in Texas. The superintendent for the Huntsville School District in Arkansas said Holly attended the Arkansas high school, but didn’t graduate.

A friend of his from high school described Holly as quiet and unpopular. Linda Brown said she was one of his first friends when he moved to Huntsville. She said she can’t recall him doing anything hurtful to others.

“Not that I can remember,” she said. “But there’s a lot of other people that said he was mean.”

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