Holly Held Without Bond

Deputies escort Zachary Holly to a patrol car Wednesday after a bail hearing at the Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville. Holly is charged in the death of Jersey Bridgeman, 6.
Deputies escort Zachary Holly to a patrol car Wednesday after a bail hearing at the Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville. Holly is charged in the death of Jersey Bridgeman, 6.

— Zachary Holly will remain in the Benton County Jail after a judge Wednesday ordered him to be held without bond in connection with the rape and murder of 6-year-old Jersey Bridgeman.

Court documents also filed Wednesday state Jersey died from asphyxia.

At A Glance

Amanda Holly Family Statement

The family of Amanda Holly, Zachary Holly’s wife, released a statement through their attorney Wednesday:

“We are deeply saddened by the death of Jersey Bridgeman. Although we know that there are no words of sympathy that will make the pain of Jersey’s death subside, we wish to express our deepest sympathy and condolences to Jersey’s family. We are praying for healing for Jersey’s family and for justice to be done.

“Jersey was a very sweet girl who our children and grandchildren considered their best friend. Because of this, we ask for privacy. The children in our family are not dealing well with the loss of their friend. While we feel a certain degree of familiarity is essential for their well-being, we also need time alone to mourn, seek answers to a great many questions, and heal.”

Source: The Bryant Firm, P.A.

Holly, 28, of Bentonville was arrested Monday on charges of capital murder, kidnapping, rape and residential burglary. Circuit Judge Robin Green found probable cause to hold Holly on the charges.

Prosecutor Van Stone asked Holly be held without bond. Holly’s defense team told Green they wanted to reserve the issue of bond until a later date, but didn’t contest there was probable cause to hold him. Madison Aydelott III, a capital conflicts attorney with the Arkansas Public Defender Commission, and Jay Saxton Benton County chief public defender, represent Holly.

Arraignment is set for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 7. Stone told Green he expects to file formal charges within two weeks of the arraignment.

Green also ordered Holly not to contact the Bridgeman family.

“Yes, ma’am,” Holly responded.

Holly later stood quietly in front of the bench as prosecutors and his defense team discussed redactions in the affidavit. A bulletproof vest peeked above Holly’s black and white striped jail uniform.

DesaRae Bridgeman, Jersey’s mother, sat in the court’s front row during the hearing. She cried while leaning her head against her mother, Vickie Price. Five rows back, Zachary Holly’s wife, Amanda Holly, wiped away tears and briefly rested her head on an unknown woman. Bridgeman family and friends took up almost five rows of the six pews on one side of the courtroom. A few wiped away tears before the hearing started.

Bentonville Police Chief Jon Simpson along with several of his detectives and officers lined the back of the courtroom before the hearing started.

At A Glance

The Charges

Zachary Holly could be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty if convicted of capital murder. The punishment for kidnapping and rape is 10 to 40 years or life imprisonment. However, Holly faces a minimum of 25 years in prison if convicted of raping someone 13 and younger. He faces five to 20 years in prison if convicted of residential burglary.

Source: Staff Report

Zachary Holly’s arrest came 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.

Bentonville police officers Travis Nichols and Mike Henson found Jersey’s body in the closet of an abandoned house at 704 S.E. A St., just south of Holly’s mobile home. A medical examiner found the girl died from asphyxia, according to court documents.

Bentonville police received a call at 6:43 a.m. Nov. 20 about a missing child, according to the affidavit. DesaRae Bridgeman told police her daughter Jersey had been with the Hollys while she was at work, according to court documents. The Hollys often would baby-sit Jersey and her younger sister when DesaRae Bridgeman and her boyfriend were at work, according to the affidavit.

Zachary Holly carried Jersey back to her home while DesaRae Bridgeman carried her other daughter. They placed the girls in the same bed, according to the affidavit.

DesaRae Bridgeman discovered Jersey missing when she woke up shortly after 6:30 a.m. Nov. 20, according to court documents.

Holly told police he woke up at 3:35 a.m. Nov. 20 with an upset stomach and walked to the E-Z Mart at Southwest Eighth and A streets to get medication, according to court documents. Police obtained a video from the store and a sales tape showing Holly made the purchase. DesaRae Bridgeman’s live-in boyfriend Brandon Crouch worked the overnight shift at the E-Z Mart, according to court documents.

Holly denied having anything to do with the girl’s disappearance or death when questioned by police, according to the affidavit. Holly was described as being cooperative and provided detectives with cheek swabs for DNA comparison purposes. Holly also gave detectives the clothing he said he had been wearing since he went to bed the night of Nov. 19, according to the affidavit.

Portions of the affidavit where DNA results may have been discussed were redacted from the affidavit. Police interviewed Holly again and those details also were redacted from the affidavit.

Misty Gittings and Teresa Moss contributed to this report.

Zachary Holly being escorted into the courtroom Wednesday. Holly is charged with capital murder, rape, kidnapping and residential burglary in the death of 6-year-old Jersey Bridgeman.

Zachary Holly

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