Defense attorney says Zachary Holly caused Jersey Bridgeman's death

 Zachary Holly
Zachary Holly

BENTONVILLE — One of the attorneys representing capital murder suspect Zachary Holly told jurors Monday that his client kidnapped, had sexual contact with and caused the death of 6-year-old Jersey Bridgeman.

Holly, 30, is charged with capital murder, kidnapping, rape and residential burglary. He is accused of the Nov. 20, 2012 abduction and killing of the Sugar Creek Elmentary School kindergartner.

Kent McLemore, one of Holly’s attorneys, made the admission Monday morning in his first few words to jurors.

“We acknowledge he entered the home, removed her from her home and had sexual contact with her and caused her death,” McLemore said in his opening statements.

McLemore told the panel that Holly confessed to the crime and accepted responsibility for causing Jersey’s death.

“We will not sidestep Zach Holly’s responsibility,” McLemore said.

Nathan Smith, Benton County’s prosecuting attorney, described the crime in his opening statements for jurors.

Smith told jurors that a Bentonville police officer found Jersey’s body in an abandoned house next to Holly’s home on Southeast A Street.

Jersey's body was naked in a bedroom closet of the house and she was face down. Her pajama pants were wrapped around her neck and she also had a necklace on that she had made in school, Smith said.

Smith said Jersey’s death was cause by ligature strangulation and the medical examiner also reported that she had been raped. The medical examiner was able to recover sperm cells from the girl’s body which ended up matching Holly’s DNA sample, Smith said.

Holly confessed after police confronted him with the DNA evidence, Smith said.

Smith said the case was about Jersey and seeking justice for the crime.

Jersey and her younger sister referred to Holly as “Uncle Zac,” Smith said.

Prosecutors began calling witnesses after the opening statements.

Jersey’s mother and four Bentonville police officers testified Monday morning.

Mike Henson, a Bentonville police patrolman, described finding Jersey’s body in an abandoned house next to Holly’s.

Henson said he and another officer checked to house when they were looking for the missing child, but found Jersey’s naked body face down in a bedroom closet with her pajamas wrapped around her neck.

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