Today’s case takes us to Arkansas in the United States. As a little girl spoke to child care specialists recounting the horrific abuse she had suffered at the hands of her father and stepmother. It would be the beginning of a very high-profile case. 6-year-old Jersey Bridgeman had been forced to sleep on the floor and tied to a dresser with a belt after getting up to get some food.
The police had initially been notified about potential abuse in the home in Rogers after Jersey had been seen tied to the dresser with a silver chain that appeared to be a dog collar. Jerseys parents, David and Desiree, were no longer together, but they did share custody. Everything was fine at her mother’s house, but at her father’s house, it was a very different story.
Her father and stepmother were arrested, and when in court, her father admitted that he had tied her up with a belt, but said that it was to stop her from getting into things she shouldn’t. Roger’s police detective, Larry Taylor, wrote in the court affidavit. He said he thinks she may be sleepwalking and that they had discussed buying a child gate, but since he does not have a job, they could not afford to buy one at that time.
Her father said he had initially cut a belt to go around her ankle and after she had escaped from it, a lock had also been added. When Jersey said that the belt was hurting her leg, rather than realizing the cruelty of this and stopping, it was simply moved to her waist. In late 2011, her father David and stepmother Jana were arrested. David would later plead guilty to permitting the abuse of a minor, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a minor.
He was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Her stepmother [music] pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment and 3 years for a probation revocation. After this, Jersey was in the care of her biological mother full-time. She also started kindergarten at Sugar Creek Elementary.
And in March 2012, Jersey and her family moved to 608 Southeast A Street. Next door to the family was Amanda and Zachary Holly, a couple who had only recently got married. Amanda and Desiree were best friends. A fresh start and living next to your best friend seemed to be the perfect combination. Jersey was described as a very sweet girl who was always full of joy.
Even though she was just six, she had already gone through so much. I don’t know how she dealt with it, but she dealt with it and she still smiled the whole time. A family friend said Jersey loved being a big sister, doting on her little sister, Leah. Things were finally looking up for Jersey. November 20th, 2012, Bentonville, Arkansas, 6 days after Jerseyy’s birthday. 6:43 a.m.
>> Bonville 911. What’s the address of the emergency? >> It’s 68 Southeast A Street. >> Officers were responding to a 911 call from 608 Southeast A Street. A little girl had been reported missing. Jersey Bridgeman. Her mother, Desiree, said that the previous evening she had been at work, getting home
at around 11 p.m. on the 19th of November. Her boyfriend had also been working, so Jersey and her little sister had spent the evening at their neighbors, Zachary and Amanda’s house, number 702. They would often babysit when she or her boyfriend had to work. After arriving home, she went to the Holl to collect her children with Zachary carrying Jersey back to her mother’s house while Desiree carried Jerseys little sister who was only 2 years old.
The sisters were put in the same bed to go to sleep. Jersey briefly woke and told her mom that she loved her to the moon and back, her favorite way of expressing love. When Desiree woke the next morning, she went into the bedroom. Jersey was not there. She was nowhere in the house. She called her mother and explained that she couldn’t find Jersey anywhere.
And her mother ran through the usual places to look. Was she under the bed or hiding in a closet? Possibly. She wasn’t. Her mother knew that she needed to call 911. Before calling, she looked out of her window and saw Amanda sitting on her front porch. Amanda hadn’t seen Jersey either.
The police had wasted no time in getting to the house. Whenever a child is reported missing, literally every second counts. They didn’t know when during the night or the early hours of the morning she had disappeared. So, a search was one of the first priorities. The Bridgeman house was searched, as was the Holly’s house next door, but Jersey wasn’t found in either of them.
There were no signs of a forced entry. As the search found out, Officer Travis Nichols noticed something. The back door to number 704 was open. He along with Officer Mike Henson headed over to the property and looked inside. It was a vacant property with just some rubbish on the floor. Carefully, they went in and when they came to the bedroom, they found a body on the floor.
They quickly left the property and sealed it off, securing it for a search warrant. Vicky Jerseys grandmother had arrived and asked the visibly distraught officer if Jersey was in there. He couldn’t answer and just looked at her. She said she knew at that moment that it was not good news.
Jersey Bridgemond’s naked body was found in the bedroom closet, two doors down from where she had lived. She was faced down with pajama pants wrapped tightly around her neck three times. Desire’s dad was given the utterly horrific task of identifying her body. While they waited for the search warrant to come through, Desiree was interviewed by Detective Corporal JC Wisman to try and put together a timeline of events.
She explained that when she had gone into the bedroom at 6:38 a.m., Jersey was not there or anywhere else in the property. And that was all she knew. As the street was blocked off and the media descended, people could not believe what they were hearing. They were desperate for answers, but details were few and far between.
A small bike lay in front of the house where she’d lived. A deflated balloon covered in princesses was also nearby. A picture of childhood innocence. The police have no suspects and very little to work with. So, with the assistance of the FBI, several known sex offenders in the area were interviewed. A police captain said that anyone who was close to Jersey was going to be looked at.
>> We also know that the FBI is now in on the investigation with Bentonville police to try and solve the case. Several people have been interviewed and three homes were searched in the neighborhood where Jerseys body was found. Police say even though no one has been arrested yet, the investigation is moving quickly.
I feel confident that we’ve taken steps that we need to take as quickly as possible and I feel confident that the answers to all of our questions are are within reach. >> Even still though, we are now 2 days out and details about the killing are vague. We don’t know who exactly police have interviewed so far or really how they even know this is a murder investigation.
They still haven’t told us how the little girl died or if her body showed any signs of abuse. Obviously, this case is too important for the family. It’s too important for the community. Uh, you know, it’s too important to to to everyone. >> Police also say the holiday weekend will not put any kind of delay on their investigation. >> The neighborhood here really shook up about this.
Well, the girl’s body was found inside an abandoned house behind me. The house uh it’s difficult to see with the light, but it’s behind these series of trees here. And, uh, police have been here all night. They’re still here this morning. The chief here in Benville is calling this a homicide and the work to find the person or persons responsible for this crime continues this morning.
Here’s what we know so far. Investigators collected evidence outside this house most of the day Tuesday after the six-year-old was reported missing, then found two doors down from where she lived. This morning, we expect officers will deliver even more evidence to the state crime lab in Little Rock. and we’ve confirmed that they’re waiting on a warrant to gather more clues in this neighborhood.
>> We do have several residents of of interest uh on Southeast A Street uh as seen behind us here. And of course, the uh that residence is not the only one. And we’re working on either uh search warrants or other uh methods to be able to thoroughly inspect those residences. But there are a lot of questions that we have this morning and investigators aren’t saying much at all this morning.
We’re hoping to learn exactly what happened to this little girl and we’re also uh want to know how close officers are to making any arrests. One of those interviewed was Amanda Holly. Her story matched Desire’s. She had looked after Jersey the night before and Jersey had gone home with her mom. Another person they spoke to was her husband, Zachary.
Remember >> looking at the time, it was 3:35. My stomach charting. I was going to eat more to get some business. >> 28-year-old Zachary lived with Amanda and her son. He worked at a local restaurant and did have a criminal record. He had been arrested three times before, once for public intoxication and twice for contempt of court.
He had had a very tough childhood as his mother had struggled with drug abuse and he had also suffered appalling physical and sexual abuse as well as neglect. He said that he had woken up at 3:35 a.m. with an upset stomach and he had walked to the nearby easy mart just 150 yard away for some Pepto-Bismol. CCTV footage was able to corroborate this.
He told police that after he had returned home, he went to sleep. He then said he’d woken up at 6:30 a.m. and got his 4-year-old stepson ready to go to school. Just 10 minutes later, Desiree had told Amanda that she couldn’t find Jersey anywhere. And after being unable to find her, Desiree had called 911, but she was so upset she had handed the phone over to Amanda as she couldn’t talk.
Desiree then went over to the Easy Mart to tell her boyfriend that Jersey had gone missing. This was the same Easy Mart that Zachary had gone to. Zachary denied any involvement and was cooperative for the investigation. He handed over his clothes that he had been wearing the night before and gave a sample of his DNA to the police. They were also able to confirm that Desire’s boyfriend, Brandon, had been at work at the time.
As the morning progressed, they got the warrant and began searching 704. Her body was removed and sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab, and an autopsy was performed the following day on Wednesday, the 21st of November. When thinking about Zachary’s story, they wondered if his trip to the Easy Mart was possibly a bid to give himself an alibi. So, they spoke to him again.
Two more search warrants were also executed. One for Jerseyy’s home and also one for Zachary and Amanda’s. Zachary explained that he and his wife would babysit Jersey and her sister until their mom got home from work. This was nothing unusual. When the results of the autopsy came out, it sickened even the most hardened of investigators.
6-year-old Jersey had died from asphixia. She had also been raped. Those in the crime lab had worked through Thanksgiving to develop a DNA profile from the sperm cells that had been found. Detectives continued interviewing people in collecting DNA samples from persons of interest. The local school district said that they were finalizing a plan to help students cope with the loss and also address her death in a way that they would understand.
Counselors were on hand for students and parents to offer guidance and support in how to approach and deal with what had happened. More than 100 people turned out at the Children’s Advocacy Center to hold a candle light vigil with those in attendance clearly devastated. >> We just wanted to maybe find a way to to process our grief and uh probably a lot of sadness that the community feels and a lot of the questions that that we all have that we don’t have any answers to today.
And just felt like that this would probably be an appropriate way uh to do that. Friday the 23rd of November 2012. So, just to be absolutely clear, Zach, you’ve made a decision on your own to do this this polygraph, and I’m and I’m assuming for the purpose of trying to clear your name. >> Yes. I want you to find the person who tested. >> Zachary called Sergeant Chris Moffett.
He said he wanted to take a polygraph test. 3 days later, the polygraph results were in, and Zachary was back in the station before he could make it to Jerseyy’s funeral. They also had the DNA back from Jazzy’s body. He maintained his innocence, but before long, he cracked. But he does want to know put the things around her neck and I tied it in.
He also drew a floor plan of the house showing where he had left her body. >> That’s the hallway. There’s bathroom right here. >> This was where the strategy of the police had really paid off. They had withheld details from the media and wider public. And these were details that only the killer would know.
These were details that Zachary Holly knew. Zachary Holly was subsequently arrested. This was the man who would so often cared for Jersey. This was the man who had been seen on the news clips that circulated from the crime scene as he stood by the police tape wearing his stripey blue hat and black jacket. This was the man who had denied any involvement.
This was the man who Jersey had called Uncle Zach. Bentonville police say 28-year-old Zachary Dwayne Holly was arrested this evening charged with capital murder, kidnapping, and >> resial burglary. We’re outside of his house this morning here at 702 Southeast A Street. His house is between where Jersey Bridgeman lived and where they found her body Tuesday morning.
This investigation has been assisted by the Rogers Police Department, the Bitten County Sheriff’s Office, as well as numerous other local law enforcement agencies that comprise the Bitten County Child Abduction Response Team. And the Arkansas State Crime Lab was instrumental in the timely development of this case and this arrest.
>> We didn’t actually see any family members in the news conference earlier this evening, but we were informed that the family does know about the arrest. In fact, we saw Chief Simpson at the funeral home there with the family during the visitation earlier telling them about the arrest which had been made, letting everyone there know that they were going to hold a press conference tonight.
So, yes, the family does know. However, we’re not sure if any of the folks in the police department here tonight were actually family members of Jersey Bridgemond. Back to you, >> Julie Pickard, who had lived on the other side of the property Jerseys body had been found in, would later say that one day after her body was found, Zachary had cried for a long time.
When police visited her later that day, they asked her if she had seen a man wearing Mountain Dew pajama bottoms. Zachary had been wearing those pajama bottoms. Yeah, friends and family of Jersey Bridgemen are gathered behind me here at Rollins Funeral Home for the visitation which just got underway a few minutes ago.
People paying their respects tonight include administrators from Sugar Creek Elementary where Jersey was a kindergartener. Earlier today, teachers at the school broke the news to all the children and answered any questions they might have. Pam Blair, the school principal, says they did not provide much information to the students other than the facts that Jersey Bridgeman died and police are still investigating.
Faculty members allowed the students to write and draw pictures about how they were feeling, which helped determine who needed the most intensive counseling. Blair says it was the older students in third and fourth grade who had the toughest time with it. 35 to 40 students needed counseling. Jerseyy’s funeral was held at Bentonville Cemetery, and students and staff at her kindergarten had planned on wearing purple to honor her.
Her father was denied permission to leave prison and attend it. Friends, family, and even law enforcement showed up to pay their last respects for 6-year-old Jersey Bridgemond. Jerseys funeral procession got a special police escort by the Bentonville Police Department. >> There’s closure a little bit. >> In time, in time, there will be.
And I think we she’ll always be remembered no matter what. >> Friends say 6-year-old Jersey was a loving little girl. >> She’s been through a lot. She was very quiet, but you know, she always laughed. She had the biggest smile that you could have. She made sure she showed you her teeth. And she loved her parents and all of her family more than anything.
Bentonville Police Chief John Simpson said that the details would not be released as to exactly what had happened to Jersey or what had led police to Zachary. Nor would details of a motive be released. In the paperwork filed by the prosecutor, it said that Zachary had restrained Jersey with the purpose of engaging in sexual intercourse, deviant sexual activity, or sexual contact with her.
The prosecutors also announced that they would be asking the jury to impose the death penalty. The day before he was due in court for the judge to assign him a public defender, authorities said that Zachary Holly had been attacked in prison. In the county jail where he was being held, an inmate who was there on a parole violation had slipped him to his cell whilst giving out clothes and towels.
Zachary was not seriously injured and for many this was what he deserved. >> More justice will probably be served in Benton County. So as reports showed he was beaten this morning and I don’t think it’s going to be the last. >> Jail Captain Chris Spark said, “Obviously this case has gotten a lot of exposure in the media and all the inmates know what he’s in for.
We’re going to do our best to try and keep him safe just like we would do every other inmate.” As he made his way into court, escorted by officers and wearing a prison jumpsuit, he said nothing to the reporters that were waiting for him. And there he was. The man who had been trusted to care for Jersey stood there charged with kidnapping, residential burglary, murder, and rape was also added to the charges.
His arms could be seen visibly shaking as the charges were read out. He was assigned a public defender to represent him, and he was held without bond to await his next appearance in court. he entered a plea of not guilty to all charges. >> Basically, 100% of the time at a plea hearing, it’s going to be a not-uilty plea.
Um, by going to an arraignment and pleading guilty, basically all you’re doing is preventing the state from having to meet their burden against you. >> Andrew Sheieler is a defense attorney who says a plea deal in this case isn’t likely, even with the death penalty on the table. In a case as high-profile as this, I don’t see a plea bargain coming along that would create a situation where the state would not be interested in pursuing the death penalty.
It was an emotional day for Jerseys family. Her mother, Desiree Bridgeman, was visibly shaken after the short hearing. She left quickly with family members after Holly entered his not guilty plea. I reached out to Jerseys uncle who said he would not talk on camera, but did say, quote, “These are hard times.
” And in Jerseyy’s neighborhood, purple ribbons still hang as a tribute to the six-year-old and a reminder that a community is still mourning. Two mental evaluations were completed, one by the State Hospital for the Prosecution and the other for the defense, both of which found him competent to stand trial. The trial would be hit with delays as one of his attorneys announced he would not be continuing with representing him.
He said that he could not be effective counsel if he was battling depression and alcohol abuse and as such he would not be adequately prepared for a trial. This meant that a new public defender would need to be found and appointed and Jerseys family was very upset about the delay. But finally his trial would begin.
A reporter who was in the courtroom said that Zachary was visibly nervous and on edge during the proceedings. One of those who testified was the state medical examiner Dr. Frank Pereti. He would demonstrate for the court how Jersey had clawed at the pajama pants she was being strangled with. “I knew the cause of death as soon as I opened the body bag,” he said, adding that her hair and a necklace she had made in school were tangled up in the pajama pants.
Zachary could be seen shaking in his seat as this was described. The medical examiner explained that she had retinal hemorrhages caused by strangulation. He was asked how the body responded to strangulation and he explained that there is a panic and it normally takes between 60 and 80 seconds for bleeding in the eyes to start. Maybe there’s some pain and then you eventually black out, he said.
He also showed photographs of Jerseyy’s body and her injuries. Understandably, the images evoked powerful emotions in the courtroom as they were extremely confronting and difficult to view. Although the photographs were of course very distressing, they highlighted the depravity of this offense. When the photographs were shown, Zachary showed no emotion.
During the trial, those in court would sit in horrified silence as his interview with the police was played. The DNA evidence connecting him to the crime was also presented. One of those to testify was Lisa Channel from the Arkansas State Crime Lab, who said that the hair found on Jersey was not similar to Zachary’s, but this was not fully conclusive due to insect damage.
The sexual violence that had been inflicted upon her was evident in both the injury she had sustained and the semen found on her body. Sperm cells were taken from her body and shirt, and Melissa Myand, the chief forensic DNA examiner, told the jury that Zachary was the main source of the DNA, and it was within scientific certainty that it belonged to him.
According to her, DNA consisted with Zachary was found on two swabs. I cannot say with all scientific certainty that it is his DNA, she said, but I can say he can’t be excluded. Defense attorneys would not call any witnesses during the trial and acknowledged in both the opening and closing remarks that their client was responsible for the death of Jersey Bridgeman.
Zachary Holly was subsequently convicted of residential burglary, kidnapping, [music] rape, and murder. His defense’s new job was to try and save him from the death penalty. As part of these proceedings, many witnesses were called, including a DHS worker from California, where Zachary had spent a lot of time when he was younger.
[music] The defense was trying to demonstrate how Zachary had been abused and neglected as a child, evidenced by the 15 referrals and investigations that had been made regarding physical and sexual abuse and neglect committed against him when he was a child. He had lived in nine different homes and changed schools 23 times as his mother fell deeper into drug abuse.
The DHS worker said that the system was broken and Zachary and his family had fallen through the cracks. He had only been removed from the home once but was returned soon after. She added that she felt she and other DHS workers had failed to take the appropriate action to protect him. The task for the jury was massive, deciding whether or not the death penalty was an appropriate punishment.
Just reading the instructions to the jury took more than half an hour, and before long, the sentence was returned. Zachary Holly was sentenced to 20 years for residential burglary, two life sentences for rape and kidnap, and death for capital murder. One by one, the defense told the jury to ensure that this was a unanimous verdict.
And one by one, they confirmed that it was. >> After his sentencing, Holly spoke for the first time in his trial. He said in part, quote, “I sincerely apologize for the pain and suffering I’ve caused. I hope you can one day find it in your heart to forgive me.” He was immediately handcuffed and taken into custody. I’m going to keep loving my other ones.
You know, I’m going to keep going on as a mom. Keep keep with my little girls, the other two. It has been pretty much an ongoing funeral. You know, we finally get the we no longer have to remember a bad day. We get to remember, you know, our baby. We get to remember the good the good times.
No longer have to focus on the nightmare. >> As he sat on death row at VA Supermax Prison, Zachary Holly would appeal the sentence handed to him. He argued that the judge who had presided over his trial. Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karen was incorrect by denying a directed verdict for the charge of residential burglary.
He said that the jury should have been informed that he had made an offer to plead guilty to the capital murder charge as it could have been viewed as an indication that he had accepted responsibility and been considered a mitigating factor. His third and final argument was that his motion to have his statement and confession to the police suppressed was denied.
After considering his arguments, his sentence was upheld by the Arkansas Supreme Court as it was deemed not persuasive. The court ruling was good news for Benton County Prosecutor Nathan Smith. While ongoing appeals are common in these cases, I am hopeful that today’s decision will make the possibility of putting Jersey Bridgeman’s family through another trial unlikely.
Zachary would later appeal again, claiming he had had ineffective assistance from his lawyers, arguing again that he wanted his conviction and sentence overturned. He also argued that there had not been sufficient evidence presented to the jury about his underlying mental health problems. None of his appeals thus far have been successful.
Jerseyy’s father would later give an interview from prison where he said he had never met Zachary, but he did know of him. He said he was in shock at first and didn’t want to believe it. He said his daughter had meant a lot to him and that his drug use played a huge part in his mistreatment of Jersey. He said that he wasn’t a bad person, but had made mistakes.
Mistakes he would have to live with for the rest of his life. Jazzy Bridgeman’s story is a harrowing reminder of the vulnerabilities of children and the unspeakable cruelty that some endure. It’s truly devastating to think about how she must have suffered and knowing that it was at the hands of someone she trusted. Jersey deserved to have a chance at life.
She deserved to have a chance to grow up. It’s a true testament to her character that even in the face of such hard times, her light never dimmed and she never lost her smile.
