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Benton County Sheriff's Office via AP
Zachary Holly was booked on charges capital murder, kidnapping and residential burglary in the Nov. 20 death of Jersey Bridgeman, 6, in Bentonville, Ark. on Monday.
Zachary Holly, the Arkansas man charged Wednesday with the rape and murder of 6-year-old Jersey Bridgeman, had been babysitting the little girl the night before her disappearance, as he had many times before, according to a court document released after his first hearing Wednesday.
Jersey's death came just months after a high-profile child abuse case in which her father and stepmother, David Bridgeman and Jana Bridgeman, convicted of chaining the girl to a dresser at night. Jana Bridgeman is serving a 12-year prison sentence, plus three years for a probation revocation. David Bridgeman is serving an 18-year prison sentence.
Jersey had since moved in with her mother, DesaRae Bridgeman, and began kindergarten this fall in Bentonville, about 215 miles northwest of Little Rock. They lived next door to Zachary Holly, 28, and his wife Amanda, friends of the family who frequently babysat Jersey and her 2-year-old sister, as they did on Nov. 19, according to interviews described in the affidavit of probable cause released Wednesday.
When DesaRae came home from work at about 11 that night, she went to get the girls, and after she chatted with the Hollys for a few minutes, Zachary carried Jersey to her home, while DesaRae carried the younger sister — and they placed them in the same bed, the document says.
Jersey was reported missing the morning of Nov. 20. Minutes after a search for her began, Jersey's body was discovered in an abandoned house two doors away.
The probable cause document released to the public is heavily redacted, but it reveals that the crime lab in Bentonville worked through the Thanksgiving holiday to develop a DNA profile from sperm cells found on Jersey's body.
Holly called Bentonville police on Nov. 23, according to the affidavit, and later showed up at a station, gave a statement — the details of which are entirely blacked out in the document — and then was booked on charges of capital murder, kidnapping, rape and residential burglary.
In Wednesday's hearing at the First Circuit Court in Bentonville, Ark., he was denied bond, NBC affiliate KARK-TV reported.
Bentonville Police Department via AP
Undated photo of Jersey Bridgeman.
One neighbor, Julie Pickard, told The Associated Press Tuesday that Holly wept the day Jersey's body was found.
"He was crying for a long time," said Pickard.
The fact that Jersey was abused by parental figures and a neighbor is suspected in her death fits into an unfortunate pattern, according to Beverly Engle executive director of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County in Arkansas.
"Ninety-six percent of people who offend on children are people that the child knows. We all have been so trained in the stranger-danger aspect, which certainly does happen, but I think the reality is that’s about 4 percent," said Engle, who interviewed Jersey last year when allegations of abuse against her father and stepmother surfaced.
"Jersey was a precious, adorable child and it is very grieving to know even in the moments before her death what she may have experienced, knowing this person or trusting this person,” Engle said.
'A little old soul': Girl found dead after dad, stepmom jailed
Holly is being held in Benton County Jail, and on Tuesday was attacked by another inmate, jail Capt. Chris Sparks told The AP Wednesday. He said Holly wasn't seriously injured, and that the other inmate, who was in jail on a parole violation, could face charges.
"Obviously this case has gotten a lot of exposure in the media and all the inmates know what he's in for ..." Sparks said. "We're going to do our best to try and keep him safe, just like we do every other inmate."
Holly was not required to speak at the hearing, and KARK reported that he remained silent as his lawyers, including public defender Jay Saxton, asked to review the decision to deny bond.
This article includes reporting by NBC News' Elizabeth Chuck and The Associated Press.
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Why would anyone in their right mind try to protect this guy in jail. That sick M%#@F^$#@ doesn't deserve protection.
This is a very, very, sick individual. It brought chills to me to read this, and tears when i saw the photo of the little girl. Im not sure there is a punishment great enough, until death and judgement day. Very, very, disturbing!! I have 2 boys and a lil girl and love them more than anything in this world, I really dont understand why someone would harm a child... Death penalty, id say no, life in prison would be better suited because his fellow inmates will deal out what the courts cant, cruel and unusual punishments!!!!!!!!!!!
poor little girl! is realy sad what happen to her I hope this piece of sh*t pays big time !!!! what goes around comes right back around burn in hell mother f*cker
This whole story is just sad all the way around. Crappy birthers, and then this creep, the problem is all of us. We're so caught up on making a buck and the bottom line, that we wan't even ban all of this negativity and filth in video games, television, magazines, etc etc. When will we year thats it's more to life than money.Until we stop chasing the dollar and focus on being better people, this is only going to get worst. We all now live in a modern day Sodom & Gemara !!!
This is terribly tragic. Poor baby girl. Here's my opinion for crimes of this nature. America is a great country. Our Justice system is terribly flawed. If there is no doubt a crime of this nature has been commited by the accused (DNA evidence) let's give this criminal a certain succinct period of time to live. A year should be MORE than adequate. When the time period has expired so should the criminal. I'm not talking about he said-she saw testimony...I'm talking about beyond a doubt (DNA evidence). Capitol Punishment should be exacted quickly and without hesitation. End of Evil .
I have a pair of rusty old tin snips, some rock salt and a stapler....I CAN STOP HIS DESIRES! I am a father of 8 children and adults, 5 boys and 3 daughters. This breaks my heart yet stirs up an anger inside of my 47 yr old heart, why and how could a child so inocent be put through such consistent pain and suffering? Are we as a society creating these people that commit these injustices against our children, our future? Tears fall and may justice be swift and calculated for this monster of an insult to the human race.
I was thinking of a ball peen hammer and a stump.
And to all those that oppose the death penalty, I present this story. Absolutely horrid and sickening. I hope this maniac gets buried UNDER the jail, alive! And as for this beautiful girl's "dad" and step-mom, I pray they rot in hell for eternity. What is happening to our world?!!! It seems like every other day I read of another child being victimized. My heart aches every day for this brutality as I slowly lose my faith in humanity.
yea me toooooooooooo sick @!$%#s~!~! need to rid them all one by one~! or make an example of one that we wont put up with this kinda @!$%# ~!!instead of giving him parole in a year,, and he be freee to roam and WILLLLL do again~!~!~!then the justice system say duh i dont know what went wrong he was fixed and cured~!~ THESE MOTHER @!$%#ERS CANT AND WONT EVER BE NORMAL~!~!~!~! OR CURED~!! THERES A SHORT CIRCUIT IN BRAIN~!~!~!~ CANT BE WIRED RIGHT~!!~! BORN THAT WAY~! that @!$%# just @!$%#ens pisses me off and saddens me soooooooooooooo much~!~!!
this is why we need a death sentence. low lifes like him do not deserve to live.
death penalty~~!!~ yep for sure~!!
Clearly, many "Americans" think Freedom means to indulge your sick maniacal "rights." I wish he was caught in eastern Europe. he wouldn't live for 2 days, much less, 20 years on death row. I only pray that a fellow criminal cutss his d--k off and stuffs it down his throat, with a testicle chaser!
Amen brother!!!!!
Let me have him. I would take about ten days to remove this scum from the planet and it would not be pretty. What a disgusting human being to do what he did to a beautifull little child. I hope there is a special place in hell for people like him.
where are the so-called racist people of color on this story. can anyone imagine the reaction if this pos was of another race.
Why would you bring something as terrible as racism into the discussion of such a horrible story? Based upon your single comment I would venture a guess that there is something wrong with you, bossanova10. These kind of stories make me sick, may Jersey rest in peace.
are you denying the fact that if this low life was black or latino, this board would've bee overwhelmed with bigots blaming an entire race for this crime.
what prison he going to~!~!~!post it,, everyone who knows~!~! we dont need tax dollars paying for him to live in prison.,.,. slow gas chamber~!~!~sick mother fuker~!
Rest in Peace Jersey you are safe now.......xoxoxoxoxoxo
Poor baby girl. My heart aches for her. Sounds like she never had much of a chance in life. Hope that POS gets what's coming to him.
This beautiful little girl had more pain and suffering in her short life than most of us could ever imagine. My husband and I chose not to have children for our own personal reasons. However, if anyone is so sick of their child that they feel like doing them harm, I'd take them in a heartbeat. How anyone can mistreat a trusting child is beyond me. This dirtball should be hurt bad and I hope it happens to him soon. Funny how there's even a code between inmates.
OMG - that poor baby girl. Such a tragic life - how could all those people be so cruel??
RIP little angel.
There is a special place in hell for these people. That poor little girl is out of their hands now. RIP
In some places in this fckd up world, he would get his head chopped off, be publicy hanged, or even have a bullet to the back of the head BEFORE he has time to get old. Lucky for Uncle Zac, he'll get a nice bed with meals, a good rehab program and most important, LOTS of TIME to think about what he did.
ill never understand how if we abuse or pets the county comes takes then and adopts them out but when children are abuse the parents or family can still keep the child and it happens over and over again,, I think if you are convicted of abuse of any kind to your children your kids should be adopted out to a good home ful of love and there are so many loving families willing , but no we give those inocent kids back to the MONSTERS ,,,,,we need to all wake up and change the laws about aduse and the ease at which abusive parents are able to get their kids back like noothing ever happened , WHY ? because of bleeding heart activists say you should'nt take them away the parents just made a mistake ,,well BS it has been proven time and time again abusers always re offend ,,, take their kids and protect them from the MONSTERS who robbed them of their youth and innocents ,,
I feel so bad for this little girl to have to go through so much pain from her parents and to have to die in such a horrible manner. Honestly I would let the other prisoners do whatever they want to this jerk. No point in protecting this peice of garbage.
And I tell my daughter that there are no monsters. RIP.
Put the POS in general Population. Let him feel what it's like to be raped and beaten to death.
After the girl has already been tortured and abused by her father and stepmother, you would think that the mother would have sense enough to be extra careful about who she leaves alone with her daughter. The fact that she chose this creep is proof that she should be locked up herself for being stupid.
sad that this beautiful child had been dealt such an awful life...This guy deserves to die in the same manner that he killed...raped to death
Just lock him up in Gen Pop. And make sure everyone knows he raped and murdered a little gilr. His butt hole will get ripped in two in no time, on a weekly basis. He will wish he was never born. And in a year or so, he should be HIV positive!!!!