Courtney Browen
Appearances
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Officer Sorensen learned that Brittany and Celeste had been living at the hotel for nearly four months. They moved there after being forced to leave the Congress Inn due to it permanently closing. But as he walked around their small hotel room that morning, he noticed that not only were there no toys for the three young children, but that there was not a designated area for homeschooling.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Trigger warnings from the stories we cover may include violence, rape, murder, and offenses against children.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
There were no computers, school books, or even pencils and markers to indicate that Brittany did in fact homeschool her kids. The reality was they weren't being homeschooled. Officers also discovered multiple trash bags around the room with various items of clothing, some of which were soiled with urine.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
In one bag located to the left of the bed, they found a children's diaper that was wrapped in duct tape and a set of rubber gloves. On top of the refrigerator was a box of white trash bags in a bottle of bleach. Now to an investigator, these items may raise some red flags, but there was nothing that screamed that Amari was met with foul play, at least not in this hotel room.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
So from here, investigators speak with Brittany, Amari's mom, and they want to get any information they can. Brittany once again told the officers that Amari had gone to sleep on Saturday, November 20th, at around 10 p.m. And once she was asleep, Brittany took a lift to the BP gas station.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
She admitted that she was only gone for around 20 minutes and that her girlfriend Celeste stayed behind to watch the kids. Brittany said that when she returned, Amari was still sleeping in the room. Now her girlfriend Celeste told officers that after Brittany came back home from the store,
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
she had her sister pick her up and take her to her grandmother's house so she could babysit her niece and nephew and celeste claimed that she was there all night long in fact she said she came back to the hotel at around 5 that morning so naturally when celeste tells the officers this they have some questions the first thing they ask is when you came back to the hotel room this morning
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
did you see Amari? But Celeste couldn't really give an answer. She claimed that it was too dark in the hotel room, so she didn't really notice if Amari was there or not. Once she arrived, she said she went back to sleep and it wasn't until hours later when Brittany woke her up in a panic, claiming that Amari was missing. According to Brittany, when she realized that Amari wasn't in the room,
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
she rushed outside and began looking for her. Brittany said she searched the parking lot, checked the back of the hotel, and she went floor to floor to see if anyone had seen her. But after about five minutes of searching, Brittany decided to call 911. Now, Officer Sorensen knew that there were surveillance cameras at the hometown studios.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
And luckily, there was even one near Brittany and Celeste's doorway. So from there, he walked to the management office to review the camera footage. and what he saw would immediately raise some red flags. Shockingly, there wasn't any footage of Amari leaving the hotel room that morning. There was also no footage of her wandering around all on her own.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
They also checked the footage to see if Brittany, Amari's mom, had actually looked for her. They were expecting to see on the camera a frantic mother running around looking for her daughter. But surprisingly, Brittany was not on the footage either. She had not left the room that morning to search for Amari, like she had claimed.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
In total, eight cameras were searched, including cameras from a nearby car wash and hibachi restaurant. None of them showed Amari or Brittany Hall, who said she was looking for her daughter. So why lie?
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
That night, both Brittany and Celeste were allowed to go back home as there was no evidence to hold them. And sadly, by 4.30 p.m. that day, there was still no sign of Amari Hall, despite the massive search in and around hometown studios. Soon enough, the sun was going down and the air outside was getting colder and authorities continue to worry about the safety of the eight-year-old little girl.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Now, I'm not sure why authorities told the public that they didn't suspect foul play, because Brittany and Celeste were raising all the red flags. Their stories were changing. They weren't matching up. Maybe authorities didn't want them to suspect that they were onto them. But soon enough, the women were back at the police station for questioning.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
And specifically, authorities wanted to know everything that happened that weekend, everything that led up to Amari's disappearance.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Now, like you just heard, Celeste said that she was at her grandmother's house that night, but at some point in the interview, she stated that her and her grandma had an estranged relationship due to Celeste being a lesbian, which is strange because she said she was at her house all that night.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Detectives also wanted information on Celeste's sister, the one who picked her up that night, but Celeste told them that she didn't have her sister's phone number and that they only communicated via Instagram.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
A few years later in June of 2015, Brittany Hall would give birth to her second daughter named Zaire. And by then, Barbara's house was feeling a little crowded. So she actually decided to help her daughter Brittany get an apartment of her own. For the first time in years, Brittany was on her own and she now had two young children. Things weren't easy.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
At this point in the interview, detectives ask Celeste what she believes happened to Amari. And immediately, she starts talking about Amari's behavioral issues, something that her grandmother Barbara said was completely fabricated.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
On a cold November night in 2021, eight-year-old Amari Hall suddenly disappeared from the hometown studios, an extended stay hotel in the Peachtree Corners area of Gwinnett County, Georgia. Amari's mother, Brittany Hall, claimed that Amari fell asleep at around 10 p.m., safe and sound inside the hotel room. However, when she woke up that next morning, Amari was nowhere to be found.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
And every so often she would send the kids back with her mom, Barbara, when she was feeling overwhelmed. Now the following year on September 19th, 2016, Brittany would give birth to her third child, a son named Jakari. And he had the same father as her second daughter, Zaire. But from what I could tell, the father wasn't very present in the children's lives. So after the birth of her third kid,
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
By now, both Detective Conaway and Officer Sorenson were highly skeptical of Celeste's version of events. She continued to say that on the morning of Amari's disappearance, Brittany had frantically searched the parking lot and the surrounding areas of the hotel. But like we mentioned, investigators had watched the surveillance footage and there was no sign of Brittany outside of the room at all.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
When confronted with this, Celeste acted shocked and confused. According to her, Brittany had searched for Amari before dialing 911.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
In a desperate attempt to mislead investigators, Celeste then mentioned a mysterious man behind the hotel that was trying to lure children to a box. According to Celeste, Brittany had learned from a neighbor, whom she described as a crackhead, that the man was in a black vehicle and he was acting extremely suspicious.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Brittany decided to move back in with her mother for a period of time. Barbara wanted to make sure the kids were taken care of. And once Brittany was back on her feet, she would once again move back out on her own. Here is Barbara Wright.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
So as you can see, the first few years of Amari's life were a little unstable, having to move back and forth between her mother and grandmother's house. But in the end, she was cared for. Her grandmother, Barbara, stated that Amari was the brightest light. She brought a smile to everyone around her. And like every little girl, she had dreams of what she wanted to become when she was older.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
At this point, investigators stepped out of the interrogation room to speak with Brittany, who was being held in room one. They also used this opportunity to speak with Brittany's two other children, Zaire and Jakari. About an hour later, they returned to Celeste's room and revealed that one of the children had made a shocking statement.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Six-year-old Zaire told investigators that Celeste physically removed Amari from the hotel room on the night in question and said that she was taking her to the bad kids hospital. But Celeste tried to play off the bad kids hospital as a statement she often made when Amari was misbehaving.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
And Amari wanted to be a hairdresser. Any chance she could, Amari was playing with everyone's hair. And if it wasn't her mom or grandma's hair, she was doing her doll's hair.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
From here, detectives would only find more discrepancies within Celeste's story. Receipts at the BP gas station showed no purchases by either Celeste or Brittany when they both said that they had been there that night.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
And when confronted with this, the investigators also noticed that Celeste and Brittany's stories were similar, but specific details were completely different, almost like they had rehearsed things, but not well enough. For instance, the description of that crackhead neighbor was different. And so was the man who they claimed was luring children behind the hotel.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Investigators knew that they were both somehow involved, but they needed more information. So Detective Conaway once again went over Celeste's timeline from Saturday, November 20th up until she discovered that Amari was missing. And this is a tactic that detectives use to catch people in lies. They'll get you to tell your story over and over again, asking specific questions about every detail.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
And when you're telling the truth, recalling those details shouldn't be that hard. However, when you're lying, they are. After a few hours of questioning, Celeste was obviously irritated and she continued to argue with them, especially when they brought up the family members that she claimed to have babysat that night.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
At this point in the interview, detectives bring up something extremely disturbing. During their talk with Amari's sister, Zaire, she mentioned that Celeste would often use a napkin to put the kids to sleep. But when they bring this up to Celeste, she plays dumb and says that the little girl is lying.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
She also changes the subject and says that Amari and Zaire are very difficult children who fight all the time. But Celeste said that they never addressed the fights professionally because they believed that they would be falsely targeted for abusing the children when it was really just them fighting. But it was clear to detectives when they spoke to Zaire that she was very afraid of Celeste.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
The little girl said that she would often brandish her gun and threaten the kids when she was upset, that she would hit them when they misbehaved. But of course, Celeste denied all of this. And from this point forward, it was very clear that she was no longer willing to cooperate with investigators. When detectives asked if they could look through her cell phone, she told them no.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
now barbara was a huge figure in the children's lives but once brittany came back to get her children they lost touch with their grandma for a while disturbingly once brittany took them back she didn't even tell her mom where she was going for months Barbara called and texted her daughter over and over again, trying to get in touch with her, but they all went unanswered.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Obviously, there were secrets inside. Secrets that she didn't want investigators to know about. But eventually, they would get access to her cell phone. And as soon as she handed it over, Celeste began to grow even more angry.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
But then finally, Brittany picked up the phone. Barbara was so relieved to finally hear her voice, but when she asked where Brittany was located, she still refused to tell her. So Barbara then asked, well, can we FaceTime? I'd love to see the kids, but Brittany once again refused.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
At this point in the interview, Celeste tries to leave, but investigators quickly tell her that she isn't allowed to leave. Now, they don't have enough evidence to place her under arrest for Amari's disappearance, but they do have proof that she lied to investigators. So from here, she's arrested for making a false statement and she's taken to the Gwinnett County Jail.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Meanwhile, investigators took pictures of Jakari and Zaire's injuries that were visible once they arrived at the Sheriff's Department. Officer Sorensen later said that when they first encountered the children at the hotel room, both had been under blankets. And then even during transport, Celeste and Brittany had them wrapped in blankets in an attempt to hide their injuries.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Shockingly, when the blankets were removed, both children had bruises, scabs, and cuts all over their legs, arms, backs, and even on their faces. Now, throughout the time they were at the police station, both Zaire and Jakari complained that they were hungry. Investigators would later admit that both of the children's bellies were distended. which indicated that they were extremely malnourished.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
But while at the police station, the children were fed Papa John's pizza. But due to their significant injuries, the children were not allowed to go back in the custody of their mom. Instead, they were taken into state custody.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
and disturbingly, the door to the hotel room was left ajar. Investigators in Georgia worked tirelessly to find the little girl, and in the beginning, they had hope that she would be found alive. However, with each passing hour, investigators were growing more and more suspicious of the main people in Amari's life.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Now, even before finding these videos, investigators had a sinking feeling that Amari was no longer alive. But after watching the horrific abuse found on Celeste's phone, they were more sure than ever that Amari was dead. And sadly, they were right. On Tuesday, November 23rd, 2021, at around 10.45 a.m., the search for Amari Hall came to an end.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Tragically, her naked body was discovered inside of a white trash bag in a wooded area near the Stone Mill Trace neighborhood in DeKalb County. Crime scene investigation supervisor, Key Jimenez, was immediately called out to the scene to assist the two detectives.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Amari's body had been concealed by three trash bags, one trash bag over the top of her head down to her abdomen, another covered up her legs towards her hips, and the last one had been used to wrap around the remainder of her torso, and they were all secured with a long black rope.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
The trash bag that covered the top portion of Amari's body was ripped upon discovery. Key explained that the rip was consistent with animal activity. But upon finding Amari's remains, investigators were heartbroken. This was not the outcome that anyone wanted, but it sadly was the outcome that they had suspected from the very beginning. So following the discovery, police chief J.D.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
McClure updated the community in a press conference at 1 p.m.,
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Battered Child Syndrome is where a child is beaten on multiple occasions. There are multiple wounds, multiple locations of these wounds, and multiple stages of healing. So essentially, when a child dies from Battered Child Syndrome, it means they faced beatings over and over again until their body could no longer take it.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
For Amare's little body, she was covered in bruises, lacerations, and contusions that were all in various stages of healing. Her ankles had wounds that suggested she had them tied together at one point. And based on how the wounds look, Dr. Downs stated that they happened weeks or even days before her death. In addition, Amari was extremely thin when she was found.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Her ribs were poking through her skin, which indicated she was severely malnourished. and she only weighed 54 pounds. Now, Amari was tall for her age, she was 4'10", and according to Dr. Downs, she should have weighed at least 80 pounds, so she was 30 pounds underweight. Dr. Downs also discovered that Amari had almost no muscular development.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Her knees were extremely bony, which indicated she was neglected and not fed on a regular basis. Almost all of the injuries on her body had at one point been an open wound, and professionals believe that she had been repeatedly beaten with a long thin type of instrument, such as a cord or a plastic hanger.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
She also had a torn frenulum, a thin piece of tissue that connects the top lip to the gum line. Dr. Downs suggested that this could have been torn after being repeatedly punched in the face. And these were just the external injuries. During her internal examination, Dr. Downs discovered a large amount of blood in blood clots in her belly.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
There was bruising to her lungs, several fractured ribs that were in multiple stages of healing. There was a large bruise on the back of her head and a three-inch tear on her liver. Dr. Downs stated that he believed while Amari was lying on the ground, someone wearing boots had stomped on Amari's liver
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
and crushed it into her spine he also stated that this injury was likely caused just hours before her death and that she would have been in excruciating pain for an eight-year-old little girl she definitely would have been crying complaining of severe stomach pain but no one came to help her ultimately dr downs determined that the cause of death was battered child syndrome due to the significant number of blunt force injuries to amari's body as well as malnutrition
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
With the license plate number recorded from the back of the U-Haul van, investigators were able to utilize flock cameras, which are special cameras that read license plates. And they were able to determine that from there, Celeste traveled back towards the hometown studios.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
However, first, she decided to make a quick stop at the Family Dollar, located right across the street from the Extended Stay Hotel. Investigators learned that on November 19th, At 1.39 p.m., Celeste purchased a gallon of bleach, blue latex gloves, and a few snacks, including Powerade, Mountain Dew, and some candy. Her total came out to be $18.50. From there, she got back into the van
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
and drove to the hometown studios located at 7049 Jimmy Carter Boulevard. A few hours later, at around 5.52 p.m., the U-Haul van was moved to a closer parking spot near the stairwell by room 251. Celeste had backed the van into the parking spot and at 5.53, the back door of the van was opened. And from the cameras, you could see that there was movement.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Now, the camera view was compromised, but it's safe to assume that it's here where Celeste put Amari's body into the back of the van. Then, at 5.58 p.m., the van pulled out of the parking lot heading eastbound on Jimmy Carter Boulevard. Flock cameras tracked the location of the van going towards DeKalb County and then ultimately turning around at 7.03 p.m.,
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
was then shown traveling towards the direction of the A1 storage facility.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Now Celeste Owens would plead not guilty for her trial that was set for December of 2024, but the prosecution had a pretty strong case. When the trial finally commenced a few months back, prosecutor Sabrina Nizam painted a horrible and disturbing picture of what life was like for Brittany Hall's three young children.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Sabrina stated that both Celeste and Brittany had a pattern of severe abuse, stating, quote, slapping them in the back of the head, the stomping, the blindfolding, the lying on the ground. They did this together. Their method was together. But she told the jury that on November 19th, 2021... Two days before Amari was reported missing, it all came to a head.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Like we mentioned, Amari had a laceration to her liver, an injury she received after Celeste Owens stomped on her. It's believed that Amari spent hours in the hotel room in excruciating pain, crying and asking for help. But instead of caring for her, Celeste Owens responded to Amari's cries with a blunt force hit to her head. And sadly this time, she wouldn't make it.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Throughout 2021, Barbara and Tony tried on numerous occasions to locate the children, but to no avail. And in the meantime, Brittany had rekindled an on-again off-again relationship with a 29-year-old woman named Celeste Owens. It was reported that Brittany and Celeste had been friends since they were teenagers. but they weren't romantically involved until their late 20s.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
On the floor of the hometown studios, eight-year-old Amari Hall succumbed to her injuries. Her young siblings, Zaire and Jakari, were there watching it all unfold. And by that next morning, both Brittany and Celeste noticed that Amari was unresponsive. But instead of calling for help, they began to think about themselves.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
They knew that a beaten and dead eight-year-old child would result in prison. So it's here where they started planning their cover-up. That day, Celeste Owens rented out that U-Haul. She bought trash bags, gloves, and cleaning products. And once she had everything she needed, she made her way back to the hometown studios. Inside room 251, she picked up Amari's deceased and battered body
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
and began wrapping her in trash bags, securing it with rope. From there, she shoved her body into a container, put on the lid, and then threw her into the back of the U-Haul. Along the way to the dump site, Celeste called Amari's mom, Brittany, updating her on what was going on. In the late hours, Celeste discarded Amari's body like trash. deep in the woods in DeKalb County.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
After returning to the apartment that night, Brittany and Celeste came up with their stories. They were going to wait until the morning to report Amari missing. They would say that Amari had been having behavioral issues and that she likely ran away on her own. It's eerie to think about Brittany and Celeste lying in bed that night with their two other abused and battered children in the room.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
I always find myself wondering if they got any sleep that night or if they laid in bed rehearsing their lies over and over again. Whatever the case may be, investigators saw right through it from the get-go.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
And this time around, things were serious between the two. Celeste had even moved in with Brittany and her three kids, and they were instructed to call Celeste dad. But their life together was unstable to say the least. Brittany, Celeste, and the three children moved around constantly, never staying in one place for too long. They often lived in various extended stay hotels.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
So Zaire said that Amari and Jakari weren't allowed to eat real food that day. And when Amari came out of the bathroom, her mother Brittany shoved toilet paper into her mouth. Now I couldn't find the reasoning they gave as to why she may have done this. But as we know, Amari had severe internal injuries. So she was likely crying a lot. Maybe her parents were wanting to silence the cries.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
But like Zaire said, by that next morning, Amari wouldn't wake up.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
It's heartbreaking to think about what Zaire and Jakari witnessed that day. Not only did they watch their sister get abused and die, but after she wouldn't wake up, they watched Celeste wrap her body up like trash and put her into that small bin.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Celeste and Brittany also used this opportunity to emotionally abuse Zaire and Jakari by telling them that because Amari was misbehaving, they were taking her to the bad kids hospital, something that they had threatened pretty frequently. Zaire's testimony was heartbreaking and extremely disturbing. For years, Amari, Jakari and Zaire were subjected to prolonged horrific abuse and torture.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
In the spring of 2021, they were living at the Congress Inn in Norcross, Georgia. Then in August, they moved into room 251 at the Hometown Studios. Now for work, Brittany considered herself to be a spiritual healer, and she also claimed to have homeschooled Amari, Zaire, and Jakari. And her partner Celeste reportedly worked as an artist. Their careers weren't really bringing in a lot of money.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
And the jury was able to see that firsthand. On December 13th, 2024, After four days of emotional testimony, graphic autopsy photos, and witness statements, both the defense and prosecution rested their case. The jury deliberated for only two hours before reaching their verdict, guilty on all counts.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
They also didn't have vehicles, so anytime they needed to get somewhere, they had to rely on Uber or Lyft. Now Brittany's mom, Barbara, truly had no idea what was going on in her daughter's life. She didn't know that the kids were bouncing around to hotel rooms or that they barely had enough money to let the kids eat. And Barbara could never get a hold of Brittany to get any updates.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
There were timelines that didn't match up, lies exposed, and cell phone data that painted a horrible picture of child abuse and torture. And sadly, this story would end in the worst way you can imagine. So this is the story of Amari Hall. I'm Courtney Browen.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
But towards the beginning of 2021, she had this horrible feeling that something was wrong. However, she had no idea just how bad things had gotten, especially for her oldest granddaughter, While their family was drifting around town to different hotel rooms, the children were also experiencing unimaginable physical, emotional, and verbal abuse.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
As Celeste Owen stood at the defense table with a blank expression on her face, Judge Duncan admitted that throughout her entire career in law, Amari's case was the most horrific she had ever seen.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Brittany Hall and Celeste Owens had turned their home into a prison. The children were not only denied love and care, but also basic needs like food or a bed. But Brittany and Celeste got plenty to eat. They got to sleep in the hotel room's bed. while the kids, Amari, Zaire, and Jakari had to sleep on the cold ground with no pillows or blankets.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
And we can only hope that she too will get the justice she deserves. Brittany Hall may not have murdered her daughter, but she watched it happen right in front of her. She also participated in the abuse. Amari's young life was marked by relentless suffering and cruelty by the hands of those who were meant to protect and love her. Her tiny body was covered with bruises,
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Her ribs were broken, she was severely malnourished, and she had suffered from internal bleeding. Amari's mother, Brittany, and her partner, Celeste Owens, had turned their home into a chamber of horrors for all three of those children. And as a result, Amari's life was cut short. She never got to experience the love that every child deserves.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
And instead of hugs, warmth, and care, Amari only knew fear, pain. Now, as for her siblings, Zaire and Jakari, they have both been placed in the custody of their grandparents, Barbara and Tony Wright. And we can only hope that their lives are brighter now that they've escaped the torturous environment that it started in.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Thank you.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
That Sunday morning around 9.15 a.m., Brittany Hall called the Gwinnett County Police Department to report that her daughter Amari was not in the hotel room when she woke up. Brittany was frantic as she stated that Amari had gone to sleep the previous night at around 10 p.m., but when she woke up at 9 a.m., her daughter was nowhere to be found.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
She also said that the front door was left slightly ajar, suggesting that Amari may have left the hotel on her own. Brittany mentioned that Amari was diagnosed with high functioning autism, but that she was extremely intelligent. She stated, quote, she is very, very smart. Even though she is autistic, she's very aware of things. She's very observant. this hurts.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
She told dispatch that Amari knew not to close the door behind her when she left because she knew it would wake up everyone in the room. So she likely left the door cracked on purpose. Additionally, the medication she took for her autism was also missing.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
The dispatcher asked Brittany if Amari was known to walk out of the room by herself and Brittany replied, quote, no, but we've been having problems with her, end quote. And those problems, Brittany stated, were due to her high-functioning autism. Brittany said that Amari knew her surroundings, but her behavior had been a huge problem in their home.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
And you're listening to Murder in America.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Officer Sorensen said that when he pulled into the parking lot, there were 15 officers from Gwinnett County and a few more from neighboring precincts who were on foot with canines searching the wooded areas near the hotel. They were also going door to door to different businesses to see if anyone had seen Amari.
Murder In America
EP. 191: GEORGIA - The Child In The Trash Bag: The Disturbing Murder of Amari Hall
Helicopters and the Division of Family and Children Services were also on scene to help with the large-scale search operation. But something Sorensen quickly noted was the state of Brittany Hall's hotel room.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
She went on to work several jobs in the world of publishing, and eventually, she married a man named James H. Davis, who was the student body president at UCLA in June of 1951. Soon after their marriage, the two purchased the home in the Los Feliz Hills that would one day be known as the Writer's Villa.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Kathy's husband, James, went on to become a prominent attorney, and Miss Kathy focused her efforts on raising their daughter. But their marriage wouldn't last long. There are a few different accounts on what happened, but what we do know is this. In 2001, at the age of 71, her husband, James, was arrested and jailed for 12 years for stealing from the clients he was meant to defend.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
An LA Times article notes, quote, Judge Robert Perry had to consider the severity of his crimes and the vulnerability of the victims, many of whom were paraplegics who did not speak English, end quote. So he took advantage of people and he had to pay the price. When you contrast that with what we know of Ms. Cathy's personality, it's easy to see why the two weren't a good match.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
As easy as it is to imagine all the glitz and glamour of fame, the reality of achieving it is much more gritty, soul-crushing and exhausting than people realize. Imagine going to audition after audition, having your work, looks and voice picked apart in front of all these people, having to deal with constant rejections.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
And for many, they'll make it far enough where their dreams are just out of reach, only for the rug to be ripped out from under them. Maybe a role is given to someone else, or maybe you get the role and then the entire project falls through in a blink of an eye. This is the reality for many people in Hollywood. It's harsh, unforgiving, and nothing is promised.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
It doesn't matter how good you are at what you do, sometimes it just doesn't work out. And Miss Cathy knew this. When an audition went poorly for an actor or a pitch was a flop for a writer, she would be waiting in the kitchen of the writer's villa with open arms. She would often make them homemade tamales, sit with her Hollywood children and give them the comfort they desperately needed.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
The majority of people flocking to Hollywood have families that are hundreds, if not thousands of miles away. And usually these far away families don't understand the line of work that they're trying to get into. and very often they don't support it. But Miss Kathy was the parent and guiding force that dozens of people needed as they embarked on their journey into Hollywood.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Trigger warnings from the stories we cover may include violence, rape, murder, and offenses against children.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
A journey that offers no training wheels and no mercy for newbies.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
In the summer of 2009, Johnny was told that he was going to be a father. His girlfriend at the time, Diane Ghida, was a talented actress, artist, and producer.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Now the exact state of their relationship over the course of her pregnancy isn't entirely clear, but evidently, the two got apartment together in Hollywood with the intention of co-parenting their daughter, regardless of the status of their relationship. But in time, this agreement began to fall apart. Some people just don't work out, and it seems like that was the case for Johnny and Diane.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
However, Johnny's friend, Doug Usher, told the LA Mag that Johnny was beyond thrilled to become a dad, and that at the baby shower, everything seemed to be going well. By April of 2010, Johnny and Diane's daughter, Cola Mae, was born, and their entire lives changed. But soon enough... After several months of trying to co-parent, the two hit a fork in the road.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
There are very few details about what happened between them, but it is known that a custody battle began and that it was vicious. Close friends and family have described this period of Johnny's life as rather tumultuous.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
But just two years after the filming of Lovely Molly in October of 2011, it was a blow to Johnny's head that would ultimately lead to his downfall. On October 30th, 2011, Johnny went for a motorcycle ride to clear his head. During the filming of Sons of Anarchy, he fell in love with motorcycles and ultimately purchased his pride and joy, a Triumph motorcycle affectionately nicknamed Bonnie.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
On that warm October day, Johnny decided to take Bonnie for a road trip towards Joshua Tree National Park. And if you've ever been to this part of California, you know the appeal of just driving into the desert to get your mind in order. From the concrete jungle of Los Angeles, you can hop on the 10 freeway and watch the city disappear behind you.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Within a few short hours, there will be nothing on either side of you but distant mountains, orange rock formations, and Joshua trees that reach up to the blue sky. The drive itself, watching the world disappear behind you and replaced by nature is therapeutic. And it seems at the time that Johnny needed this, but the ride wouldn't go as planned.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Along the drive, Johnny hit 29 Palms, a desert town just north of Joshua Tree National Park. And as he blew through the town and out on the other side, making his way towards the more open desert, something went wrong. No one knows exactly how the crash happened, but near the corner of 29 Palms Highway and Primrose Lane, Johnny hit the ground hard and fast.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
He later told his brother and medical workers that he believed he was going around 50 miles per hour at the time of the accident. And it's never been reported if he was wearing a helmet. But with his bike beat up and his head spinning, he reached out to his brother for a ride back to L.A.,
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
At a nearby hospital, he was checked for signs of a concussion, but he was allowed to leave after they determined he didn't have one. But according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, there is growing evidence to suggest that traumatic brain injuries can often show no outward signs immediately following a head injury.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Thank you.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
By January of 2012, those around him could no longer ignore his strange behavior. According to his father, it was around this time that Johnny began to sit in near total darkness. On his blog, Johnny's father wrote, quote, his sensitivity to light was such that he would prefer to sit in a room with all the lights out, illuminated by one candle.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Extreme sensitivity to light is one of the most common symptoms of a traumatic brain injury. And knowing something was deeply wrong, Johnny's parents decided to keep a close eye on him. On Sunday morning, January 3rd, 2012, he was relaxing at his parents' condo in Northridge. As his mom cooked omelets on the stove, Johnny stood up abruptly, still wearing his pajamas.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
He told his mother that he was going for a walk and he headed out the door. But what happened next still isn't entirely clear. According to Johnny's retelling of events, as he was walking, he thought he heard a woman scream for help in a nearby condo. So in a panic, he broke in the window only to discover that the apartment was completely empty.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Now on the street, two men actually saw him break into this window and they approached him and demanded that he leave. But in response, Johnny attacked the men with a glass bottle, hitting each of them over the head. From there, the three began to viciously fight. Johnny even bit one of the men in their arm, but eventually he was overpowered and the men pinned him to the ground.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
At the trial, one of these men who pinned him down stated that as they did so, he continued to fight and thrash. And to try and stop him, he punched Johnny in the face anywhere from 10 to 15 times before law enforcement arrived. When they finally pulled up, Johnny was hauled to jail and charged with trespassing, burglary, and assault with a deadly weapon.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
But in January of 2012, he was huddled in the corner of a dark room in his parents' condo, unable to be in the light, unable to carry on a meaningful conversation, or do much of anything but feel fear, confusion, and anger. And I don't know about you, but the fact that that can happen to anyone at any time is terrifying.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Upon being discharged from the hospital, Johnny's papers read, quote, "'Chief complaint,' blunt head trauma, and suicidal. And this didn't change when he was released. Sometime in January, Johnny cut open his wrists in a suicide attempt. These cuts were one inch long on his left wrist and several inches on his right. but it would later be noted that they were well-heeled.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
And sadly, despite his suicide attempts, he was able to move to Santa Monica and live on his own. Now, we aren't here to cast blame, but in Johnny's state, I can't imagine him living alone. And tragically, his move to Santa Monica went about as well as you can expect. One night in mid-February, a passerby walking on the beach in Santa Monica noticed something in the dark waves.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
When they got closer, they realized it was a man. He was fully clothed and walking deeper into the churning frigid waves. The witness actually helped pull him out of the water and called an ambulance that would rush him to the hospital. There, Johnny was treated for hypothermia and he was released.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Within just two weeks of this incident, he was arrested twice for increasingly bizarre and concerning behavior. On February 10th, he was arrested for punching a man in the face outside of a yogurt shop. And it was completely unprompted. For that incident, he was released on a $20,000 bail.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
But he wouldn't stay out of trouble because just days later on February 18th, Johnny was arrested once more for attempting to break into a woman's apartment. When asked by police, he told them that he believed it was the home of a friend. But again, after his arrest, he was let go on bail.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
As for their son, Johnny, he was the middle child, wedged between his older sister, Anna, and his younger brother, Eric. And while we normally begin stories about people who commit horrible crimes with a peek at a traumatic childhood, that wasn't the case with Johnny Lewis. By all accounts, he wasn't a monster mutilating neighborhood pets.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
There are millions of people around the world whose dream is to be widely known. People who want their names in the spotlight. Maybe they wanna sing, perform on Broadway, or maybe even star in movies. For a lot of these people, they will move to places like Hollywood or New York City, and they'll work for years to get their big break in showbiz.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Not only did they denounce the existence of mental health conditions in this paragraph, but they also compared taking antidepressants to brutal lobotomies, which 19.3 of adult US population does daily. We think it's fair to say that Johnny was in desperate need of treatment, whether that was medication, counseling,
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
or the two combined, which is the recommended course of action for people suffering with psychosis. Now, we aren't saying that everyone needs to be medicated, but in the documentary In Search Of, starring Johnny's brother, Eric, he states that his parents didn't believe in medication.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
And though Eric fought to put Johnny in the facility to keep him on the right medication and to keep him into treatment,
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
He wasn't starting fires or getting in fights with people, and he stayed out of trouble. All of those heinous acts would come much later. The little Johnny Lewis growing up in Sherman Oaks was beloved and kind, and he seemed to have a magical, almost magnetic quality about him.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
he claims that his parents wanted to keep him off the psychiatric medication but johnny's father denies this saying that he quote tried everything to help his son end quote but regardless johnny ended up at ridgeview ranch a now closed treatment center for substance abuse and psychosis
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
In line with the rules of Scientology that Ridgeview was affiliated with, there was no prescribed psychiatric medication at the facility. However, over the next few months, Johnny seemingly began to improve. In July, he wrote in his journal, quote, felt more whole today, more complete, like parts of myself had been stolen in my sleep and scattered all over the world.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
And now they've begun to return. I'm more determined than ever now. I'll face what I am. I'll face what I was." End quote. But sadly, it seems like that feeling didn't last long. In late July, Johnny went to trial for the aggravated assault at the condo in Northridge from the previous January. His attorney wanted to approach the judge with a proposal.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
If Johnny spent a year at Ridgeview, he wouldn't have to go to jail whatsoever. But at this time, Johnny wasn't in his right mind. He was confident that his case would be dropped because he believed he acted in self-defense. So he fired his attorney and decided to act as his own. But this of course didn't work out as planned.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Instead of receiving no sentence or simply going to Ridgeview, Johnny was sentenced to a year in prison.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
In his brother Eric's 2018 documentary titled In Search Of, Eric describes his older brother in a way that I'm sure many younger siblings can relate to. He said, quote, he taught me love and compassion and grit and pride and vulnerability. He taught me how to be a human, end quote.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
On September 24th, Johnny moved back into the Red Room, the same suite he had stayed in when his career was just kicking off. He told his friends and family that he wanted to settle down and start digging into his real passion, writing and poetry. He intended to work on his book at the writer's villa, but that never happened. And this is where we see some discrepancies in the timeline.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Now Johnny's father claimed that he was excited to go back to the writer's villa and that it was initially his idea. However, in the documentary In Search Of, Johnny's close friend Jonathan Tucker states that Johnny called him on the 24th the same day that he moved into the villa, and he asked if he could stay with him for a while.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Here is that voicemail from the documentary, allegedly recorded just two days before Johnny went on a murderous rampage.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Now this isn't touched on more deeply in the documentary, but to us, it was of huge importance. Jonathan's close lifelong friends were scared of him. So scared that they wouldn't allow him to stay in their home out of fear of their family's safety. They clearly saw him as a time bomb. And though we have many details about his behavior, we don't have all of them.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
How much worse was his mental health than what was released to the public? Now that same day, September 24th, Johnny's father reportedly called him to check in, but when he answered, Johnny was agitated. His dad said that he answered the phone angrily, quickly snapping that he was busy, and he demanded to know what his dad wanted.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
But shortly after their conversation, he began to calm down, and that was the last time Johnny's father ever spoke to his son. However, his brother hadn't spoken to him in several days.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
That day in autumn was September 26th, 2012. Dan Blackburn, the neighbor of Miss Kathy, had been watching out of his window, skeptically eyeing the disheveled looking man pacing up and down the road. This man, of course, was Johnny Lewis. He was shirtless and wearing nothing but a pair of jeans and bright red shoes. He was soaked with sweat and had a distant hollow look in his eyes.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
After pacing for about 15 minutes, Johnny approached Dan. He introduced himself as John, Dan's new neighbor. And then suddenly, he turned around and walked away. And in that moment, Dan had this sinking feeling in his chest. Something about their interaction was unusual. However, Dan brushed it aside. After all, artists were known to be a bit unconventional.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
So from there, he went on with his daily routine. But about a half hour later, Dan's wife, Gloria, began to scream. Not knowing what was going on, Dan ran through the house and found his wife on the patio with a look of horror on her face. He quickly looked out to see what she was looking at. And there he saw Johnny Lewis pinning a man to the ground. The man was a painter working on a nearby home.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
And horrifically, there was blood stained all over the worker's face and Johnny's fist. Dan watched as Johnny Lewis punched the worker in the face over and over again, pummeling him and throwing droplets of blood all over himself and the ground around him. Dan quickly rushed to the painter's rescue, throwing Johnny off of him. But in response, Johnny decked Dan in the face with a hard, fast punch.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
When describing the scene, Dan told LA Mag, quote, his expression was flat. his gaze distant, but he seemed to have supernatural strength, end quote. And Dan quickly knew that he was fighting for his life. When Johnny approached him again, Dan punched him in the face, but Johnny didn't even react. He didn't flinch. He didn't cry out. It was like hitting a brick wall.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Finally, Dan managed to get an upper hand by slamming a patio chair against Johnny. From there, the painter and Dan quickly raced into the house to escape. But as they tried to shut the door, Johnny threw his arm through the crack at the last minute. It was like a scene out of The Shining. And from the sounds of things... that's not very far off.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
In that moment, Dan the painter and Dan's wife, Gloria, repeatedly slammed their bodies against the door in an attempt to get it closed. But Johnny refused to move his arm, reaching for them like a madman. Finally, after four hard slams, Johnny pulled his arm out, allowing the Blackburns to lock their door and barricade themselves.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
From there, they frantically called the police, who had no idea what kind of horrific scene they were about to walk into.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
When detectives entered the writer's villa just moments later, it became very clear who had strangled him and that it was in self-defense. Now the first floor of the villa was pristine, lined with art and very organized. But the second floor was a wildly different story. As law enforcement walked up the stairs, they noticed broken glass littered across the floor.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
And upon entering the master bedroom, they found a grisly scene. The room was coated in blood. The walls, the bed, the tables, and the chairs in the room were all stained with crimson red. Every mirror in the room and in the bathrooms had been shattered into a million pieces. But in the center of the mayhem, lying next to her bed, was Miss Kathy Davis.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
And although Johnny's childhood was normal, in the sense that he grew up in a loving home, it was pretty different from other kids his age. In fact, at just six years old, his mother took him to his very first audition. And by seven years old, he had landed his first acting role. Now, we couldn't find much information about whether acting was Johnny's idea or his mother's,
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
At 81 years old, after being a Hollywood mom to hundreds of people, she had met a violent, terrible end. The coroner's report described the blunt force trauma as follows, quote, it fractured her entire skull and obliterated the left side of her face, leaving her brain exposed. Brain and tissue matter seen on the floor around her. Her face is covered in blood.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Her nose split down the middle and upper jaw is split open, end quote.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Upon further investigation, detectives came to believe that Johnny beat Miss Kathy with a rusty hammer that was found in his room. Horrifically, he then punched her repeatedly and strangled her with his bare hands. The beating was so violent and the injuries on Miss Kathy were so gruesome that investigators believe that Johnny had stomped on her head
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
after he suffocated her in addition to the brutal punches kicks and hits with the hammer she had four puncture wounds on her cheeks which were likely from a mechanical pencil found beside her body this was definitely overkill but why sadly as detectives continued to walk through the scene they also believe that they also found that after johnny killed miss kathy
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
he moved on to Jessie, her cat, who was constantly by her side as her loyal companion. It's likely that Jessie was in the room at the time of her attack. But to this day, no one knows exactly what set Johnny off. Miss Cathy was known to be kind to everyone, understanding, and above all, helpful. The two had never been seen arguing, there were never any screams heard coming from the house,
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
And both only had nice things to say about each other. As the media learned about the violent attack, it seemed as if the entire city was in mourning. And at the same time, they were enamored with the news. After all, Johnny Lewis was a famous actor. So how did he go from being on our TV screens to a violent murderer, especially to a woman like Ms. Cathy.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
The people who knew her spoke publicly about how she was essentially an angel. Actor Taylor Negron told magazine XO Jane that she was a quote, "'Hollywood legend, a near saint, and a kind and loving mother to so many.'" including me, end quote. And then there was the coverage of Johnny, and it was sensational and fueled with rumors. The following clips are from the Daily Buzz and Clevver News.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
but her support of his career would last for the rest of his life. His first acting gig was actually a video about escalator safety, and in it, he acted with an animated raccoon. It was obviously a small role, but it seemed to jumpstart a passion for him, because from there on out, throughout his childhood and prepubescent years, he was frequently casted in commercials, like this Pizza Hut ad.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
So what could have driven Johnny Lewis to commit this heinous act? Some suggest that it was just the brain injury. Others believe that Johnny already had an underlying psychiatric disorder that was worsened by the brain injury he sustained. According to an article published in the National Library of Medicine, quote,
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
once considered a largely benign phenomenon, is known to be associated with a range of affective symptoms, with suicidality, with worsening or new onset of several psychiatric disorders." And we've seen in many stories we've covered in the past how brain injuries can cause people to become violent,
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
down the road so is this what happened to johnny lewis we may never know but after the crime his family has worked hard to promote education about traumatic brain injuries and this story is just tragic all around johnny lewis had it all he was living out the dream that so many people would give anything to have but in the end he Fame, money, and notoriety clearly isn't everything.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Within a few short years, Johnny Lewis went from being a beloved actor to a violent killer.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
And before we end the episode today, we do have a shout out to two very special listeners of ours, and their names are Tess and Angel. I recently just connected with Tess on TikTok, and she told me that on December 9th, three years ago, she and Angel really bonded over our podcast. And just this past week, they got engaged. So congratulations, you two. We are so, so happy for you.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
And we just want to thank you for being loyal listeners for all these years. And we wish you a lifetime of happiness.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
¶¶
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Of course, being a teen of the 90s, Johnny was wearing his hair with some spiky frosted tips, which gave him the look of a classic teen heartthrob. This very look, in addition to his acting skills, caught people's eye and eventually propelled him out of commercials and into movie and television roles. His rise to fame started with a guest role in 7th Heaven.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
where he played a baggy pants-wearing, rap-listening teenager. And if you've seen any of Seventh Heaven, you know that it made him the antagonist of the episode. But then in the year 2000, Johnny took on a role as a straight-laced cadet in Malcolm in the Middle. And in 2004, he acted in several episodes of Drake and Josh, which is the first time I remember seeing him.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
He was the drummer in Drake's band. In one episode, he gets the band in trouble for his unique method of getting them all tickets to a show.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
But this was only the beginning for Johnny. He went on to star as one of the main cast members in the Fox sitcom, Quintuplets. And he also took a reoccurring role in the wildly popular teen drama, The O.C. Around this time, it looked like he was on his way to becoming a Hollywood staple.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
However, the reality is only a fraction of the people with this dream will actually go on to achieve it. As we know, the industry is pretty selective. So the stars that do make it big are the lucky ones. They have it all. Money, fame, nice houses, luxury cars, notoriety. But sometimes being at the top isn't all that it's made out to be.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Not only had he acted in some of the most popular shows of the era, but he had made some loyal friends and good connections while doing it.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Now remember, this was 2005. At the time, Katy Perry was an up and coming name, trying her hardest to make her mark on the world. After breaking away from the Christian genre that she had started her career in, she was wetting her feet in the world of secular music. From 2004 to 2007, she went to several different record labels trying to find a home.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
And like Johnny, she was exploring the impact she wanted to have on the world of art. And for around a year, they explored that together. Both Johnny and Katy Perry appeared on red carpets. They went to parties together and they attended many concerts over the years. And in all of the pictures of them, they're wrapped up in each other's arms.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
It's obvious that they were in love, but neither of them would have any idea that they were on the cusp of life-changing success. Now the couple would end up parting ways before either of them had their big break. They announced that they had separated by 2006 and the exact details on their breakup are still a little unclear.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
But years down the road, a source close to Katy Perry told ABC News that her song, The One That Got Away, was partially written about Johnny Lewis. Just in case you forgot what those lyrics are, it goes, "'In another life, I would be your girl. We keep all our promises, be us against the world. In another life, I would make you stay, so I don't have to say you were the one that got away.'"
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
The song was about young love, and whatever the reason was why they broke up, it's clear that they still shared a mutual respect for one another. However, neither of them would ever speak about the breakup publicly.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
And in the story we have for you today, you'll see just how true that statement is. In the early 2000s, actor Johnny Lewis was on his way to becoming a household name. At just 28 years old, he had already starred in the main cast of four popular TV shows, becoming a fan favorite character in the breakout hit, Sons of Anarchy.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
As season one wrapped up production and season two began, Johnny started to talk to the executive producer and creator, Kurt Sutter. In a 2009 interview with Alan Sepinwall of the Star-Ledger, Kirk stated, quote, "'Johnny wasn't happy on the show. Creatively, he wanted out of the contract. People are going to have their reaction, but I don't want an actor that's not happy.
Murder In America
EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
It's not good for the actor and it's not good for the show. I love Johnny.'" I'd work with him again in a heartbeat. But because Johnny was not happy with his role in Sons of Anarchy, the creator, Kurt Sutter, eventually sent him an email informing him that his character would be killed off. The email read the following.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Johnny's father would later say that his interest in quitting the show was purely creative and that it had nothing to do with anyone on set or his own love of acting. In an interview with LA Mag, Michael stated, quote, he told us he left because the show was getting into gratuitous violence. He didn't want to communicate that as an artist, end quote.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
Now, in hindsight, this statement is full of irony because the story of Johnny Lewis would soon end in violence. But at the time, He was so concerned about portraying violence that he left the most profitable and successful role of his career, one that most actors would give anything to have.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
He also walked the red carpets with his once girlfriend, pop star Katy Perry. But in late 2012... Johnny Lewis came in the spotlight for a very different reason. So this is his story. I'm Courtney Browen.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
But the home actually wasn't for sale. A woman named Catherine Davis had owned it since 1958, and she was only interested in renting it out. So when Johnny Lewis, the young and successful actor, came to tour it, she was happy to rent it out to him. Now, Catherine Davis was born in 1930 in Dallas, Texas, but she moved to Los Angeles in 1950 to attend UCLA.
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EP. 190: CALIFORNIA - Hollywood Celebrity Turned Ruthless Killer: The Tragic Tale of Johnny Lewis
At the time, only 21% of students attending college in the United States were women, and only 1.2% of all eligible women in America attended college. Ms. Cathy was unconventional, independent, hardworking, and a fearless woman in her early 20s, but she would remain that way for the next 60 years of her life.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Yeah.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
April was the period of...
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Before we get into this episode, I'm gonna give you an overview about this case. I know we already gave you a three part series on it, but it was many months ago. So just as a refresher, April Lynn Holt was a 29 year old living in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2023, she was building her career as a lash artist. She was a mother of two beautiful children named Serenity and Denzel.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
We were getting ready for... Jamie, do you promise you're just listening?
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
And she was also married to a man named Donovan Holt, who was Denzel's father. Now at this point, everything in April's life was going well for her. Everything except her marriage. For years, April and Donovan had had one reoccurring problem. and it had to do with their finances. Now, Donovan was a cook, but he had a hard time holding down a job.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Right. No. So they let you they kind of gave you the two options and they said, which one would you rather do? And that was.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Hello, everyone. Today's episode is an update episode. And sadly, it's not the kind of update we wanna give you. Now, if you haven't listened to our episodes about the murder of April Holt, which were episodes 177 through 179, You have to go back now and give those a listen or you will be very confused here.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
It is insane. And we posted about it just, like, a little snippet on our Instagram. Just, like, the results and everyone, like, hundreds of comments of people saying, like, I am so shocked. But at the same time, I'm not because of how they handled it from the very beginning. I was so... I think it's their way of, like...
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
And in July of 2023, April Holt got a call from her apartment complex, letting her know that she was being evicted because their rent wasn't paid. In that moment, April found out that Donovan had lied to her. He had told her that he had covered his portion of the rent and that it was taken care of when... It wasn't. And it was at this very moment where April had had enough.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
that's i was a murderer yes people get like drugged like weed charges you could have pot and you get more yes it is insane it's insane i cannot believe it so he will be spending two years in prison well he only has 18 more months oh yeah because it's with time served right So 18 months. And then he's going to be moving to, I had never even heard of what that other community corrections.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
That is insane. That is, there's no possible way that he could ever get custody of Denzel with the sentence he's under. Okay.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Oh, I know. And with how things have gone, he probably could have. Probably would have.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
She told Donovan that she wanted a divorce. Now they were still living together at the time, but April was done with him. She told all of her friends and family that she was moving on for good. She had even reconnected with an old boyfriend of hers. But tragedy was right around the corner, in more ways than one.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Yeah. Pretty much. Yeah, that's something that Colin really wants to talk about, too. Like in his the documentary that he's going to be working on soon. He like the way that the whole entire case was handled from beginning to end.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Yeah.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Tragically, in the days before April's death, she had met up with this man in Tennessee for a work obligation. And while there, he sexually assaulted her. Following the assault, she wrote in her journal, quote, I feel so ashamed, dirty, hurt. I'm physically hurting." April was clearly in a tough spot in her life.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Yeah.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
No, exactly. Also, you wouldn't even let anyone see that video because you were trying to protect the outcome of this case. Like when we covered the story months ago, like I was like, can I hear Donovan in that face? I can't, which totally, but I've never released it up until now.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Right.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Yeah.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
After he lied about it to your faces for months. Twice. Twice.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
And, like, not only did Denzel have to be around it, but then the mental games that Donovan was playing with him being like, you're talking to people. Yeah. It's your fault. He told him it was his fault. It's your fault we had to move.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
She was divorcing her husband and she had just been sexually assaulted, but the worst was yet to come. On July 28th, 2023, Donovan Holt told his seven-year-old son Denzel to go check on his mom, who was in the bathroom of their apartment. And when Denzel walked into the bathroom, he found his mother unconscious in the shower with a bag taped over her head.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Insane. And then the police are like, that's not. Not our problem.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Gosh. Well, that's again, I'm Colin. He gets way more views on his stuff than the podcast even does. We just appreciate you guys.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
We appreciate you, Jeremiah. We're so excited to share the story with even more people, especially now that we have more, it's more of a conclusion for lack of, you know, I think that, Oh, sorry. I think that, yeah, I just – Colin has so many people on his YouTube that will be just as outraged as we are and our listeners were.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
And I think now that we have the conclusion and it's so incredibly disappointing, it's like we are going to put these people on blast and –
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
good so that's actually a positive that's such great news especially because i think like the the medical examiner part of april's story is such another just huge fail in the system like how did you not see what happened to her the bruises it's because the detective went in there and put it in their head ahead of time exactly and then with all the false things with throughout the report of like websites things like that i'm like
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
And I can't believe that's not protocol already. Like that's crazy.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
From there, 911 was called and April was rushed to the hospital where she sadly succumbed to her injuries. And for the detectives in this case, their job was easy. After briefly speaking with Donovan, he told them about how April had just been sexually assaulted. He also lied and said that she had been drinking and doing a lot of drugs and that she killed herself that day.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
your impact statement, correct? Or no, you just didn't?
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
And surprisingly, they took his word for it. Investigators didn't even step foot in April's apartment until hours after she was brought to the hospital. To them, this was an open and shut case. Without hardly investigating, the lead detective even went into the medical examiner and told her that this was a suicide. And without a proper investigation, That's exactly what they ruled April's death.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
They said that she had died by suicide by taping that plastic bag around her head. But from the very beginning, April's mother, Jamie, knew that that wasn't the case. She knew that her daughter had been murdered. However, despite her efforts, no one believed her. For months and months, Jamie pleaded with investigators to take another look at the case.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
What about, so the grief center, that's, that was, it didn't end up working out. It was just costing us more and more money.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
I love that. And I think that that's, you can have a wider reach with that. We're doing it. We're doing the whole United States. That's beautiful. I think that is so good. And I, and you know, a door closing like that is just, it means that another one's going to open for you and it wasn't meant, it wasn't meant to be. So this is the final episode of our April Holt series.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
And like we mentioned, it's not the outcome that any of us wanted, but it's also the outcome that we all expected. After all, you can't really convict someone of murder when the police department in charge of the investigation didn't do a proper investigation. In our opinion, Donovan Holt got incredibly lucky. If April's case would have had a more competent department handling things,
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
And she was especially worried because April's son Denzel was still in the custody of his father, the very man that she knew murdered her daughter. But again, no one was listening. So finally, Jamie decided to take matters into her own hands. One day, she FaceTimed Donovan and she had a secret camera that was recording their entire conversation.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
we are confident that this outcome would have been different but you can't turn back time so all we can hope going forward is that april's case can make a difference in future cases that the police department will realize their mistakes and they'll do better next time so that no other family has to go through what april's family went through and that next time maybe justice will actually be served
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
And surprisingly, it's on that FaceTime where Donovan admitted to strangling April. Finally, Jamie had the evidence she needed. And after handing that video over to the police, Donovan was finally arrested. a whole year after April's death. Now, Jamie was happy that he was finally behind bars and that Denzel was now in her custody, but it wasn't all good news.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
But in them, we worked with April Holt's mother, Jamie Dickerson, to tell you the story about how a mother of two was strangled to death by her estranged husband, in 2023. The man in question is Donovan Holt, and he admitted to killing April that day. He also admitted to staging her death to make it look like a suicide.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
You see, when Donovan sat down with investigators a year after April's death, he admitted that he had lied to them. April hadn't died by suicide, he said. He had strangled her, but he said that it was an accident. This time, Donovan claimed that they were having sex and getting a little rough. He said he started choking her and at some point he looked down and April was unconscious.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Donovan said that from there, he completely staged her suicide. He put her in the shower, grabbed a plastic bag and some tape, and then wrapped the bag around her head. From there, he went out into the kitchen and he made his seven-year-old son Denzel some lunch. After eating that lunch, he then told his son, hey, go check on your mom. And Denzel did what he was told.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Donovan Holt not only strangled April to death and staged her suicide, but he made his own son find her body. Now, once again, when he told the police this story about choking her during sex, they believed him. And that's when they charged him with reckless homicide. But if you listen to our coverage of the episode, you'd know that we don't believe this was an accident at all.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
And neither does anyone who knew and loved April. According to all of April's friends, she was done with Donovan. They were estranged. She had moved on. Her loved ones all said that April wouldn't have been having sex with him that day. And to prove that even further, April had actually written in her journal that she and Donovan were not having sex anymore.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Another reason we believe that April was not killed during sex with Donovan has to do with the sexual assault she experienced before her death. Being sexually assaulted is an incredibly traumatic situation for anyone, and April made that very apparent in her journal entries.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
For most people, they don't even want to be touched afterward, let alone have violent, choking sex, especially when that person is their estranged husband. But despite all of this, Investigators believed Donovan's story, and they charged him with reckless homicide. Or maybe they didn't believe him. Maybe, because of their lousy investigation, that was the best they could do.
Murder In America
EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
In the last episode about this case, we left you with the news of Donovan's arrest. And for months, we have been patiently waiting for his sentencing, which just took place on February 18th, 2025. But unfortunately, his sentence was anything but justice. So in this episode, we are going to tell you about Donovan's slap on the wrist sentence.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
People get longer sentences for drug charges, and this guy took someone's life, whether it was an accident or not. We are incredibly disheartened by this sentencing, and we decided to set up an interview with April's mom, Jamie, and her husband, Jeremiah, to hear their thoughts on everything.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
But before we play that, we are going to play the never-before-heard footage of that FaceTime call where Jamie recorded Donovan's confession, the one that ultimately got him arrested. Now, last year when we were working on our coverage of this case, I had asked Jamie if we could use it in the episode. But because Donovan's trial was still pending,
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Jamie wasn't allowed to share it with anyone, but now that it's over, she wanted to give it to us. She was so overwhelmed by all of the support that our listeners gave her when we released these episodes. You were all so kind and supportive, and we truly do have the best listeners in the world, so she wanted you guys to hear it first.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
Now, in it, you're going to hear Donovan talking about his marriage with April, and he doesn't paint her in the best light. But I want you guys to take everything he says with a grain of salt. After all, this is the same guy who staged an entire suicide and lied to the police's faces for an entire year.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
So, he's proven himself to be a liar, someone who will say anything to keep himself out of trouble. We don't believe a word that comes out of his mouth, but... Without further ado, here is Donovan Holt's confession.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
We also sat down with Jamie and her husband Jeremiah to hear their thoughts on everything. And lastly, we are going to play for you the never before heard confession that Jamie herself got from her daughter's killer. So this is the update on the murder of April Holt. I'm Courtney Browen.
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EP. 192: TENNESSEE - The Confession: A Massive Update In The April Holt Case
I know.