Vernon Parish Sheriff Department reopens a cold case from 2014

NOVEMBER 23, 2013- Sheriff Sam Craft of the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office announces that the VPSO Cold Case Team has reopened a cold homicide case relating to murder victim, Danny Holt, 38, of Leesville.

On Saturday, November 23, 2014 at shortly after 10:00 a.m. VPSO was contacted by the Vernon Parish E911 in relation to a suicide.

The 911 caller indicated that her boyfriend had just shot himself.

Deputies and Detectives responded to a residence located on Section Line Road. Inside the residence Detectives located a deceased male subject later identified as Danny Holt.

The 911 caller had left the scene but was located at a family member’s residence next door.

Detectives and personnel from the Vernon Parish Coroner’s Office processed the scene.

Detectives conducted interviews with the victim’s girlfriend who identified herself as the 911 caller.

During the course of the interview the victim’s girlfriend advised Detectives that she and Holt had been in a verbal altercation when Holt retrieved a Winchester Model 9422 .22 caliber lever action firearm from within the residence.

Holt’s girlfriend then indicated that Holt placed the barrel of the weapon under his chin and pulled the trigger.

The girlfriend’s clothing was collected and sent for forensic examination. Also, gun powder residue swabs were collected from her hands and sent for forensic analysis.

A forensic pathology examination of Holt’s body determined that Holt had suffered a gunshot wound to the back of his skull in close proximity to the back of his ear.

A forensic examination of the clothing and blood spatter evidence at the scene indicates that Holt was standing over a chair in which his girlfriend was sitting at the time he was shot.

Forensic data concludes that the weapon used in the murder was fired from a short distance and was not a contact wound beneath Holt’s chin as the witness had indicated to Detectives and in the 911 call.

Gun powder residue tests concluded that the female did not have any gun powder residue on her hands.

Expert analysis of the blood spatter concluded that Holt was shot in the back of the head while he was facing his girlfriend.

When struck Holt immediately fell to the floor thus providing his girlfriend with a unobstructed view of the shooter.

Measurements taken of the length of Holt’s arm and the length of the firearm made it physically impossible for him to inflict the fatal wound to himself.

Experts also noted that the trajectory of the projectile clearly showed that the end of the firearm was distant to the wound.

Throughout the investigation Holt’s girlfriend has continually insisted that Holt committed suicide which is in direct contrast to the physical evidence.

Holt’s girlfriend has proved uncooperative in the investigation and Detectives have no doubts that she knows the identity of Holt’s killer but has continually refused to identify the person responsible for the murder. Holt’s girlfriend has continually insisted that she and Danny were alone in the residence at the time of the incident.

The only witness, other than the shooter, has continued to refuse to do the right thing.

Danny Holt’s mother is 83 years of age and deserves to have justice served for the murder of her son.

Danny was a son, a father, and a friend to many. Danny was a social person and enjoyed playing music.

VPSO is asking that anyone with information regarding this murder contact Detective Jerry Twyman or Detective Rhonda Jordan at 337-238-1311.