District Judge Mike Nerren Tuesday sentenced Christopher Wayne Holder, 23, to life in prison without benefit of probation or parole for the Nov. 18, 2011, murder of his mother in the Stonebridge Subdivision in Bossier City.
The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Schuyler Marvin. A 10-2 jury in 26th Judicial District Court found Holder, who was 20 when the incident occurred, guilty of second-degree murder in the stabbing of 55-year-old Donna Holder inside their home in the 100 block of Stonebridge Boulevard in Bossier City.
Marvin says Holder will likely spend the rest of his life in the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola; however, that will be determined by the Louisiana Department of Corrections.
Donna Holder was a physician at LSUMC and was stabbed numerous times.
The case was investigated by the Bossier City Police Department. Numerous mental health experts testified at the trial on the matter.
Marvin acknowledged that Holder had mental problems but his plea of not guilty of reason of insanity was correctly rejected by the jury.
“Defense was asking for him to be found not guilty by reason of insanity,” Marvin said. “He had a long history of bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia, but in Louisiana, the defense has the burden to prove he was insane at the time the offense occurred. Just because you have been diagnosed with one of these disorders, you are not automatically exempt from your actions.”
Holder was diagnosed in 2006 with a bi-polar disorder, as well as other psychological problems – a subject that was a source of disagreement between his divorced parents. He allegedly was not taking his medication at the time of the stabbing.
According to police reports, Holder called police to the scene at approximately 7:15 p.m. Friday, November 18, 2011, saying his mother had been stabbed by an unknown assailant who had entered their home.
Police and fire department personnel responded and located the victim deceased inside the home. Marvin said she had been stabbed more than 90 times.
Marvin said Donna and Gary Holder, Christopher’s father, divorced largely because they disagreed about their son’s mental condition and medications, as testified by their divorce attorney.
“The father testified that he (Christopher) didn’t need to be on his medication … that the medication is what made him crazy,” Marvin said. “All the mental health experts testified that the medication is the only thing Christopher Holder can survive on. And the daddy wouldn’t let him have them.”
Marvin said the entire incident was “sad,” and during his closing statement, “I said, I wish I could be trying the daddy for murder. Sadly, in prison is the only place he can be assured he will get his medication,” Marvin said.
Donna Holder was the daughter of the late Leo and Marie Green of Minden.