'Well, he thinks you're guilty of murder,' host Josh Mankiewicz told him. pic.twitter.com/efukTiHFsA. She was a graduate of 1997 Class of Elmore County High School, where she played in the band; she was saxophone section leader and also assistant drum major. This weekend is the first weekend he will spend as a free man in two years. Sunny. Madison Holton went to a neighbor and told them something happened at his parents house and that there was an argument of some kind. I couldnt live every day being mad. He is free to live his life. Holton was charged with his parents' deaths but in October the district attorney dropped the charges. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. And its Season 4 episode, Two Families, chronicling the brutal murder of husband and wife April and Mike Holton, examines the same concept. So there was no way April could have shot herself either. I just want to havea life again., Jesse Madison Holton talks after his charges are dropped. He, in turn, maintains that his father murdered his mother. New indictment handed down in Eclectic double homicide. He was placed in the Elmore County Jail. There were times that I felt so helpless. When Elmore County Sheriff's deputy left the home of Michael Holton at 4:48 p.m. on Sept. 11, 2016, it seemed as if a family crisis was subsiding. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! After hearing her call, he said that he jumped up, kicked the door open, and saw his dad with his mom in a headlock before he went screaming to the neighbors to get help. And soon, Michael became a firefighter, and the newlyweds started a family together, welcoming three children into their lives. Michael Holton was killed by a close contact wound at the base of his head. In addition, the parents were undergoing a divorce. But the authorities didnt find any evidence of a broken door, or anything else, that would corroborate his story. Your chance of being a victim of violent crime in Eclectic is 1 in 87 and property crime is 1 in 31. The area is not within the Eclectic Police Jurisdiction, and falls under the jurisdiction of the Elmore County Sheriff's Office.</p> Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin said Mike Holton called the sheriffs department and filed a complaint about the home being trashed following a weekend party. And April, she received a gunshot wound to one of her fingers on her right hand, consistent with a defensive wound. When we cant find the truth, it is impossible to do justice. He revealed in the release that there were three theories in the case, but not enough evidence to support a finding of reasonable doubt in either one: From the beginning, this case has been open to interpretation to what is actually the truth. But just 11 minutes later, one person was dead and another lay dying, according to ". There were several times I woke up in jail and thought I was in a dream. At the time, Holton told investigators that he gets 'easily agitated' if he doesn't have access to marijuana and Adderall. The station reported that the bullet entered the back left side of his (Mike Holtons) head and exited through the front right. According to The Montgomery Advertiser, testimony described the parents wounds this way: Mike Holton was shot in back of the head, on the left sidewith the bullet exiting the front of his head. Most people would be bawling their eyes out if their parents had been killed.'. And he has some relationships to restart, particularly his two younger brothers. Apr 29, 2023,01:00pm EDT. Jesse Madison Holton says he lived an unimaginable nightmare; police suspected him of murdering both of his parents, April Holton and Mike Holton, former mayor of Eclectic, Alabama. Azar said the most likely scenario is that Mike Holton shot April Holton, and then turned the handgun on himself. What better place to go? Madison Holton said, cracking a smile. pic.twitter.com/DlsuZncaz3, Dateline NBC (@DatelineNBC) April 18, 2019, District Attorney Randall Houston said in a 2018 news conference, Ive never been confronted with a situation like this where my prosecutor did not believe it was ethical to go ahead with the charges. When Elmore County Sheriffs deputy left the home of Michael Holton at 4:48 p.m. on Sept. 11, 2016, it seemed as if a family crisis was subsiding. The obituary says she was survived by three children: Madison Holton, Hayden Holton and Kyle Holton. Jesse Madison Holtons attorney told the Wetumpka Herald newspaper that he believes Mike Holton killed his wife and then himself in a murder suicide. There were times that I felt so helpless. They were not invited but knew of the party and met up there from Auburn and Tuskegee. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. He was a Little League Coach for football and baseball, a loving father and husband and a dear friend to all who knew him., One local family wrote on his funeral remembrance page, Mike was loved by all who met him. US tech billionaire's son Matt Baszucki found the low-carb/high Could a hormone spray reignite your love life? The sheriff added that additional charges against Cofer will be likely. The Eclectic, AL crime data displayed above is derived from the 's uniform crime reports for the year of 2020. After a search during which deputies took photos and confiscated drug paraphernalia, officers informed Michael Holton he could go to the juvenile probation office the next morning to sign a petition against his son, Franklin said. If Michael, a former Mayor, shot his soon to be ex-wife and then himself, he would have had to place the gun upside down and angle it with his left hand to make the second shot, which seems highly improbable. According to Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin, the sheriffs department responded to a home along Highway 63 around 5 p.m. Cofer was inside a nearby home stocked with guns. Jeffrey Cofer, 59, of Eclectic, was charged with attempted murder. I just thank God that he kept my head on straight through the whole thing. There were times that I felt so helpless.. He did not attend his parents funerals. "He's been adamant from the first day that I met him in 2016 that he is not the guilty party in this," Tom Azar, his defense attorney, said Monday. Defense attorney Tom Azar talks about murder charges against Madison Holton being dropped. Browse crime in Alabama by city, county, schools, and surrounding areas that display crime maps showing crime incident data down to neighborhood crime activity including, reports, trends, and alerts. 4,990. Jesse Madison Holton, the Alabama teen accused of shooting both his parents dead in 2016, is speaking out for the first time in years to maintain his innocence, Holton, then 17, was charged with murdering his parents Mike and April Holton (pictured all together) at their home in Eclectic, Alabama in September 2016. Part of the bond requirements were that I couldnt have any contact with them. Copyright 2022 WSFA 12 News. April Owenbys father and brother, Charles Owenby and Michael Evans, have publicly asserted their belief the deaths were a murder-suicide and that Michael Holton killed his wife, then turned the gun on himself. However, that never happened, as, eleven minutes after the deputy left, another 911 call was made, reporting a shooting at the Holton residence and the death of Mike and April. Crime in Eclectic, Alabama (AL): murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, auto thefts, arson, law enforcement employees, police officers, crime map All Cities Alabama, Alabama smaller cities, Alabama small towns Eclectic main page US Crime Crime rate in Eclectic, Alabama (AL) This young man amazes me. There was blood splatter, but none of it was on Jessethe evidence received was more consistent with Jesses story than with murder. And so, Jesse became a free man, and the case of his parents remains unsolved. When the officers started investigating this case, the very first thing they looked into was the trajectory of the wounds suffered by the Holtons. Did Madison Holton Kill Parents Michael And April? | Crime News When authorities arrived at the Holton residence the second time, Michael Holton was dead and April Owenby Holton was taken to a Montgomery hospital with severe head trauma, Franklin said. I pray for all (the victims) families. Son charged with murder in Eclectic shooting He argued that Mike Holton shot himself in the back of the head and was ambidexterous, allowing him to do so. On Monday, the charges were dropped and Madison Holtonpleaded guilty to violating the Alabama Youthful Offender Statute. Jesse Madison Holton. Low near 45F. 'When we cannot find the truth, it is impossible to do justice.'. He had just turned 17 when his parents. Investigators said Madison Holton told them he kicked down his parents bedroom door when his mom called for help, but authorities didnt find evidence of a broken door, according to WSFA-TV. April, who also suffered a head wound, died in the hospital the following day. When he was released on bond just a few days before Christmas, his first meal was pizza. He has no interest in doing that. 'Whenever things started to fall down, it just got worse and worse,' he said. Im not mad at the police. 1,578. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Killed in the shooting were Philstavious Phil Dowdell, 18, Shaunkivia Nicole Keke Smith, 17, Marsiah Emmanuel Siah Collins, 19, and Corbin Dahmontrey Holston, 23. I deeply pray for them and my heart goes out to them. April, who was near death on the bedroom floor, was put on life-support in the hospital where she died the following night. Who Is The Killer Who Shattered The Holton Family? | Shows The second thing that the investigators looked into, and quite possibly the most important, was their witness, the only other person at the scene, Jesse Madison Holton. Town Watch [Uncut] Eclectic, AL - Facebook Now 19, he is working to get his life back on track. The first call was in response to a call from Michael Holton and approximately a half-hour later to a call from Madison Holton. Majority of British public think Charles should not apologise for slavery, new poll shows, Even most republicans see no benefit in abolishing the monarchy, new poll reveals. Mike Holton was dead when deputies arrived. He seemed more concerned about missing homecoming, school and things of that nature, Franklin said. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. And it eventually resulted in his arrest. But just 11 minutes later, one person was dead and another lay dying, according to "Dateline: Secrets Uncovered," airing Wednesdays at 8/7c on Oxygen. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Aniah Blanchard, a 19-year-old college student from Homewood, was abducted from a convenience store in Auburn in October 2019. The designation of homicide has not changed. mother of Phil Dowdell and birthday girl Alexis Dowdell, Charging documents against Hill state that he, Travis McCullough and Tyreese McCullough. All rights reserved. #Dateline all new Friday at 10/9c on @NBC. The look of love! '11 Minutes' on Dateline airs Friday at10pm/9c on NBC. She's got a right Lotte cheek with tantrums, feisty remarks and bossing her brothers about. The pioneering heart operation that only takes an hour and doesn't leave a scar is performed on first Briton, Martin Lewis reveals how to get a cheaper supermarket shop and FREE food. And when April turned nine, she also went to live with her brothers at the Owenby household. But Franklin contended early in the investigation that Madison Holton had a self-proclaimed issue with becoming agitated if he had not used marijuana and Adderall. They got into a physical fight and Madison fled the house to get help from a nearby neighbor, who called 911. I dont know if hes just a weird kid, I dont know what it was, but he did some unusual things that led investigators to question what he was saying., In the end, though, the DA says the evidence they received was more consistent with Jesses story than with murder.. From everything that Ive been through I have no doubt in my mind that the sheriff will try to put me back in jail, Madison said, telling Mankiewicz hes considering one day becoming a defense attorney to help others like himself. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 1 Bestselling Single In America . If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Choose wisely! He served in the National Guard, Montgomery Fire Department, Alexander City Fire Department and Millbrook Fire Department and on the Air Evac Lifeteam, says his obit. Most accurate 2021 crime rates for Eclectic, AL. Mike Holton was right-handed and shot right-handed, so its not probable that he shot himself in the back of the head on the left side., April Holton received a gunshot wound to one of her fingers on her right hand, consistent with a defensive woundApril Holtons right hand was covering the top right portion of her head, where the bullet enteredThe medical examiner who performed both autopsies characterized the injuries at close contact wounds. Best Places to Live in Eclectic, Alabama You have permission to edit this article. Many people have told him he needs to sue the sheriff and district attorney offices for false arrest. April was also there because their sons rebellious phase was the one thing the former couple could agree upon without a doubt. Holton told deputies he was trying to discipline his son. However, that just turned them away from the theory of murder-suicide. Then Im going to my aunts Saturday for horseback riding and shooting, and I have a cousins birthday party Saturday. Investigation Discovery's 'American Monster: Two Families' unravels the mystery behind the murder of April Holton and Mike Holton, former mayor of Eclectic, Alabama, by examining their lives and the contradicting evidence at the scene of the crime, with the help of archival footage and one-on-one interviews with their friends, family, and the Dadeville Sweet 16 birthday party that left four people dead and 32 injured. Based on the unusual positioning of the bullet wound, the designation of homicide has not changed. They had pretty much reached their wits end, Franklin said. Plus, there is also the fact that Mike was already angry at April as he didnt want their marriage to end and that he had a drug problem, with narcotics already in his system that night. She later died from her injuries. The 10 Best Movies Added To Netflix In May 2023 - Forbes Under Alabama law, the crime of reckless murder is committed when a person recklessly engages in conduct which creates a grave risk of death to a person other than himself or herself and causes the death of another person. Investigators found Michaels DNA under Aprils fingernails and Michael had scrapes on his face, suggesting a possible struggle. I dont know why he has such a grudge against me. Told the sheriff thinks he committed murder, Holton said, He will think wrong for the rest of his life.. That evening, Michael called 911 claiming that his son, Jesse Madison Holton, then 17, threw a party with drugs involved and trashed his Eclectic, Alabama, home while he was at work. Mike said he would sign a juvenile warrant against his son the next day, and the deputy left on another call after collecting some evidence from the party. I just thank God that he kept my head on straight through the whole thing. April and Mike Holton's Murder: How Did They Die? Who Killed Them? New indictment handed down in Eclectic double homicide Holton will be arraigned in Elmore County on April 26, 2018. In October 2018, the Elmore County District Attorney Randall Houston announced that the charges against Holton had been dismissed. The deputy then left the home, only to return a short time later when the shots fired call came in. The separated couple was found dead inside Mike Holtons home, and it was their eldest son, Jesse Madison Holton, then 17, who was charged, as an adult, with first-degree murder in both their deaths. Madison Holton wants people to know hes neither angry nor bitter. Like, the people I slept with, like, what do they think about it right now? he asked in the call. A sheriffs investigator says that Madison Holton left his residence and told his neighbor that his parents were involved in a physical altercation. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information.
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