Affidavit Reveals Timeline of Police Arrest in Child's Murder
By: Cassidy Hodges
Updated: November 28, 2012
Zachary Holly, decked in stripes and chains, makes his way into a Benton County Courtroom just eight days after police found the body of six year old Jersey Bridgeman.
"It's really sad, I don't know what to think right now. It's heart-breaking. You know, what do you do, when there's a little girl, and it's a friend of yours? It's sad," says April Reed, who knew both the Bridgeman and Holly families.
The 28-year-old is now facing several charges: rape, capital murder, kidnapping and residential burglary.
"My reaction to the rape charge was 'wow, how could you do that?' It's really kind of sickening. I can't believe I even knew him," says Reed.
In court Wednesday, the prosecutor presented a probable cause affadavit, detailing the evidence they had for arrest.
A portion of that document was released to the public, bringing more insight into what happened to little Jersey Bridgeman.
According to the affidavit, Zach Holly and his wife Amanda were baby-sitting Jersey and her little sister while their mom was at work last Monday night.
DesaRae Bridgeman picked up both kids at 11 p.m.
They were asleep, so Zach Holly carried Jersey home while DesaRae carried her other little girl.
"They were family friends, they lived near each other and helped each other out, and she trusted him." says Reed.
Holly told investigators he went back home and woke up with an upset stomach around 3:30 a.m., so he walked to the EZ Mart to get medicine.
Holly says he returned home right after.
He denied having anything to do with Jersey's disappearance and he didprovide DNA to investigators.
Then on monday morning, November 26th, the state medical examiner's office concluded their report, finding DNA on the little girl's body and ruling her death as asphyxia.
"I never imagined he would ever, ever do anything like this," says Reed.
In the portion of the affidavit released to the media it does not specify if that DNA matched Holly's.
But it does say that police then brought Zach Holly in for questioning and that after Zach gave a statement - he was arrested for the murder of Jersey Bridgeman.
"Honestly, more justice will probably be served in Benton County. As reports showed, he was beaten this morning and I don't think it's going to be the last," says Tracie Seals, a friend of the Bridgeman family.
