Illinois — A 25-year-old Illinois man will serve several decades in prison for decapitating his nearly eight-month-pregnant girlfriend inside her home and throwing her head in a dumpster.
Madison County Circuit Court Associate Judge Neil Schroeder sentenced Deundrea S. Holloway to 60 years in a state prison on Friday for the brutal murder of 22-year-old Liese A. Dodd and her unborn child in 2022, according to authorities.
Holloway had previously pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder, intentional homicide of an unborn child, and concealment of a homicidal death.
He was sentenced to 30 years for murder, 20 for homicide, and 10 for concealment, all to be served consecutively.
The sentencing hearing concluded Holloway’s long-running prosecution, after a court determined that he was mentally unfit to stand trial following an evaluation requested by his defense attorney.
Further complications in Holloway’s case included an Illinois Supreme Court decision that stated that killing a mother and her unborn child cannot be considered multiple murders for the purpose of seeking a life sentence.
“For Liese’s family and loved ones, these issues have caused ongoing anxiety and uncertainty. This guilty conviction brings an end to that.
Our hope is that this conviction and sentence will provide some comfort to the family and loved ones, as well as be a step toward healing,” Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine said in a statement announcing the sentence. “This case was difficult for everyone.
Clearly, it has been traumatic for Liese’s family. This resolution spared them the additional trauma of a trial. My heart goes out to the family, who have shown incredible strength, courage, and resiliency throughout this process.”
As previously reported by Law&Crime, at approximately 12:59 p.m. on June 9, 2022, officers from the Alton Police Department responded to a 911 call at a residence in the 3400 block of Bolivar Street regarding a possible murder. Dodd’s mother went to the house to check on her daughter, only to discover her headless body inside.
Dodd’s head was later found in a garbage can outside her apartment building.
Following Holloway’s arrest, then-Alton Police Chief Marcus Pulido stated, “What was observed, learned, and found was absolutely terrible.” “Every murder is terrible. I’ll never take that away.
But what happened to 22-year-old Liese Dodd, who had recently relocated to Alton, is beyond repugnant. It’s disgusting. It’s absolutely terrible what happened to her.”
Pulido claimed that Holloway and Dodd had a “on-and-off dating relationship” for about two years before he killed her.
“She was savagely killed,” he added. “She was decapitated.” A ferocious monster decapitated him. Her unborn child also died as a result of this.
So she, along with her unborn child, were brutally murdered. This daughter, this expectant mother, and her family were planning a baby shower for the end of June.”
Holloway must serve at least 52 years of his sentence before he is eligible for release.
