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cover of episode TikToker April Holt’s Death Almost Went Unsolved… Until Her Mom Got Her Killer To Confess

TikToker April Holt’s Death Almost Went Unsolved… Until Her Mom Got Her Killer To Confess

2024/11/7
logo of podcast True Crime with Kendall Rae

True Crime with Kendall Rae

Key Insights

Why did April Holt's death initially go unsolved?

Initially, the police ruled her death as a suicide without thorough investigation, dismissing her mother Jamie's suspicions and failing to gather crucial evidence.

What role did April's mother, Jamie, play in uncovering the truth about her death?

Jamie refused to accept the suicide ruling and conducted her own investigation, eventually obtaining a confession from Donovan and pushing for a proper investigation by the police.

How did Donovan Holtz's behavior contribute to the suspicion around April's death?

Donovan's behavior, such as pawning April's wedding ring, giving her phone to Jamie, and leaving the hospital multiple times, raised red flags for Jamie, indicating he was hiding something.

What significant evidence did Jamie uncover that led to Donovan's confession?

Jamie discovered that Donovan's fingerprints were on the duct tape used to tie the plastic bag around April's head, which contradicted Donovan's initial story.

What are Jamie's plans to honor April's memory and help others?

Jamie is opening a nonprofit grief center called Grieve With Me, offering free resources and support to those experiencing grief, and raising awareness about domestic violence.

Chapters

Introduction to April Holt's life, her passions, and the circumstances leading to her tragic death.
  • April was a TikTok influencer with a focus on family, faith, and self-growth.
  • She was a dedicated mother to her two children, Serenity and Denzel.
  • April was in the process of divorcing her husband, Donovan Holt, when she was found unresponsive.

Shownotes Transcript

April Lynn Holt was a mother of two, living outside of Nashville, Tennessee, working hard to create a good life for herself and her family. TikTok was a huge passion of hers, and she began making content back in the pandemic and had garnered over 200,000 followers. Her content was mainly surrounding her family, her faith, and lifting other people up. She was really big on manifestations and elevating your life, so her content was a reflection of that. Her content also centered around her husband, Donovan Holt. However, in 2021 the two of them separated. It was an amicable decision, but eventually they decided to give it another go. But in July of 2023, April realized she no longer wanted to be with him. So that month she asked him for a formal divorce. 2 weeks later, her 7 year old son found her with a plastic bag duct taped to her head in their bathroom. Three days later she died. From the beginning, April’s mom Jamie knew there was more to the story, and she was right. She learned that Donovan had gotten into an argument with April, strangled her, and then staged it as a suicide. Through her hard work, April is on the path towards getting justice.

If you’re a victim of domestic violence and need help getting out, call the National Domestic Violence hotline: (800) 799-7233 or text BEGIN to 88788.

April's Tiktok: /_april_h   ) Jamie's Tiktok: / jamiedickerson22  ) Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...) GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-th...) Grieving Through Grace: https://www.amazon.com/Grieving-Throu... ) Higher Hope Foundation: https://www.higherhope.org/ ) Donate to NCMEC through my campaign! https://give.missingkids.org/campaign...  ) Shop my Merch! https://kendallrae.shop)

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