An Illinois man who decapitated his pregnant ex-girlfriend in what has been described as a “savage” murder pleaded guilty last week to first-degree murder, intentional homicide of an unborn child, and concealment of a homicidal death.
DeUndreá Holloway, 25, was sentenced to 60 years in prison for killing Liese Dodd, 22, and her preborn child on June 9, 2022. Dodd was eight months pregnant at the time of her death. Holloway decapitated Dodd and threw her head into a nearby dumpster; her body was later found by her mother, Heidi Noel.
“This is a tragic outcome of a two-year on-and-off again domestic violence relationship,” Noel said. “This didn’t have to end this way; my daughter should be here raising her toddler.”
Though Holloway was arrested shortly after the crime, the legal case proceeded for several years as at first he was ruled mentally unfit for trial, then underwent treatment at a state institution for several months before the trial could proceed. Additionally, the state’s supreme court ruled during legal proceedings that Dodd’s preborn child could not be considered a victim for sentencing purposes. Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine explained that this ruling prevented Holloway from receiving a life sentence for the gruesome crime.
“The (Illinois) Supreme Court ruled that innocent life in the womb in this case was not a victim for the purposes of sentencing, and so that really removed our ability to secure that natural life sentence,” Haine said.
“For the family and loved ones of Liese, these types of issues have caused continued angst and uncertainty. This guilty conviction ends that,” he added. “Our hope is that this conviction and sentence provide the family and loved ones some assurance and will be a step toward healing.”
Homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant women, and in many cases, those homicides are the result of domestic violence. Pregnant women are more likely to die by homicide at the hands of their partners than to die by any other cause.
If you are a victim of domestic violence, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline, or call 1-800-799-SAFE.
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