A Cherokee County jury found Larry Ray Holt, 47, guilty of kidnapping and assaulting a woman during a violent domestic dispute that required a child to call 911 for help. The conviction follows a three-day trial detailing injuries prosecutors called “brutal and deliberate.”

What We Know: Holt was convicted May 22 on five charges, including kidnapping with bodily injury and cruelty to a child, after a jury heard testimony from the victim, first responders, and experts. The July 3, 2024, attack began when deputies responded to a 911 call from a child and found a bloodied living room floor and a woman with a deep eye laceration, scalp bruises, and blood-soaked clothing. Body camera footage showed Holt initially lying to deputies about the altercation before they entered the home.

The victim testified that Holt punched, kicked, and dragged her by her hair down basement stairs. Prosecutors presented 200+ exhibits, including photos of injuries and 911 audio. Holt claimed the injuries resulted from an accidental fall but was the only defense witness.

By The Numbers

  • 5 guilty verdicts out of 9 total charges
  • 3 days of trial testimony
  • 10 prosecution witnesses, including a domestic violence expert
  • 200+ exhibits submitted as evidence

🗂️ Domestic Violence Stats: A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that between 2003 and 2014, about 55% of all female homicides in the U.S. were related to intimate partner violence.

Take Action
If you or someone you know needs help:

  • Call the 24/7 National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233
  • Cherokee Family Violence Center: 770-479-1703 (crisis line)
  • Secure emergency protective orders at Cherokee County Courthouse, 90 North St., Canton

Holt remains jailed awaiting sentencing. Prosecutors say he faces up to 40 years in prison.

A Cherokee County jury found Larry Ray Holt, 47, guilty of kidnapping and assaulting a woman during a violent domestic dispute that required a child to call 911 for help. The conviction follows a three-day trial detailing injuries prosecutors called “brutal and deliberate.”
B.T. Clark
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B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.