A man in Evesham, New Jersey, has been sentenced to 34 years in state prison for fatally stabbing his friend and his friend’s dog. Donovan Hollingsworth, aged 27, will serve 30 years for the friend’s murder and an additional four years for the dog’s death.
New Jersey man going to prison for killing friend and dog in 2022
On Feb. 5, 2022, the Evesham Township Police Department responded to reports of a dog attack at the Olympus Apartment. Upon arrival, they found the victim, identified as Thomas Pierson, with multiple stab wounds. He was dead by the time police officers arrived at the scene, as reported by NBC Philadelphia.
Additionally, police found Pierson’s Cane Corso, named Django, deceased on a stairwell landing. The dog, too, appeared to have been stabbed multiple times.
Investigations revealed that the culprit, Hollingsworth, had gone to Pierson’s residence intending to rob him. Thereafter, a fight between the two ensued. Tragically, this altercation resulted in Hollingsworth stabbing Pierson repeatedly.
When Pierson’s dog tried to intervene, Hollingsworth turned his knife on the pup.
According to the Courier Post, Hollingsworth called his father afterward, claiming Pierson “was striking him in the head and, at one point, got on top of him.” He also told his father that Pierson’s dog started attacking him, and thus grabbed a knife and stabbed the two before leaving the apartment.
Hollingsworth fled the scene after carrying out the fatal stabbings. Thankfully, authorities were able to locate him at an area hospital, where he had gone to receive treatment for minor injuries. Police took him into custody immediately.
This past Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, a jury deliberating on the case found Hollingsworth guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, third-degree cruelty to animals, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and, fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.
