Cherokee County man convicted of violent domestic assault
Larry Ray Holt. Photo courtesy of Cherokee County District Attorney's Office
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. - A Cherokee County jury has convicted a Woodstock man on multiple charges stemming from a violent domestic incident that came to light after a child called 911.
What we know:
District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway announced the conviction of 47-year-old Larry Ray Holt on charges including kidnapping with bodily injury, family violence aggravated battery, family violence battery, cruelty to children in the third degree, and obstruction of an officer. The verdict was delivered on May 22 following a three-day trial in Superior Court Judge Shannon Wallace’s courtroom.
The charges followed a July 3, 2024, incident when deputies from the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic disturbance at Holt’s home. A child inside the residence had called 911, prompting the emergency response.
When deputies arrived, Holt greeted them on the front porch and denied any wrongdoing, claiming the family was asleep. However, deputies observed a puddle of blood through the open door and entered the home, where they found a woman with severe facial injuries and signs of a struggle throughout the house. The victim was treated at the scene by Cherokee Fire & Emergency Services and later transported to Northside Cherokee Hospital. Medical personnel documented a laceration above her right eye along with multiple contusions and hematomas on her scalp.
Holt was arrested at the scene but reportedly resisted and failed to comply with deputies.
During the trial, which began with jury selection on May 16, the prosecution presented testimony from 10 witnesses, including the victim, the child who placed the 911 call, a forensic interviewer, a domestic violence expert, a crime scene technician, and responding officers. Over 200 pieces of evidence were introduced, including graphic photographs of the victim’s injuries, 911 audio, and body camera footage.
The victim testified that Holt repeatedly punched, kicked, and dragged her, at one point pulling her by the hair down the basement stairs. Holt testified in his defense, claiming the woman’s injuries were the result of an accidental fall.
After nearly two days of deliberation, the jury returned guilty verdicts on five of nine counts. Sentencing will be determined at a later date.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ashe of the Domestic Violence Unit and investigated by the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office.