All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
WEST MONROE, La. (KTVE/KARD) — A suspect in the homicide investigation where a New Iberia woman’s remains were found in the Ouachita River has been arrested.
On January 24, 2024, the partial remains of a female body were found in the Ouachita River in Catahoula Parish by a local boater. An autopsy was ordered by Coroner Raymond Rouse and the unidentifiable remains were taken to Broussard, La, on January 25, 2024, where DNA and toxicology tests were also done.
According to officials, while searching for missing persons in an attempt to identify the remains, detectives cameacross a lead of a missing person by the name of Sheryl Turner, a 19-year-old female from New Iberia, La. who fit the description of the body that detectives located. Turner was reported missing by her twin sister, Sherry Turner, stating that she had left to go to Monroe, La. on her own with a black male subject that no one knew.
Authorities confirmed that Sherry was willing to give a DNA sample to match or rule out if the remains were Sheryl Turner. On January 30, 2024, Detectives spoke to Sherry Turner and she wanted to meet at her father’s house at approximately 10:00 AM on Wednesday, January 31, 2024.
Detectives traveled to New Iberia and learned that she was admitted to the hospital. After meeting with Sherry Turner’s parents, detectives were able to go to the hospital with the assistance of the New Iberia Police Department to collect the DNA, which was submitted to the crime lab the same day.
While in New Iberia, detectives also spoke with Jerone Isiah Tines, whom Sheryl stayed with for a while. Sheryl had confided in Tines that she was going to Monroe and he took Sheryl to her mother’s house on January 1, 2024. Sheryl then texted him when she made it to Monroe, but there was no further contact with him after January 2, 2024.
On February 1, 2024, Catahoula Parish detectives were in a boat with a cadaver dog for several hours in the Ouachita River and the dog alerted them in three locations. The next day, detectives went back and scanned the areas with a live scope the dog alerted to, but waters were moving too fast to send divers, according to authorities.
On February 21, 2024, Catahoula Parish detectives were contacted by the Shreveport Crime Lab, stating that DNA swabs from both the mother and father of Sherry Turner could be used to confirm or rule out Turner. The next day Catahoula Parish detectives traveled back to New Iberia to collect the requested DNA swabs and delivered these swabs to the North Louisiana Crime Lab in Shreveport, La. to submit the reference samples for comparison.
Verbal confirmation was given to the Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office at approximately 3:40 p.m. on February 23, 2024. Chief Deputy Ben Adams and Detective Dewain Littleton traveled to the home of Michael Turner, Sheryl’s father, and gave victim notification in person to the family, according to officials.
On April 19, 2024, detectives of the West Monroe Police Department were assigned to the homicide investigation. During the investigation, authorities learned that the victim engaged in a relationship with Anthony Pierce Holland, Jr. of West Monroe, La. The victim and Holland exchanged messages that mentioned Holland picking up the victim from New Iberia.
According to court documents, detectives learned that Holland made contact with the victim on January 1, 2024, and picked her up from her mother’s residence in a black 2023 Toyota Corolla. Holland then returned to Ouachita Parish with the victim.
Phone records show the victim’s phone stopped transmitting via TextNow on January 2, 2024, at 11:26 PM. The Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office learned that the victim’s phone was connected to wifi near Holland’s home on Trenton Street in West Monroe.
During the investigation, Holland’s vehicle was seen on traffic cameras in an area near the location where the body was found four days before the discovery of the victim’s remains. According to court documents, medical examiners confirmed that the duration of time in which the remains were in the river was consistent with the timeframe when Holland’s vehicle was seen on the traffic cameras.
The autopsy report indicated that the victim was allegedly sexually assaulted by Holland and her neck was broken. On April 23, 2024, Holland was located by West Monroe Police and taken into custody for an interview.
Authorities reportedly seized a Nokia Android Device from his person when he was contacted by officials. Detectives obtained a search warrant for Holland’s apartment.
During the interview, Holland allegedly admitted to picking the victim up in New Iberia and he stated he brought the victim to his home where they planned to engage in a relationship. Although Holland gave multiple different statements, he admitted that he committed the victim’s sexual abuse injuries.
Holland also allegedly admitted that he killed the victim inside his apartment during a sexual act. After Holland realized the victim was deceased, he reportedly dismembered the victim with a large kitchen knife.
Holland then allegedly placed the victim’s remains in plastic bags and a duffel bag, driving the remains to a body of water that feeds into the Ouachita River. He allegedly disposed of the knives that he used to dismember the victim and the victim’s property.
During the search warrant, authorities observed multiple blood spots in the apartment. The spots were located on the mattress and floor in the bedroom.
Holland was charged with Second-Degree Murder and he was not granted a bond after appearing in the 4th Judicial District Court on April 24, 2024. He is expected to return to court on Friday, April 26, 2024.
In a Facebook post, Catahoula Parish Sheriff Toney Edwards said he would like to commend everyone who helped in this case.
I send my heartfelt condolences to the Turner family and ask the community to keep their family in your prayers.
Catahoula Parish Sheriff Toney Edwards
