Charles Holden

[Bleedingheart]

He picked up a man asking for a ride the passenger later killed his mom. he was later caught while in prison on a unrelated charge.

I have always believed there is more to the whole story, How would the killer know where he lived or that his mom lived next door over,

I think Holden may have left something out,not necessarily out of being an accomplice maybe he feels guilty he may have stopped off at his place and visited his mom with the killer and Holden and the killer leave and argue Holden kicked him out of the truck, Killer heads back to Holdens moms home where he is spotted leaving

[wiseguy182]

I don't think Charles Holden is guilty or has anything to hide. While his story does seem incredibly bizarre at first, several people at the restuarant came forward and confirmed that there was a man fitting that description asking for rides to the hospital. Charles, probably figuring that rural Delaware is the last place that would attract such criminals, decided to give him a ride as far as his desination took him. While the part about the criminal finding his mom's house seems too much to be a coincidence: Charles probably just drove him to an area that was near their house so he wouldn't be going too far out of his way. Charles lived next to his mother, so I can't imagine what motive he would have. I think it was just an unfortuante circumstance and that the killer was whacked out on drugs.

[GaryJ06]

yes, i belive this case happened in Georgetown DE or Bridgeville(45 mins to 1hr. from Ocean City, MD) I've passed through that town a number of times, and you are right...absolutely nothing seems out of the ordinary there, just a bunch of normal folks. But I do always think about this case when I am there, and I do believe that the killer was on drugs, and probably just found the house by happenstance, or they stopped for a minute at either home. Don't think Holden had anything to do with it.

[DALLASTEXAN!!]

I also find his whole story hard to believe. whether it is true or not that's just flat out creepy. Didn't he say he drove away from his house so the guy didn't know where he lived? I don't think any sane person(especially someone that close to his mom could brutally murder their mother like that.

[Kane]

Originally Posted by wiseguy182

I don't think Charles Holden is guilty or has anything to hide. While his story does seem incredibly bizarre at first, several people at the restuarant came forward and confirmed that there was a man fitting that description asking for rides to the hospital. Charles, probably figuring that rural Delaware is the last place that would attract such criminals, decided to give him a ride as far as his desination took him. While the part about the criminal finding his mom's house seems too much to be a coincidence: Charles probably just drove him to an area that was near their house so he wouldn't be going too far out of his way. Charles lived next to his mother, so I can't imagine what motive he would have. I think it was just an unfortuante circumstance and that the killer was whacked out on drugs.

I pretty much feel the same way. Besides, one of the interviewees in the segment noted that the blood evidence at the scene did not match Charles Holden.

By the way, here is 2007 article about Dorothy Donovan's killer, Gilbert Cannon, being sentenced to prison. It includes the police sketch, as well as the actual photo of Gilbert Cannon.

http://www.doverpost.com/PostArchive...ewscannon.html

[wiseguy182]

Originally Posted by DALLASTEXAN!!

I also find his whole story hard to believe. whether it is true or not that's just flat out creepy. Didn't he say he drove away from his house so the guy didn't know where he lived? I don't think any sane person(especially someone that close to his mom could brutally murder their mother like that.

yes, after Charles managed to ditch the hitchhiker, he drove in the opposite direction of their houses in order to throw off the hitchhiker. I think that the reason Charles dropped him off so close to their house in the first place is because he had no idea that would happen.

[DALLASTEXAN!!]

Originally Posted by wiseguy182

yes, after Charles managed to ditch the hitchhiker, he drove in the opposite direction of their houses in order to throw off the hitchhiker. I think that the reason Charles dropped him off so close to their house in the first place is because he had no idea that would happen.

ok now i remember. so obviously when he left the guy he wasn't too far from his house. that story was freaky. If he had drove back home he could of helped his mom or he could of easily been killed as well. just an unfortunate situation. that has to be one of the most weird UM segments i've ever seen.

[StackTime]

I get the feeling that Holden is innocent regarding his mother's murder, but there has to be more regarding the murderer reaching Donovan's home. I suspect that Holden either inadvertently revealed his name (perhaps to be found on a mailbox); or, he and the murderer were somehow related beyond strangers in a truck (drug deal?).

Or, perhaps, it was one absolutely terrible coincidence.

[CanadianGuitaris]

Though I have no idea, of course, my guess would be the suspect grabbed an ownership or insurance or something out of the truck. Still, I don't see how/why that extrapolates to murder. Nonetheless, a bizarre case, but it looks like it was solved.

[TheCars1986]

I always figured Holden dropped the guy off pratically right in front of his driveway. Since he was going home, he probably told the guy this is where I have to let you out. After he attacked Charles, the guy simply walked up the driveway to his mother's residence, unfortunately. I think Charles' story is 100% accurate, and I don't see exactly what he would have to hide. The killer was probably on PCP (or some other drug) at the time which would explain his bizarre, and brutal behavior.

[DetailsTellAll]

For some odd reason, I thought I heard that the authorities found out that Charles Holden hired the man to kill his mother and used the story as a alibi for his own innocence in the whole situation.

[TheCars1986]

Originally Posted by DetailsTellAll

For some odd reason, I thought I heard that the authorities found out that Charles Holden hired the man to kill his mother and used the story as a alibi for his own innocence in the whole situation.

I don't think this is true. For one when the man was caught he never said Holden hired him to kill his mother. He just said he was looking to break into a house that didn't have the lights on, which unfortunately was Holden's mother's house. Had Holden hired him he would have sang like a bird after being apprehended.

[Kane]

Originally Posted by TheCars1986

I don't think this is true. For one when the man was caught he never said Holden hired him to kill his mother. He just said he was looking to break into a house that didn't have the lights on, which unfortunately was Holden's mother's house. Had Holden hired him he would have sang like a bird after being apprehended.

Not to mention that Dorothy was murdered in a very brutal fashion, which is inconsistent with a contract hit. Hired killers don't spend that much time and effort killing someone. Instead, they kill their victims more efficiently.

[JannTosh]

what I love about this case is that the police actually relied on science and investigation to solve this case instead of just going after Holden based on "gut feeling". If only all police were like this!


Though I have a feeling Holden must have let slip where he lived to the stranger, it is the only possible explanation

[OldUMViewer]

Originally Posted by Kane

I pretty much feel the same way. Besides, one of the interviewees in the segment noted that the blood evidence at the scene did not match Charles Holden.

By the way, here is 2007 article about Dorothy Donovan's killer, Gilbert Cannon, being sentenced to prison. It includes the police sketch, as well as the actual photo of Gilbert Cannon.

recently saw this case on Mystery Detectives and remembered it from UM

Gilbert told the police he had been high on meth and marijuana and went to the first house he saw with the lights off - thinking no one was home.

until the police told he had no idea that the woman he killed was the mother of the guy who gave him a ride

eerily creepy weird coincidence

his DNA was in the database for exactly a week when it was found to bew a match to the bloody palm print on the night switch

found a transcript from another HLN show that did this story
http://livedash.ark.com/transcript/f...0_2010/364757/