An Indiana man pleaded guilty to the murder of his girlfriend after stabbing her 51 times and attempting to dismember her body.
The incident occurred on July 24, 2021, at the Always Inn near Indianapolis, where the couple had been living together.
During the chaotic crime, Marcus Garvin, 33, became enraged after discovering text messages between Christie Holt, 30, and another man, mocking him for his lack of employment and ambition. When confronted, Holt denied the allegations, further infuriating Garvin. He stabbed her twice in the neck with a small knife. Despite Holt’s pleas for him to stop, Garvin continued the attack, repeatedly stabbing her in the neck and upper body.
Holt sustained 51 stab wounds, including fatal injuries to both jugular veins. She also exhibited defensive wounds on her hands, and a cut on her leg suggested an attempt to dismember her body. It took about 30 minutes for Holt to succumb to her injuries.
After killing Holt, Garvin struggled to dispose of the remains. He attempted to cut through the bone using a small sickle knife in the bathtub but failed. Garvin then tried to move the body with a grocery cart and a dolly but was unsuccessful. Six days later, he wrapped her body in a motel sheet and comforter, dragging it across the parking lot to a nearby creek.
Garvin’s actions drew attention of a motel desk clerk, who alerted the police. Authorities apprehended Garvin in his room. The room emitted a strong odor of decomposition, and officers found two knives near the bathtub.
During questioning, Garvin initially denied any involvement in Holt’s death. However, he confessed to the crime when confronted with surveillance footage showing him dragging her body.
Showing some remorse, Garvin said he misses his ex-girlfriend and still loves her, but that he felt he had no other option but to stab and kill her. He said, “she deserved it.”
Garvin was out on bail and wearing a GPS ankle monitor when he killed Holt. He had been arrested previously for stabbing a customer at a Circle K convenience store where he worked.
Gavin was sentenced to 45 years in prison.
