In May of 2018, the life of 39-year-old Amber Marie Holliman was tragically cut short in her Sandy Springs, Georgia, home. A loving mother to her 18-year-old daughter, Payton, Amber was known for her vibrant spirit and the deep, lasting friendships she cultivated. She had built a life for herself and her daughter in the Atlanta area, where she was a well-regarded member of the service industry, known for her sharp humor and loving counsel.
The horrific events unfolded on Saturday, May
26, 2018, when firefighters responded to a house fire on Hammond Drive. Inside the burning home, they discovered Amber's body. However, the fire was not the cause of her death. The Fulton County Medical Examiner later determined that Amber Holliman died from blunt force trauma and a gunshot wound to the head, ruling her death a homicide. Investigators quickly identified the fire as an act of arson, intended to conceal the brutal crime.
The prime suspect in the murder and arson was identified as Amber's 43-year-old ex-boyfriend, Patrick 'P.J.' Nolan. The day after the fire, Sandy Springs police issued warrants for his arrest on charges of murder, aggravated assault, and first-degree arson. A $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to his capture as a manhunt ensued. Nolan's last known location was reported to be in southern Louisiana. The search for Nolan, however, came to a somber end on June 1, 2018, when he was found dead from an apparent suicide in a hotel in Gonzales, Louisiana.
Amber's death left her daughter, who had just graduated from high school days before her mother's murder, in an unimaginably difficult position. The community rallied around the young woman, creating a GoFundMe to provide financial support in the wake of her profound loss. Amber Holliman was remembered by her family and friends as a person full of life and independence who touched countless lives. A funeral service was held for her on June 9, 2018, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
