In a tragic turn of events that stunned the community of Brunswick, Georgia, 64-year-old Carson Holliman, his wife, and their grandson were discovered deceased in their home on Wolfe Street on Sunday, June 18, 2017. Concern grew among fellow church members at Payne Chapel AME Church when the devout family failed to attend the regular Sunday service, a routine they seldom missed.
This uncharacteristic absence prompted a call to the Brunswick police to conduct a welfare check at their residence.
Upon entering the home, law enforcement officers made a grim discovery. Carson Holliman, his 63-year-old wife Vondell Holliman, and their 24-year-old grandson, Christopher Holliman, were all found dead. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation later confirmed that all three family members had been shot, and their deaths were being investigated as a triple homicide. The shocking news rippled through the quiet neighborhood, leaving friends and family grappling with the senseless loss of a family described as humble, kind, and deeply rooted in their faith and community.
The investigation into the triple homicide led authorities to a suspect four months later. In October 2017, Roger Lee Owens, then 22 years old, was arrested and charged with three counts of malice murder in connection with the deaths of the Holliman family. Investigators at the time suggested that the tragic event may have been a case of mistaken identity, a home invasion gone horribly wrong where the Hollimans were not the intended victims.
However, the legal proceedings took an unexpected turn nearly four years after the initial arrest. In June 2021, the murder charges against Roger Lee Owens were dropped by the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office. The decision was made after a key witness significantly altered their statement to investigators. Additionally, a knife that was initially believed to have been dropped by Owens at the scene was later determined to have belonged to one of the victims. Citing insufficient evidence, the prosecution could not move forward with the trial, and Owens was released from jail. The investigation into the deaths of Carson, Vondell, and Christopher Holliman remains unresolved, leaving a lingering sense of injustice for a family and community still mourning their loss.
