The trial of a Caledonia man charged with his wife”s murder has been postponed until August.
Brian Holliman, 27, stands accused of the Oct. 25 murder of his wife, Laura, 24, at their home at 770 Wolfe Road in Caledonia.
Brian Holliman, who has been free on bond, pleaded not guilty in February.
Initially, Laura Holliman”s death — the result of a shotgun wound — was being investigated as a suicide, but investigators with the Lowndes County Sheriff”s Office became suspicious of the death.
According to officials, upon further questioning, Holliman admitted to the shooting.
Holliman was released on $1 million bond a few days after his wife”s death; his family had put up several acres of land to cover the bond.
But he was taken back into custody the next day, after local authorities were flooded with calls of protest from friends and family of Laura Holliman.
During a Nov. 25 2008 hearing, he was again released on a $200,000 bond.
The conditions of Holliman”s bond state he should have no contact with his wife”s family and must be at his parents” house from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. each day.
His second bond hearing came after a petition of writ of habeus corpus — ordering a person in custody to be brought before a court and placing the burden of proof on those detaining the person to justify the detention — was filed against the Lowndes County Sheriff”s Department.
Holliman was indicted for murder when the grand jury met in February.
Shortly after the shooting, Holliman told police he was outside with the couple”s three children when he heard the gunshot and found his wife dead.
After a four-day investigation and an autopsy, Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant and sheriff”s Investigator Eli Perrigin determined Laura Holliman likely did not kill herself.
The circumstances were not consistent with suicide, they said.
Holliman is represented by Steve Farese of Farese, Farese and Farese of Ashland.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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