Donovan Hollingsworth is a convicted killer from New Jersey who was convicted of the murder of his friend and a dog
According to court reports officers received a report of a dog attack in Evesham New Jersey and when they went to investigate they would find the body of Thomas Pierson III who had been stabbed multiple times. Officers would also find the body of a dog who was also stabbed
Officers would investigate and soon the trail would lead to Donovan Hollingsworth who was a friend of the victim. Officers would conclude that Hollingsworth attempted to rob Pierson and everything quickly went wrong
Donovan Hollingsworth would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to thirty four years in prison
Donovan Hollingsworth Case
A 27-year-old Evesham man has been sentenced to 34 years in state prison for fatally stabbing a friend, as well as his dog, while robbing him in early 2022, Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw announced.
The sentence was handed down Friday in Superior Court in Mount Holly by the Hon. Terrence R. Cook, P.J.Cr., to Donovan Hollingsworth, who was convicted by a jury in August.
After deliberating for just over an hour, the panel returned guilty verdicts on charges of Murder (First Degree), Robbery (First Degree), Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Third Degree), Cruelty to Animals (Third Degree) and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Fourth Degree).
Judge Cook ruled Friday that Hollingsworth must serve 30 years in prison with no parole eligibility for the murder, then serve an additional four years for killing the dog.
The investigation began the morning of February 5, 2022, when officers from the Evesham Township Police Department responded to the Olympus Apartments on Baker Boulevard for a report of a possible dog attack on a resident. When officers arrived, they discovered Thomas Pierson III, 26, of Evesham, dead inside his home with multiple stab wounds.
The victim’s dog, a Cane Corso named Django, was found dead – also with stab wounds – on a stairwell landing. The investigation found that Hollingsworth went to Pierson’s apartment with the intention of robbing him, but an altercation occurred, during which Hollingsworth stabbed Pierson and Django.
Hollingsworth fled and was later taken into custody by Evesham Township police officers at the emergency room of Virtua Voorhees Hospital, where he had gone for treatment of minor injuries.
The investigation was conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office and the Evesham Township Police Department. The lead investigators were Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office (BCPO) Detective Sergeant Brian Cunningham and Evesham Township Police Detective Joseph Magnus. Hollingsworth was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutors Bob VanGilst and Jasmine Bealor. Assistant Prosecutor VanGilst supervises the BCPO Major Crimes Unit.
Donovan Hollingsworth News
A 27-year-old man will spend more than three decades behind bars for killing his friend and the victim’s dog in 2022.
Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia Bradshaw announced Tuesday, Feb. 13, that a judge sentenced Donovan Hollingsworth to 34 years in state prison in connection with the stabbing death of his friend Thomas Pierson III, 26, as well as his dog, a cane corso named Django.
A jury convicted Hollingsworth in August 2023 of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, cruelty to animals, and unlawful possession of a weapon.
Hollingsworth was given 30 years without parole eligibility for the murder charge and four years for fatally stabbing the dog.
On Feb. 5, 2022, Evesham Township Police officers responded to the Olympus Apartments on Baker Boulevard in reference to a possible dog attack. At the scene, police found Pierson dead with multiple stab wounds. Law enforcement officials also reportedly found Django deceased with apparent stab wounds on a stairwell landing.
Investigators determined Hollingsworth went to his friend’s home to rob him when they got into a fight. During the altercation, Hollingsworth stabbed Pierson and Django before fleeing the scene.
Police later took Hollingsworth into custody at a hospital, where he underwent medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.