A South Georgia man entered a plea of guilty Tuesday in Lanier County Superior Court to the 2010 stabbing death of a Lakeland woman.

Richard Earl Holloman entered a negotiated plea of guilty to malice murder, felony murder, and aggravated assault in relation to the death of 55-year-old Robin Ann Graham, said Alapaha District Attorney Cathy Helms in an email to The Times.

Represented by public defender Melinda Ryals, Holloman made the plea to Alapaha Circuit Judge Howard McClain.

McClain sentenced Holloman to life in prison, according to the DA’s office.

“The felony murder and aggravated assault charges merged as a matter of fact into his malice murder charge so the only sentence was on count 1 (malice murder),” Helms said.

On Sunday, May 30, 2010, East Talley Avenue residents contacted 911 complaining of odors and requesting a welfare check for Graham. Police arrived and neighbors confirmed that Graham lived in the 818 E. Talley Ave., Lakeland, trailer,      according to reports.

Lakeland Police Officer Bart Hens arrived. The trailer was locked. Upon seeing a foot sticking out from under a blanket, a neighbor broke into the house. The neighbor let Hens inside where they discovered the body under a blanket. Bloody footprints covered the floor.

Graham had been stabbed 39 times. “Multiple sharp force wounds to the victim’s trunk and upper extremities” were the cause of death, Helms said. There was no electricity in the trailer.

The Lakeland Police Department called the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

While working the scene and canvassing the area, a man said that his roommate had discovered a bloody knife and a bloody shirt under their couch on May 28, 2010. These two men lived with Holloman, also known as D, and “Jersey.” Holloman had reportedly once lived with Graham. She had kicked him out and Holloman reportedly did not like being kicked out.

With a consent to search, investigators located the knife, shirt and other items. The blood on the knife and shirt later tested positive to belonging to Graham.

Other neighbors reported hearing yelling from the trailer several days prior to Graham’s body being discovered.

On May 31, 2010, the GBI interviewed Holloman who said he once lived with Graham before moving in with two other roommates.

“D (Holloman) later claimed he went to the victim’s trailer, used his cigarette lighter to see because no electricity in (the) trailer, then saw the blood and knew something was wrong but left without reporting or calling for help,” according to the narrative Helms presented to court Tuesday. “He claimed he accidentally hit the victim with his foot, and fell on the floor, but denied ever having a knife or harming or killing the victim.”

On June 1, 2010, Holloman took a polygraph test and gave a different account.

 “D said that on early Friday (May 28, 2010) morning, he was at the victim’s trailer and had some crack. He claimed the victim wanted some, but he refused, so she came at him with (a) knife which gave him a small cut on his finger. He then hit her in the face, which knocked the knife to the floor, and he then picked it up and stabbed her but didn’t remember anything after that. He did recall that the victim was making some noise so he covered her with blankets from her bed and then left with knife. He admitted wrapping the knife in his shirt and putting them under couch … He admitted he had seen the knife before … but denied taking it with him to the victim’s trailer.”

On Tuesday, in Lanier County Superior Court, the DA presented these events. Holloman agreed with them then entered his guilty plea.

Helms also praised the Talley Avenue neighbors for contacting authorities and helping police in the case.

“I would like to commend the Lakeland Police Department for their quick response and the GBI for their extremely thorough investigation which led to this guilty plea,” the DA said.

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