Family forced to relive daughter's murder

CURWENSVILLE -17 years ago, Jessica Holtmeyer was convicted of first degree murder in the death of Kimberly Dotts, and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Now, Dotts's family is being forced to relive the past. A recent supreme court ruling could give Holtmeyer a chance to be released.

Jodi Dott's, mother of Kimberly "Kimmy" Dotts, said she has been fighting this for the past five years. In 2011, Holtmeyer filed a petition for a post conviction relief act. PCRA is a petition for criminals who believe they were wrongfully convicted or believe their sentence is unlawful. Holtmeyer's request was deemed untimely and denied.

But now, a new law gives her another chance at parole.

It was mother's day in Curwensville, 1998. Jodi lost her 15-year-old daughter in a grusome, violent murder.

Court records reveal Jessica Holtmeyer was one of several people who hung Kimberly Dotts from a tree with a rope, then beat her to death with a basketball sized rock. Holtmeyer was 16-years-old, tried, and ultimately convicted as an adult.

At issue, the Supreme Court's recent ruling in the case of Montgomery Vs. Louisiana, defeated automatic life terms with no chance of parole for teens tried as adults.

The ruling states that inmates, who as juveniles were ordered to serve life in prison, must be considered for parole or given new sentences.

"I don't think it's fair to the victim's family because she (Holtmeyer) got a life sentence," Jodi said. "We went in front of 12 jurors and they convicted her. She got life with no possibility of parole, so there should be not be a possibility of parole."

Jodi and her father were pictured in the New Castle newspaper, the city where the Dotts now live. Jodi holds a magazine article from 1998.

Jodi said she's received letters from the Clearfield County District Attorney's office and the State Office of Victim Advocate. The letter from the DA's office said the judges will not let the new ruling impact the sentence they would impose on Holtmeyer, who remains in the state correctional institution for women in Lycoming County.

"They still have the opportunity to go to the prison to hold her hand in visiting rooms and look at her in the visiting rooms," Jodi said. "I cant do none of that and i'll never be able to do that."

ncG1vNJzZmivmpawtcKNnKamZ56axLR7y6iamqRfm66utcuyZJ%2BnopiypXnTqGSrnZyew6Z5w5qsoKCkmr%2B0ecyuqZ2dog%3D%3D