Sheryl M. Turner, a 19-year-old from New Iberia, Louisiana, tragically lost her life after being reported missing earlier this year. Her body, found dismembered in the Ouachita River on January 24, led to the arrest of Anthony Pierce Holland Jr., a 29-year-old man she had met online.
The Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Department confirmed that Turner last saw her family on December 31, 2023, before Holland picked her up and brought her to his home in West Monroe. The pair had developed a romantic relationship through the TextNow app. Turner had informed her family that she intended to stay with Holland.
On the night of January 2, Turner’s mobile phone ceased transmitting signals, and by January 3, she was officially reported missing. It was not until nearly three weeks later that a distressing discovery was made—a body floating in the Ouachita River, which was soon identified as Turner’s. The remains retrieved were just a torso, with no head or extremities, prompting authorities to classify the case as a homicide following an autopsy.
Her twin sister Sherry said in a GoFundMe campaign that after Turner was reported missing on January 3, expressing that “as the days went by we knew something was wrong.”
In a bid to confirm the identity of the remains, authorities employed DNA from Turner’s twin sister, Sherry, leading to a positive identification on February 23. Surveillance footage and forensic evidence gathered during the investigation pointed to Holland as a prime suspect, culminating in the issuance of a search warrant for his residence on April 23.
During police interviews, Holland confessed to the murder of Turner inside his home, admitting to dismembering her body and disposing of it in a body of water that feeds into the Ouachita River. An autopsy showed she had been sexually assaulted and had her neck broken.
Holland was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. He is currently held at the Ouachita Correctional Center.
Turner was remembered in her obituary as a “shining light” with a loving personality that “radiated through her beautiful smile.” Her death has shocked the community and underscored the risks associated with online relationships.
This case highlights the intersection of crime and technology, particularly the dangers inherent in forming relationships with strangers online.
