MARSHALL COUNTY, Ala. – An Alabama woman has been sentenced to nearly 100 years in prison on charges including sodomy and bestiality.
Holly Deboard, who pleaded guilty to two felonies – sodomy and sexual torture – and a misdemeanor back in July, has been sentenced to 99.5 years in prison; two concurrent 99-year terms on the felony charges and six months on the bestiality charge.
All charges stem from an incident that happened in Guntersville in 2020 involving Debord and 53-year-old Van Christopher Havis.
Investigators told News 19 that a video was shared with community members through Facebook messenger, text messages, and e-mail.
“This is one case that was just physically repulsive,” Assistant Marshall County District Attorney and lead prosecutor Jennifer Bray said. “You know, it made your stomach churn watching these videos. It is so violent and so aggressive. And what they’re doing to this victim, again it’s just awful. Words can’t describe it.”
Marshall County District Attorney Everette Johnson said at the time that it was, “one of the most disturbing and offensive, the facts of this case as I’ve been involved in criminal law for a long time.”
Judge Chris Abel said the graphic nature of the video shared in court Wednesday contributed to his issuing of the sentence.
As part of a plea deal, other charges Debord was facing were dropped.
“Anytime you can prevent more people from witnessing the kind of trauma that (was) endured, I think anybody would be happy with that result,” Bray said.
