Man receives 34-year prison sentence for fatal stabbing of friend and dog during robbery attempt

EVESHAM, NEW JERSEY: A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to more than three decades in prison for the murder of his friend and the friend's dog in 2022.

On Tuesday, February 13, Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia Bradshaw announced that Donovan Hollingsworth had been sentenced to 34 years in state prison. This sentence was in connection with the brutal stabbing death of his 26-year-old friend, Thomas Pierson III, as well as the killing of Pierson's dog, a cane corso named Django.

Why did Hollingsworth kill his friend? 

On February 5, 2022, at approximately 9:15 am, officers responded to a call at the Olympus Apartments on Baker Boulevard in Evesham Township, New Jersey. The call reported a dog attacking a resident, officials said, per NBC . 

Upon arrival at the scene, officers from the Evesham Township Police Department discovered Pierson deceased within his residence, having sustained several stab wounds.

Additionally, on a stairwell landing, Pierson's dog, a Cane Corso named Django, was found dead from multiple stab wounds.

According to charging documents obtained by Oxygen, an upstairs neighbor informed authorities that he had heard "commotion and banging" shortly before the fatal knife attack occurred.

The portal also outlined that Thomas Pierson was an aspiring writer and solar energy salesman. Additionally, the victim had adopted his dog, Django, in September 2020. Police noted that the hefty pet weighed over 100 pounds.

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 had the intention to rob his friend 

During the investigation, officials uncovered that Hollingsworth had gone to see Pierson with the intention to rob him. At some point, a scuffle ensued, leading Hollingsworth to stab both Pierson and the dog.

Subsequently, Hollingsworth fled the scene and attempted to escape to a neighboring hospital. However, he was apprehended by authorities.

The investigation was facilitated by the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office and the Evesham Township Police Department.

Hollingsworth was sentenced to a total of 34 years in prison without parole. This included a 30-year term for the murder charge and an additional 4 years for the fatal stabbing of the dog.