Kingman Murder

Kingman still believes it is a small town, desperately trying to retain that close knit, everybody-knows-everybody mentality, all the while the population has exploded and crime is on the rise. Murder, in particular, is so rare there that it cripples the community when it does occur. Sadly, two people hubby knew from high school died on Monday. Our deepest sympathies go out to the Mack family who lost their daughter.

KINGMAN - The woman killed by her husband in a murder-suicide Sunday was shot just after handing her baby to a police officer.

Holly Jean Anderson, 26, had been talking through a crack in the door to officers responding to a call about a domestic disturbance in the 3100 block of Tanner Street around 5:40 p.m. Sunday. Anderson and her 20-month-old baby girl, Bailey, had been staying with a friend at the residence.

Anderson made eye movements while talking to the officers that suggested she was trying to tell them that her husband, Brad, was in the room with her, said Sgt. Bob Fisk.
One of the officers silently mouthed, "Does he have a gun?" to which Anderson responded, "Yes, I will bring the baby out," Fisk said.

She had just passed her baby to Sgt. Mark Chastain when she was shot in the head with a 9-millimeter semi-automatic.

A second officer at the door, Timothy Sparr, was shot in the left arm. Police believe the bullet that killed Anderson is the same one that struck Sparr.

Sparr will have surgery at a later date to remove the bullet from his arm, but his arm was not broken.

Brad Anderson, 28, then retreated inside the home where he killed himself.

Responding officers thought they had a hostage situation and evacuated neighbors as a precaution. Police sent in a robot with a camera and speaker on it to communicate with the suspect before learning that he had committed suicide. Fisk said it was likely Anderson shot himself just moments after shooting his wife.

Holly Anderson was a probation officer with the Mohave County Probation Department. She joined the department in Feb. 2007 and had been promoted within the last month.

"She was an outstanding worker, dedicated to her job and full of enthusiasm," said Friend Walker, chief probation officer.

Holly Anderson filed for an order of protection against her husband in April, the same week she filed for divorce. In court documents, she indicated that she believed Brad Anderson kept a loaded handgun in his vehicle at all times and had previously threatened to harm her and himself.

Holly withdrew the order of protection April 30, although it is unclear why.

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