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Dec. 28, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Victim's mother vents anger at killer

Retarded woman slain in burglary

By DAVID KIHARA
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Cornelius Rogers wipes away tears as his mother, Louise Collins, testifies Thursday during a hearing in which a jury will decide whether he deserves to be executed for killing a 33-year-old mentally retarded Henderson woman.
Photos by K.M. Cannon.



Louise Collins, the mother of convicted killer Cornelius Rogers, looks at him after testifying Thursday during his penalty hearing.



Christopher Robinson, a former cellmate of Cornelius Rogers, is sworn in before testifying on Rogers' behalf Thursday.

Julie Holt spent the last Saturday night of her life with her mother, getting her hair done at a salon in a local Wal-Mart. The 33-year-old Holt, who was mentally retarded, was proud of her haircut and showed it off for the next few days.

The memory of how happy her daughter had been brought tears to Kathy Holt's eyes as she spoke at a sentencing hearing for Cornelius Rogers, the man convicted of killing her daughter.

"He deserves the worst punishment," Kathy Holt said.

Jurors in District Judge Jennifer Togliatti's courtroom are expected to start deliberating today whether to sentence Rogers to death.


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    • On Dec. 21, the jury found Rogers guilty of first-degree murder for the slaying of Holt during a March 2001 burglary. Holt was found hogtied inside her family's home in Henderson. A sock had been stuffed in her mouth, and a medical examiner determined Holt's death was caused by suffocation.

    During Thursday's hearing, Kathy Holt told the jury how lonely she has been since her daughter was killed. Her husband, John Holt, died about a year ago of natural causes.

    Kathy Holt told the jury that when John Holt was becoming gravely ill, he told her, "I'll never live to see the trial."

    The case took more than six years to come to trial because several aspects of it went before the Nevada Supreme Court.

    John Holt discovered his daughter bound and dead in their home.

    He had met Rogers while working as a supply warehouse worker at the Southern Nevada Correctional Center in Jean. At the time, Rogers was serving about seven years at the prison for battery and robbery.

    Rogers remained stoic throughout his penalty hearing Thursday until his mother and other relatives spoke on his behalf.

    Rogers, who lost an eye at age 15 when he was shot during a drive-by shooting in California, used a tissue to dab tears from his remaining eye.

    "I love him," said Louise Collins, Rogers' mother.

    Rogers grew up poor with five sisters and was placed in foster care as a youth. Family members described living in squalid conditions and not having enough food to eat or clothes to wear.

    Collins said Rogers' father was physically and sexually abusive to her children and often would beat, slap or kick her. The family moved 24 times to try and get away from Rogers' father but he kept tracking them down, she said.

    Rogers has spent about 20 years of his life behind bars. He was sent to prison in 1986 after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman in California after he robbed her, authorities said.

    Before leaving the woman, he tied her up and taped a sock in her mouth, authorities said.

    He served about six years of a 12-year sentence and was paroled in 1992.

    In 1993, he pistol-whipped a woman, Diana Cunanan, during a robbery attempt in Las Vegas at the insurance company where she worked.

    He was arrested and served about seven years for that case.

    An inmate who was housed with Rogers in 2003 at the county jail testified on Rogers' behalf.

    Christopher Robinson told the jury that he shared a cell with Rogers and that Rogers helped him during his first few months inside the Clark County Detention Center.

    Robinson is serving time at Southern Desert Correctional Center for attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. A self-described "hit man," Robinson was hired to kill a classmate's parents in 2003.

    Robinson told the jury that if he gets paroled, he will leave prison a different man largely because of Rogers.

    "I never want to go back (to prison), and he taught me that," said Robinson, dressed in an orange Nevada Department of Corrections prison uniform and shackled.

    "I think I'm alive today because of him," Robinson said.

    Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or (702) 380-1039.



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    frank l kinney wrote on January 04, 2008 10:33 AM: i sure hope there is not a problem with the judge in sentencing this cornelius to death! the family, think of the family victims of a life long criminal a animal of no thought or care for anyone at all! a career criminal whos only gift to society is to create more victims of his criminal behavior of cruelty onto others! mercy i think not! bye! yes victims of a criminal animal beast monster creep now we have a mother who must go through life with hurt from this for which it will never go away! a troubled mind that most likely will never find peace for the rest of her life. i can not speak anuff for the victims of this thoughtless cruelty for they are so innocent from any guilt, a feeling of helpless for which they are so innocent of just being a victim of a man on the look out for easy prey! victims of a society that is getting worse instead of better! millions of undocumented people for which judicial system is over crowded for which to handle the criminals for which they recieve light sentence and are back out in the streets looking for innocent victims again! career criminals that never learn from there mistakes! just do the time and wait for release to attack more innocent people again! innocent american tax payers that are killed rape beaten by people who are parasites looking to profit from the innocent and helpless!answer remove them from society for ever period.20 years behind bars now this! michigan little big horn. amen. INDEPENDENT.


    Chery wrote on January 02, 2008 05:37 PM: If anyone ever deserved the death penalty it's this guy. The jury probably felt sorry for him because he was crying. He was crying for himself. To hell with his victims.


    dsm wrote on December 28, 2007 05:49 PM: I want to hear from the girl that was murdered and how she spent her time waiting for this trial. I want the mother and family memebers of the murderer to tell the court how she see's the girl that was murdered handling freedom of life and eating chicken


    Herb wrote on December 28, 2007 01:13 PM: Not only should Rogers be executed, whoever let him out on parole should spend the rest of their life in prison. I'd put them in a maximum security prison so they can live with the very same predators they have such love and compassion for.


    Jim wrote on December 28, 2007 11:43 AM: Why is it that the African-American community seems to embrace violence and mayhem? Listen to their so-called music and videos.

    What is grossly repugnant to others seems to be business as usual in the black community. I know this because the Review Journal publishes stories about it daily.


    Thomas L. wrote on December 28, 2007 11:36 AM: The government not only protects these ghetto animals, but steals taxes from you and gives them food stamps, Section 8 vouchers and other forms of welfare.


    Jim Hart wrote on December 28, 2007 11:26 AM: Another example of why vicious ghetto animals should be put down. I'm sure our American Criminal LIberties Union friends would disagree.

    Vicious savage animals like this hood rat are adored by ACLU hippy sociologist parole board members, its like the savage is their little pet experiment. Sad that America not only allows this, but now embraces it as our fabric becomes further tainted by outsiders.


    Oscar wrote on December 28, 2007 11:04 AM: The Parole Board listens to the advice of a convicted murderer as to the character of a convicted rapist and burglar? What is becoming of common sense? Is the primary credentials of a Parole Board officer to be a FOOL? When criminals vouch for other criminals, and get paroled early, the system is not working, and the Parole Officers that allowed this slimy creep back on the streets, causing the loss of life of this woman, should be in the very prison they oversee, except BEHIND bars for negligence in the death of a cittizen they are hired to protect. Take their pensions, jail them. Stop the madness of no accountability at decision making levels of administration.


    Lisa wrote on December 28, 2007 09:26 AM: Rogers, who lost an eye at age 15 when he was shot during a drive-by shooting in California, used a tissue to dab tears from his remaining eye.


    j wrote on December 28, 2007 09:07 AM: Why do we care how this killer was abused as a child? He made a choice as an ADULT to be a murderer. He choose to lead a life of crime. He could have chosen a different path. I am sick of criminals using their past as an excuse to justify their current behavior.


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