Camisha Hollis, 34: Young Daughter Witnessed Mother’s Suspected Murder
*2019 Update* Although the body of Camisha Hollis has not been found, her boyfriend, Marvin Young, has been charged with first-degree murder. He faces life in prison. Please watch the video of a news report at the conclusion of this article for more information about the case.
Original Story:
One thing that many of these missing cases prove is that the ones we love don’t always have our best interests in mind. Too often, women enter into relationships believing that their partners will stand by them, love them, and protect them, not knowing the person to whom they’ve opened their hearts is the very predator they need protection from. Such was the case with Camisha Hollis.
Omaha, Nebraska police were alerted in April 2018 after Martha Hollis found her three grandchildren — 10, eight, and six years old — home alone. Martha was visiting her daughter, 34-year-old Camisha Hollis, and her daughter’s longtime live-in boyfriend, 36-year-old Marvin Young. It was a place that Martha claimed to have avoided because of the negative energy she felt there. When Martha arrived at the residence and saw that the three young girls were without supervision, she asked them where their parents were. She wasn’t prepared for the answer.
The eldest daughter told Martha that on April 1, her father gave them a cough syrup-like drink before bed. The purple liquid helped her sisters fall asleep, but she spit hers out instead. She said as she lay in bed, she heard a vicious fight between her parents. She reportedly claimed that she witnessed her father beat her mother, including savagely attacking Camisha Hollis with a boot. The couple had a long history of domestic violence, but the little girl said this was the worst she’d ever witnessed.
“She said she was paralyzed with fear because it was very loud and scarier than any time prior,” Omaha Police Detective Sarah Spizzirri reportedly said.
Who knows how often these poor children have seen the man they are supposed to look up to strike their mother. The girl also knew that her father kept a gun in his bedroom closet—a revelation that surprised Martha.
Although the child did see her father repeatedly striking her mother, what happened to Camisha Hollis next remains a mystery. The couple disappeared from the house, leaving the girls to fend for themselves. The kids reportedly woke up around 8:00 a.m. the following day. Martha arrived some time that morning and called the police, who, following a quick search of the home, found blood and two spent shell casings. They also recovered a bottle of Sleep Time, a sleeping aid presumed to be what Young fed his children. The warning label clearly stated that the medicine shouldn’t be given to anyone under 12.
“There’s no way she would’ve left her three kids alone,” Martha told 6 News. “In my head, I’m thinking he played a major role in Camisha’s disappearance.”
Martha also stated that Camisha “was tired of the abuse and she was gonna leave. She wanted to live her life, just her and her kids.”
Camisha was classified as an Endangered Missing Person, and days following her disappearance, her car was found at an undisclosed location. While investigators wouldn’t tell the public where the 2018 Red Hyundai Elantra was located, they immediately searched nearby riverbanks and wildlife areas.
“I’m still hoping for the best, like I said, prepared for the worst; just hoping we find her,” said Martha.
Months later, police have yet to locate Camisha Hollis. They believe that Young is responsible for her disappearance, but they don’t have any concrete evidence to tie him to any crime. However, he was arrested on three counts of child abuse, one count of domestic disturbing the peace, and one count of criminal mischief. When Young was interviewed about Camisha, police said his calm demeanor soon shifted, and he began banging on tables and walls before threatening officers.
During the initial stages of the search for Camisha, Martha said she didn’t tell her granddaughters that their mother was missing.
“They think that she’s on vacation. They think she’s coming home one day,” Martha said. “Some nights, they’ll have nightmares asking for their mom. They miss their mom so much.”
“A blessing is going to come through,” she said. “She didn’t deserve this, whatever happened. I just hope and pray that we’ll find her to give her peace if she is deceased.”
Camisha’s daughters are being cared for by her mother. The search for the missing woman continues. Young is still claiming no involvement in her disappearance. The investigation is active and ongoing.
Camisha Hollis is described as having brownish-reddish hair and brown eyes when she went missing. She was 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed 195 pounds.
If you have any information regarding this case, please contact the Omaha Police Homicide Unit at (402)444-5636 or Omaha Crime Stoppers at 444-STOP.
Please share this story regarding Camisha Hollis. She is our sister, and her life matters.
Sources
NamUs
KETV
The Charley Project
Omaha News
FOX 42 News
