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Kevin Hollman found not criminally responsible in mother's death in Saskatoon

Kevin Hollman has been found not criminally responsible after being charged with first-degree murder in his mother's death. (Kevin Hollman/YouTube - image credit)
Kevin Hollman has been found not criminally responsible after being charged with first-degree murder in his mother's death. (Kevin Hollman/YouTube - image credit)

A Saskatoon man will be transferred from police custody to Saskatchewan Hospital-North Battleford, after killing his mother and trying to kill his father in January.

"I would like to apologize to everyone I have hurt through my actions," Kevin Hollman said, sobbing as he addressed Saskatoon Court of Queen's Bench.

"I loved my father with all my heart, and I loved my mom more than words can describe."

Justice Mona Dovell ruled that Hollman, 35, was not criminally responsible after being charged with second-degree murder in his mother's death and the attempted murder of his father.

On Jan. 6, police were called to the home of Debbie and Gary Hollman, after they received a call from Gary, who said his wife had been attacked by his son.

According to an agreed statement of facts read by prosecutor Aaron Martens, Kevin lived with his parents and was watching a hockey game with his father the night of the attack. Kevin became more agitated as the night went on.

After his parents went to bed, his mother heard her son making noises downstairs and went to check on him.

Soon, his father heard screaming from the kitchen and found his wife bleeding profusely.

His son had ran out of the house, but soon returned and began stabbing his father as well.

Once police arrived, they ordered Hollman to stop. When he didn't, a Taser was fired, but Hollman kept running away. Police said it took a combined 17 Taser shots to finally incapacitate the man.

The court heard Gary received 11 stab wounds, including one to each lung and another to the centre of his abdomen. He did not need surgery but required chest tubes to be inserted to drain his wounds and to keep his lungs inflated. He has been released from hospital.

Debbie was stabbed seven times in the head and neck as well as 25 stab wound to her torso, which punctured her lungs, heart and spleen.

Kevin was remanded into custody until his trial.

Troubled history

The court heard that Kevin was an anxious child who excelled at basketball in high school and went on to play for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

However, once he transferred to the University of Manitoba, he began to show problem signs. After visiting their son, the Hollmans found Kevin's room in disarray. He had started drinking heavily, and was no longer playing basketball or attending class.

Kevin eventually moved home and began working with his mother in real estate management.

However, he started getting serious headaches and started self-medicating with drugs, including heroin, psilocybin, crystal meth, marijuana and alcohol. After that, he started getting hallucinations, in which he believed aliens sent him messages.

He began to become more and more paranoid, and believed cellphone towers were shooting radiation at him and that evil aliens were trying to take over the world.

In 2016, Kevin was admitted to a psychiatric facility but was discharged shortly afterward. In 2020, he became so paranoid that he barricaded himself inside his home, and covered it with sheet metal.

After that, he moved into his parents' house until the time of his arrest.

Medication and diagnosis

While he was prescribed psychiatric medication, he often did not take it. The Crown prosecutor said his mother tried to shield the rest of the family from Kevin's psychiatric issues.

After his arrest, a psychiatrist diagnosed him with schizophrenia.

In a victim impact statement read in court, his family said they would always be there for him.

"We will face our tragedies and our challenges together side by side," read the statement.

"You have endured more than any person should have to in your darkest moments."

The case will be handed over to the Saskatchewan Review Board, which handles cases where people are found not criminally responsible and decides whether people should stay in institutions, or be released.