Contractor accused of breaking into Texas woman’s home, brutally attacking her
DENISON, Texas - A Texas woman is being treated at the hospital after being viciously attacked and left for dead in her home on New Year’s Day.
Police in Denison arrested Zachary Dean Joliff for attempted murder, aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and burglary of a habitation with intent to commit another felony.
They said he went into Ariel Holley’s house in the early morning hours of Jan. 1, assaulted her and then fled the scene.
Family members who talked to KXII New 12 in Sherman said Holley did know her attacker – barely. He was a family friend that she had hired as an independent contractor to do some work at her house. But she didn’t even know his last name.
“It was a very gruesome, very aggressive, purposeful attack and he told her many times he was there to kill her,” Amber Holley, the victim’s sister-in-law told the news station.
The family said Joliff broke into Holley’s home win the middle of the night, pulled her from the bed where she and her 4-year-old son were sleeping and dragged her into a bathroom to try to rape and kill her.
He repeatedly tried to break her neck and gauge her eyes out. He smashed her trachea and slammed her neck on the side of the tub to try to break it. He told her she had to die because nobody loved him, they said.
All the while, she quietly resisted so she wouldn’t wake up her four sleeping kids, family members said.
Joliff allegedly left the house after Holley lost consciousness. When she woke up, she was able to get help, her family said.
The single mother was taken to the hospital for treatment and investigators tracked down Joliff a few hours later.
"We're just thankful that he's in jail, and she's alive," Amber Holley told KXII.
Joliff remains in the Grayson County jail. His bond was set at $750,000.