Sgt. Wayne Bunton (from left) talks with Lt. Robert Anderson, Investigator Stewart Graybeal and Sam's Club Vice President Jim Hayworth after a news conference on the Holt homicide. JONATHAN ERNST/STAFF

Store continues aid of murder inquiry

Web posted June 23, 2000

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By Mark Mathis
Staff Writer

Publicly proclaiming its continued willingness to help law enforcement find David Holt's killer, Sam's Club announced Thursday it was doubling the reward to $400,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

``We will not rest until there is justice,'' said Jim Hayworth, senior vice president of operations for Sam's Club. ``We want to find who committed the murder. This is a very heinous crime, and we want to make sure for the family of David Holt that we find this person.''

Mr. Hayworth and Sgt. Wayne Bunton of the Richmond County Sheriff's Department also announced that 65,000 Augusta-area households in five ZIP codes will receive questionnaires in the mail this week seeking information about the killing of the Sam's Club assistant manager.

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Picture Gallery   WRDW-TV: Holt questionnaires are mailed   WRDW-TV: June 22, 1998 report on the killing

The forms asks four generic yes-or-no questions, including ``I know who killed David Holt'' and ``I know someone who knows who killed David Holt,'' and reminds recipients of the $400,000 reward. Space for respondents to explain their answers in detail also is provided.

``This is something that has never been done in our area, to our knowledge, but we feel it could be very instrumental because it will allow individuals to respond and maintain their anonymity,'' Sgt. Bunton said. ``We're hoping because of the uniqueness of this case and the extreme, and I do mean extreme, help we've received from Sam's Corporation that this may be enough to solicit the information we need to get the final pieces to put this puzzle together.''

In the early morning hours of June 21, 1998, Mr. Holt's burned remains were discovered in the trunk of his Mazda Protege, parked off Sand Pit Road in Aiken County, just across from downtown Augusta.

Investigators also discovered the Sam's Club on Bobby Jones Expressway had been robbed. They said they believe someone forced Mr. Holt to unlock the store's door and the safe before they killed him.

Sheriff's departments in Richmond and Aiken counties, the FBI and the state Bureaus of Investigation in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina have worked the 2-year-old case.

Completed forms, which have return postage paid, are routed to a post office box.

The idea originated with a Sam's Club official several months ago at a meeting between investigators on the case and company personnel, Sgt. Bunton said. The company is paying for the production and postal expenses of the questionnaires.

Officials said that despite the previous $200,000 reward and numerous pleas to the public for help in the case, Thursday's announcement is not an act of desperation.

``We still, as earlier mentioned, have a group we've targeted that we have been unable to exclude from having committed this homicide,'' Sgt. Bunton said. ``However, as in any homicide investigation, we need all the pieces in place before we make an arrest.''

While the new reward amount may be enticing enough for someone to come forward, Sgt. Bunton still encouraged residents to return the questionnaires as soon as possible.

``It's been two years,'' he said. ``We need them back yesterday.''

Reach Mark Mathis at (706) 823-3227.