James Holland (Texas Ranger)
James Holland is a retired Texas Ranger who is credited with eliciting 93 confessions from serial killer Samuel Little.[1] The Los Angeles Times profiled Holland in 2019, calling him a "serial killer whisperer".[2] Ranger Holland was also profiled on 60 Minutes in the 2019 episode "The Ranger and the Serial Killer".
Biography[edit]
Holland grew up outside Chicago in the town of Polo, Illinois, where his family renovated The Peek Home Orphanage to accommodate their seven children.[3] Holland graduated from University of Louisville in 1993. According to the International Homicide Investigators Association, Holland joined the Texas Department of Public Safety in 1995 as a highway patrol trooper. He was named a lieutenant in 1995 and later served as a security detail for then-Texas Governor George W. Bush, and provided security during his campaign for President.[4]
Career[edit]
Holland's career is punctuated by high-profile homicide investigations and serial killer discoveries.[5][failed verification] He is credited with eliciting 93 confessions from Samuel Little, which have been painstakingly matched up to 60 cold cases[6] and counting. The FBI named Little the most prolific serial killer in U.S. history, thanks to Holland's work in the interrogation room.[7]
He is recognized as a subject-matter expert in interview techniques and regularly speaks to investigative agencies across the country.[8]
Holland has also appeared on episodes of 48 Hours "The Murder of Jackie Vandagriff" (2020)[9] and "The Plot to Kill Jamie Faith" (2022).[10] Holland's investigative work and interrogation tactics to solve the murder of Jackie Vandagriff were highlighted by CBS News,[11] who also interviewed detectives with the Grapevine Police Department who praised Holland's role in the case.
James Holland’s aggressive interrogation techniques are the subject of a six-part podcast called “Smoke Screen: Just Say You’re Sorry.”[12] Released in 2023, it examines the confession of Larry Driskell, in which Driskell said he committed a murder while saying he had no memory of doing so.[13]
References[edit]
- ^ "Convicted Killer Linked to 90 Murders". Federal Bureau of Investigation.
- ^ "A Texas Ranger got a prolific serial killer to talk. This is how". Los Angeles Times. September 26, 2019.
- ^ "THE HOUSE THE PEEKS BUILT". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ Choiniere, Alyssa (October 6, 2019). "Texas Ranger James Holland: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know".
- ^ Griffin, David. "Texas Ranger Takes Stand In Murder Trial For Suspected Serial Killer". news9.com.
- ^ "How a Texas Ranger convinced serial killer Samuel Little to confess to murdering 93 people". CBS News.
- ^ "Samuel Little: Confessions of a Killer". Federal Bureau of Investigation.
- ^ "Pennsylvania Homicide Investigators Association". www.pahia.us.
- ^ "The Murder of Jackie Vandagriff". CBS News.
- ^ "The Plot to Kill Jamie Faith". CBS News.
- ^ "Was a college student targeted because she resembled her killer's ex?". CBS News.
- ^ "'Just Say You're Sorry' questions Texas Ranger's interrogation technique". KUT Radio, Austin's NPR Station. 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
- ^ "Larry Driskell - Learn their story | Innocence Texas". Innocence Project of Texas. Retrieved 2023-11-03.