A double murderer who placed a child's body in a suitcase after killing her mother has had his bid to overturn his sentences dismissed. Daniel Holdom was found guilty eight years ago of the cold-case murders of 20-year-old Karlie Jade Pearce-Stevenson and her two-year-old daughter Khandalyce Kiara Pearce.
Background of the Case
The pair vanished in 2006 after leaving Alice Springs with Holdom, who had been Karlie's boyfriend for just two months. They were last seen in South Australia in 2008 and reported missing the following year. Karlie was sexually assaulted and murdered in the Belanglo State Forest in New South Wales, the same forest linked to serial killer Ivan Milat. Her remains were discovered by trail bike riders in 2010.
The Murder of Khandalyce
After killing Khandalyce, Holdom placed the toddler's body in a suitcase and discarded it beside a remote highway near Wynarka in South Australia. The battered suitcase was found in 2015, sparking a nationwide cold-case investigation that eventually connected the child to Karlie.
Appeal Dismissed
Holdom was arrested in the Hunter Valley and sentenced to life imprisonment for both murders in 2018. He appealed the life sentences, arguing they were "manifestly excessive." However, a judge rejected the appeal, highlighting the "extreme" and "serious" nature of his crimes. Holdom will remain in prison for the rest of his life.
