A new felony charge has been filed against a man who allegedly grabbed a teenage girl and tried to take her into a Northwest Side alley last month – just weeks after prosecutors dropped murder charges that he faced in connection with the 2012 strangulation death of a woman in an Edgewater alley.
We told you the story of 30-year-old Joshua Holt back on Feb. 27.
Police arrested him the day before after a 17-year-old girl flagged down a passing cop and reported that he grabbed her, said “come with me,” and tried to lead away on the 6700 block of West Higgins in the Norwood Park neighborhood.
He was arrested minutes later. But prosecutors only charged him with misdemeanor battery and he went home on a recognizance bond without ever appearing before a judge.
Back on Jan. 9, prosecutors dropped murder charges that Holt had been facing for allegedly strangling a 34-year-old prostitute in an alley behind 5625 North Broadway on May 12, 2012.
Laboratory tests determined that DNA recovered from the woman’s mouth, vagina, anus, and fingernails belonged to Holt, according to a CPD report. But the state dropped all charges because prosecutors believed their case was hampered by a 2017 Illinois Appellate Court ruling “that impacted the DNA evidence in this case,” according to a spokesperson for the Cook County State’s Attorney.
Now, a charge of felony unlawful restraint has been filed against Holt in connection with the Norwood Park incident, according to Chicago police. Cops arrested him Thursday at his home in north suburban Glenview.
A judge set his bail at $40,000. Holt will need to post a $4,000 deposit bond to go home before trial.
