| Location | Toronto |
| Age | 10 years |
| Date of Birth | 9/1992 |
| Date of Death | 5/2003 |
| Visitors | 1,818 since 15/05/2007 |
| Creator |
Holly was abducted in broad daylight on May 12 within blocks of her home.
Police say Briere lives along the path the 10-year-old likely took as she walked home from a friend's house.
The next day, her remains were found in two locations on the city's waterfront.
Police have said all along they had strong evidence they believed would lead them to the killer. They have repeatedly swept the neighbourhood and sought the public's help in their search.
A task force was struck to chase down the killer, and Fantino said at any given time 300 people were working on the case.
"By all accounts, this investigation marks in many ways the benchmark of excellence," he said.
Fantino refused to discuss with reporters many aspects of the investigation, including requests for DNA samples.
Michael Briere has pleaded guilty to the murder and dismemberment of 10-year-old Holly Jones, saying he was provoked to attack the girl after watching child pornography.
The 36-year-old software developer receives an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.
The girl's mother, Maria Jones, rocked back and forth and sobbed as Crown Counsel Paul Culver described how Holly was sexually assaulted, strangled to death and then dismembered.
Briere himself also made a tearful apology to the family, accepting full responsibility.
"What I did was absolutely wrong. It was cruel. It cannot be justified. It was meaningless and senseless," a tearful Briere told the court.
"I accept this sentence because I fully realize the pain which I have caused. I realize that I must be punished for this terrible wrong that I have done. I also realize that society wants to be protected from me and my behaviour."
Culver explained that Briere had spent May 12, 2003 at home watching child pornography downloaded from the Internet, as he had done many times before. He said he couldn't help himself, calling his obsession with pornography his "dark secret."
As he stepped outside immediately afterward, he happened to see Holly walking home from her friend's house. He managed to lure the girl near, then dragged her inside by the neck. Over the next hour, he sexually assaulted and strangled her.
Briere kept the girl's body overnight, then disposed of it the next morning in two gym bags in Lake Ontario.
As Briere and prosecutors spoke, many in the courtroom broke down in tears, reports CFTO's Austin Delaney.
"It was just an awful atmosphere in there. Everyone was crying -- seasoned police officers, reporters, just shedding tears, as the terrible, heinous act was described to the courtroom," he said.
In the course of investigating her murder, police sought DNA samples from men in her neighbourhood. Briere was one of two who refused to give one. Police were able to get DNA from a pop can in his garbage. It was a match to skin found under Holly's fingernails.
On June 20, 2003, Briere was arrested and charged.
Briere waived his right to a preliminary hearing and decided to plead guilty. He wanted to spare the family the pain of a trial, said his lawyer, Greg Leslie, who has described his client as the "most upset and most remorseful" accused man he's ever encountered in his 12 years of practising law.
Briere, who has no previous criminal record, will get no added benefit from pleading guilty. But Crown prosecutor Culver said he believes Briere had little other choice.
"It's easy to be remorseful when there is a wealth of evidence against you," he told reporters outside the courthouse. "He didn't turn himself in. He didn't say sorry until police nailed him with overwhelming DNA odds."
Through their lawyer, Tim Danson, the Jones family offered a statement, saying the end of Briere's trial does not end their nightmare.
"Unfortunately, there can never be any closure for Holly's family. Pain, anguish, emptiness, crushing sadness, incomprehensible loss and debilitating sorrow will remain a part of their daily lives. Mr. Briere will never suffer the way that he made Holly suffer and made Holly's family suffer."
All of Toronto misses you Holly. R.I.P. Angelx
A Parable Describing Death As A Transition to A Better Afterlife
-The Story of the Dragonfly-
Down below the surface of a quiet pond lived a little colony of water bugs. They were a happy colony, living far away from the sun. For many months they were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They did notice that every once in a while one of their colony seemed to lose interest in going about with its friends. Clinging to the stem of a pond lily, it gradually moved out of sight and was seen no more.
"Look!" said one of the water bugs to another. "One of our colony is climbing up the lily stalk. Where do you suppose she is going?" Up, up, up it went slowly. Even as they watched, the water bug disappeared from sight. Its friends waited and waited but it didn't return. "That's funny!" said one water bug to another. "Wasn't she happy here?" asked a second water bug. "Where do you suppose she went?" wondered a third. No one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled.
Finally one of the water bugs, a leader in the colony, gathered its friends together. "I have an idea. The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where he or she went and why." "We promise," they said solemnly.
One spring day, not long after, the very water bug who had suggested the plan found himself climbing up the lily stalk. Up, up, up he went. Before he knew what was happening, he had broken through the surface of the water, and fallen onto the broad, green lily pad above.
When he awoke, he looked about with surprise. He couldn't believe what he saw. A startling change had come to his old body. His movement revealed four silver wings and a long tail. Even as he struggled, he felt an impulse to move his wings. The warmth of the sun soon dried the moisture from the new body. He moved his wings again and suddenly found himself up above the water. He had become a dragonfly.
Swooping and dipping in great curves, he flew through the air. He felt exhilarated in the new atmosphere. By and by, the new dragonfly lighted happily on a lily pad to rest. Then it was that he chanced to look below to the bottom of the pond. Why, he was right above his old friends, the water bugs! There they were, scurrying about, just as he had been doing some time before. Then the dragonfly remembered the promise: "The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk will come back and tell where he or she went and why."
Without thinking, the dragonfly darted down. Suddenly he hit the surface of the water and bounced away. Now that he was a dragonfly, he could no longer go into the water. "I can't return!" he said in dismay. "At least I tried, but I can't keep my promise. Even if I could go back, not one of the water bugs would know me in my new body. I guess I'll just have to wait until they become dragonflies too. Then they'll understand what happened to me, and where I went." And the dragonfly winged off happily into its wonderful new world of sun and air.
What kind of place would heaven be with all its streets of gold, if all the souls, that dwell up there like yours and mine, were old? How strange would heaven’s music sound when harps begin to ring, if children were not gathered ‘round to help the angels sing. The children that God sends to us are only just a loan, He knows we need their sunshine to make the house a home. We need the inspiration of a baby’s blessed smile. He doesn’t say they’ve come to stay, just lends them for a while. Sometimes it takes them years to do the work for which they come. Sometimes in just a month or two our Father calls them home. I like to think some souls up there bear not one sinful scar. I love to think of heaven as a place where children are.
xxxx
WHERE PEACE FLOWS LIKE A RIVER.
Together We Will Journey
To That Land Up In The Sky
Where The Flame Does Burn Eternal
And The Soul Does Never Die.
Where The Harps Are Gently Playing
As A Host Of Angels Sing
Where The Road Is Paved With Diamonds
And The Golden Bells Do Ring.
Where The Path Is Set Before Us
Shining Brightly As The Sun
We Will See The Face Of Jesus
When Our Final Race Is Run.
Where The Peace Flows Like A River
Winding Through The Streets Of Gold
We Will Dine With Priests And Prophets
When The key To Life, We Hold.
Where The Flame Does Burn Eternal
In That Sacred Promised Land
Where God Holds The Gift Of Freedom
In The Cleft Of His Right Hand.
Where We'll See The Face Of Loved Ones
Long Before Us, Gone Away
What A Day Of Sweet Rejoicing
When We Meet Again Someday.
Where We'll Gather At The River
In Our Home Up In The Sky
Where The Peace Flows Like A Fountain
And The Soul Does Never Die.
Author/Written By: Marilyn Ferguson
� 2004
Lay down my child
Close your eyes one more time
Let the night take you softly into sleep
Sure as the moon shining on your sweet face
Be rest assured you will be safe
In this place
The sweetest gift
God has given me
Graced with the tiniest beauty
These eyes have seen
Soft as the song of a winter wind
Sheltered by love
A love that will never end
Life so often a mystery
And each of us seeking a clue
To an answer I never thought I’d find
When I lost you
But in your time with me
Somehow you taught me to see
Just as in life
Even in death
You always will be here with me
So lay down my child
Close your eyes one more time
Let the night take you softly into sleep
And on to your maker you will fly
Low as the angels sing you a lullaby
GOD BLESS YOU ANGEL ** ~~ ** ~~ **
♥ I am the wind in your hair, with you everywhere
I am the stars in the sky and the sun up high ♥
** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ **
♥ I am the waves in the ocean, with your every emotion
I am the snow on the ground, I am all around ♥
** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ **
♥ I am the flowers in the meadow, wherever you go
I am the moon at night, please know I'm alright ♥
** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ **
♥ I am the bird's sweet song, I am not gone
I am the blossom on a tree, you'll never forget me ♥
** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ **
♥ I am the rain on your face, a rainbow's embrace
I am the leaves on the ground, I'll always be around ♥
** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ **
♥ I am the fluffy white clouds, innocent and pure
Look all around you, you'll feel me I'm sure ♥
** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ **
♥ I am that warm loving feeling, deep in your heart
My memories live on, we'll never be apart ♥
** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ * ~~ ** ~**
♥ I am all around you, in all that you see, hear and do
Just reach right out now, I am always here with you ♥
** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ ** ~ **
unknown
Angels*♥ღ*♥ღ *♥ღ*♥ღ♥ღ*♥ღ*♥ღ*♥ღ
I looked out of the window
About twelve o'clock last night
And saw two shooting stars
Up in the sky
And as I stood and watched them
Right before my eyes
They opened up Heavens gates
Where angels stood inside
Then I saw you standing next to them
And you where wearing wings
And right above your head I saw
A Stunning golden ring
That sparkled in the distance
Then shone right down on me
Now every time I close my eyes
Your face is all I see
An angel up in heavens
Beyond the skies above
Watching over all of us
Filling our hearts with love
*♥ღ*♥ღ *♥ღ*♥ღ♥ღ*♥ღ*♥ღ*♥ღ
Author unknown.
RAIN
A gentle touch of Heaven,
Of warm, soft summer rain;
Falling downward from the clouds,
To kiss the earth again.
Each drop a sweet surrender,
That slowly fades from sight;
Yet in each drop is beauty,
And the promise there of life.
Yet as each raindrop fades from sight,
Its story has yet to be told;
Till we see the gift of each gentle drop,
As the beauty of spring unfolds.
A tender touch of Heaven,
A child's sweet, innocent love;
Falling gently as the rain,
A gift from the Father above.
The child a unique treasure,
Each one as a drop of rain;
Bringing joy and beauty,
And the promise of life again.
Yet as that sweet life fades from sight,
Its story has yet to be told;
We will see the gift of love they left,
As the beauty of spring unfolds.
Author unknown.
CHILD GONE HOME
Children's voices fill the air,
Life and laughter ring;
Across the hills of heaven,
Sweet, small voices sing.
Gone to be with Jesus,
Each little girl and boy;
Now run and play as never before,
In the land of eternal joy.
Never to know another tear,
Or face another pain;
What was a senseless loss on earth,
Has now become Heaven's gain.
While Heaven is much sweeter,
In your heart you'll not be alone;
God filled it with beautiful memories,
Of that child who has now gone home.
footprints
one night a man had a dream
in which he walked along the sand
and beside him walked the lord
who held him by the hand
suddenly scenes from his life
began to flash across the sky
and with his every footprint
he saw the lords nearby
then his heart became despondent
for, when troubled times hed seen
there was only one set of footprints
where before two sets had been seen
so he said to the lord
why wern,t you at my side
at those times when i needed you
as my friend and my guide?
the lord answered kindly,
the footprints that you see
are those times when i carried you
and they were made by me
barbara laing
Holly, god only knows why such an evil, dirty old man managed to hurt you the way he did, this world is an awful place and things like this should never happen. Sweet child may you RIP and remember to look down and guide your family who miss and love you so much, take care little angel x
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