Mother disappointed in sentencing of daughter's killer

SAN ANTONIO – The mother of Allie Holloway, 22, was disappointed Friday after her daughter’s murderer and fiance, Orlando Valdez Jr., 29, received a 45-year prison sentence.

“I am not happy about the sentencing,” said Aletta Holloway, Allie Holloway’s mother. “I think he should have been convicted to life. I don’t want him out ever because I am afraid he is going to hurt or kill another young lady.”

Holloway said she can only live on with the memories of her daughter.

“Like your average 22-year-old, she was a real pain at times,” Aletta Holloway said. “She wasn’t perfect, but at the same time, she was fabulous. She was out world. Everything we did, we tried to structure around building her up to serve God and to be a better person and to utilize all of the talents and gifts and skills God has given her to help other people.”

She said over time, her daughter did just that.

“She Irish danced at nursing homes,” Aletta Holloway said. “Churches would ask her. She would do it at churches. She would even try to keep a protein bar and water with her at all time so whenever she saw someone homeless or something, she would go out of her way to help them out. She even would buy sandwiches and all for people in need.”

Aletta Holloway also said the bad memories and her daughter's relationship with Valdez haunts her to this day.

“Getting all of the calls and texts in the middle of the night of her telling me he was being violent in some type of way,” Aletta Holloway said. “Sometimes she would run out of the house barefoot with nothing and would tell me she just grabbed the cat and ran because she thought he was going to kill the cat. She would call me from a parking lot.”

Aletta Holloway said those memories are the reason why it is difficult to cope with her daughter’s loss.

“I have to have psychiatric help. My brain has been severely affected because of the trauma knowing before he killed her, knowing that she was being abused and that she wouldn’t leave," she said. "She would tell me, 'If anything happens to me, please make sure you get my music published.’ She also told me ‘If anything happens to me, it is not your fault. It was my choice to stay, mom.’ I think every parent goes through a guilt phase of ‘What did I do wrong?' I have had many thoughts like that, but in the end, it was her choice."

In the courtroom on Friday, Holloway said her composure was a lot different from what it was when Valdez was first brought before a judge.

“When I saw him, he was so dressed up and he was very handsome and looked at peace,” Aletta Holloway said. “I just thought, ‘how could you be at peace knowing you took this wonderful lady away like this?’ I fell apart and I was crying in the courtroom, and then as soon as I walked out of the courtroom, I collapsed.”

On Friday, Aletta Holloway said she felt a sense of remorse from Valdez.

“I looked over at him, and when he finally looked at me, I put my hand over my heart and I mouthed, ‘I am heartbroken,’ and then he nodded his head,” she said. “He seemed to be remorseful. He seemed to be sincere, and I hope it is true, because if even though he is going to be locked up in prison, he can change someone else’s life in there, the other inmates. He can help someone get their GED or counseling or even get saved.”

Aletta Holloway also added that she is happy he is serving time, but she cannot forgive him at this moment. 

“There has been no confession,” Aletta Holloway said. “Him pleading guilty does not mean he confessed. So he has not confessed. He has not asked for forgiveness, so I won’t forgive him. He has to ask God for forgiveness and repent.”

Now, Aletta Holloway said, she will focus her time starting a program for young people in her daughter’s honor.

“I want to reach out to the parents who have lost children because of bullying -- David’s Law and others -- so I can learn how to create a program for children on better education, self-awareness and confidence and a clear understand on how important it is to not bully," Aletta Holloway said. "Bullying is domestic violence. They need to learn the importance of anti-bullying because it just may prevent someone else from losing their life like my daughter did.”


About the Author:

Japhanie Gray joined 10 News as an anchor in March 2022.