Texas Murder Case Gets Rehearing Request

It was a case 27 years that gripped not only Amarillo, but the entire country. Recently, it made its way back into the news as Brittany Holberg saw her conviction for murder overturned and was taken off death row.

Many thought that would be the end of it and that Holberg would remain a free woman. She is for now, but we have a new development.

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The Original Murder Charges & Trial In Amarillo

Back in 1996, Holberg was accused of brutally murdering A.B. Towery in his home. She had just come down from a 10-day drug binge, had wrecked her car, and was in need of some money to pay for the cab she'd taken.

She saw Towery in the courtyard and asked him to use his phone. He allowed her entry into his home.

It was there that she attempted to steal his prescription drugs. When he resisted, she struck him with a hammer and stabbed him 58 times, among other things. She was convicted of murder and sentenced to death.

Murder Conviction Overturned

In March 2025, Holberg saw her conviction overturned after some new information was received. The testimony from Holberg's cellmate, Vickie Marie Kirkpatrick, was so strong that it led to the death penalty conviction.

However, Holberg testified she never even spoke to Kirkpatrick while in jail. Later, it was uncovered that Kirkpatrick was acting as an informant for police, yet that was never disclosed. Kirkpatrick recanted her testimony in 2011, and they felt that without that testimony in the first place, the trial would've played out very differently.

Based on that evidence, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the conviction, and Holberg was taken off of death row, and in theory, set Holberg free.

Texas Requests Rehearing In Holberg Case

Now we have a new development in the case. The Texas Attorney General’s Office has now requested a rehearing in the Holberg case.

They maintain that even without that testimony, there was enough clear evidence, not to mention the admission from Holberg in court that she killed Towery in self-defense, to convict her. They contend that there is no reason the decision should've been reversed.

We could potentially see this entire case tried again, and Holberg could essentially be re-convicted of the crime, or the defense could prove otherwise. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.