OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – A Holly man is facing charges in connection with killing his mother after she allegedly scolded him “for his life choices,” police said.
At 1:55 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 25, Holly officers responded to a home on Ash Street in the Village of Holly after they received a report of a woman, identified as 59-year-old Kristine Lynn Hall, in her bed, unresponsive.
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Woman wasn’t answering phone, brother went to check on her
When officers arrived, the woman’s brother told them that he and his mother had been trying to call the woman, but she wasn’t picking up, which he said was unusual.
The brother also told police that they had been together the night before and had planned to meet up again that day.
After he didn’t hear from Kristine, he decided to go to her home to check on her, and noticed her car wasn’t there.
59-year-old found dead
The doors of the home were locked, so he forced a back door open and found her dead in her bed, according to police.
When officers went inside the room, they found the woman fully clothed, with no signs of injury being immediately visible.
Additional officers then arrived at the home and found bruising on her neck, and other signs that showed a struggle had occurred.
Woman was ‘afraid’ of son, slept with bedroom door locked
The brother also told police that Kristine had let her son, identified as James Robert Hall, 39, move in six months to one year before she was found dead.
“He said Kristine was afraid of James, slept with her bedroom door locked at night, and would never allow him to drive her vehicle,” according to the release.
James also had an open felony warrant for breaking and entering.
Woman’s car spotted in Jackson area
As authorities began investigating, they were notified that the victim’s car was spotted in the Jackson area.
They also received a call from the woman’s daughter, who told them that James “admitted to killing his mother” to their father.
Son arrested
Kalamazoo officers later notified Holly police that they had arrested James on the open felony warrant and impounded his mother’s car.
The officers allegedly responded to a party store “after a clerk reported that a man using the store’s phone stated he was thinking about killing himself,” according to the release.
When Kalamazoo officers arrived at the store, they found James in his mother’s car in the parking lot. He allegedly told officers that he had killed her.
He was taken into custody and lodged at the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety jail.
Holly investigators went to the jail to interview James, and told them that on Nov. 24, 2025, he was walking by his mom’s bedroom when she called him in.
Son admits to killing mom, then using her money at casino
James told them that she “began verbally scolding him for his life choices and for not amounting to anything.”
He claimed that she had said this to him several times.
“Hall stated he became tired of hearing it, climbed on top of her, and used a pillow to smother her to death,” police said. “After killing her, he took money and jewelry from her and fled in her vehicle. Hall stated he drove to the Kalamazoo area and stopped at the store to use their phone to call his father, who he believes lives in the area.”
James allegedly rented a room in Kalamazoo and was using the money he stole from his mother at a local casino.
Holly officers took James into custody on Nov. 26, on one count of felony breaking and entering with intent. At this point, his bond was set at $100,000.
Cause of death
On Nov. 26, the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled that the woman’s death was homicide by strangulation and suffocation.
Charges
James was arraigned on the following charges in connection with his mother’s killing on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025:
- First-degree murder (Felony, life without parole)
- Unlawful driving away of a motor vehicle (Five-year felony)
- Larceny in a building (Four-year felony)
He was denied bond.
Statement from Holly Police Chief
“On behalf of the Holly Police Department, we offer our deepest sympathy
and condolences to the family who loved and cared for Kristine. I am proud of the dedication and determination of our officers who worked continuously to bring closure to this case in less than 24 hours. We are also very thankful for the assistance from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety.”
James Hall was angry his mother was parenting him…so he killed her. He took the life that gave him life. Then he took her money, her jewelry and her vehicle because he was challenged on his life choices. Then he went to a casino."
Statement from Holly Police Chief Jerry Narsh
Next court date
James is scheduled to appear in court for a probable cause conference on Dec. 23.