A 31-year-old Bloomington man pled guilty to two counts in the 2022 assault of his grandfather and setting fire to his home.
Justin Hollingsworth pled guilty but mentally ill to battery, a Level 3 felony, and arson, a Level 4 felony, at a sentencing last Wednesday. His attempted murder charge was dismissed.
Judge Mary Ellen Diekhoff gave Hollingsworth a combined sentence of 25 years. He will serve 16 more years in jail, followed by seven years of suspension and probation, with good behavior.
Read more: Bloomington man allegedly tried to kill grandfather, charged with three felonies
Sgt. Bennett Dillon of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department arrived around 6:30 p.m. March 22, 2022, to a burning home on South Ketcham Road in Monroe County. He found Steven Webb lying in his front yard. Webb, then 72, was badly injured with severe head trauma.
Webb told police that his grandson, Hollingsworth, was responsible for the fire and his injuries.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Webb and Hollingsworth were arguing and Hollingsworth became violent. Hollingsworth struck Webb in the head at least 10 times with a blunt object, and said “I’m going to beat you to death with this stick.”
The affidavit said Webb saw Hollingsworth emptying the contents of a gasoline can inside the house. Then, Hollingsworth set fire to the house, leaving Webb inside. Webb told officers he tried to put out the fire and ran outside when he was not able to do so.
A Monroe County fire investigator said in the affidavit that the fire had six points of origin, indicating it was started intentionally.
Hollingsworth was found on the property and taken into custody. Webb was taken to IU Health Bloomington for brain bleed and broken bones in his face. He was later lifelined to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, where he recovered from his injuries.
