Amber Bray

Background

Amber Bray was a 20-year-old former Burbank high school honor student and cheerleader. She attended Burroughs High School in Burbank and Monterey Continuation School in Los Angeles.

Her mother, Dixie Lee Hollier, was a Warner Bros. record executive. Hollier was described as being 42 at the time of her killing. Hollier was a single parent and manager of international special projects for Warner Bros. Records in Burbank. She had worked at Warner Bros. Records since 1982.

Amber Bray’s family included:

• Tom Bray (her father), who divorced Hollier a few years prior to the slaying.
• Amy Bray (her sister), who was described as 15 and 17 in different portions of the proceedings.
• A 5-year-old brother at the time of the killing, and later Benjamin Hollier was identified as the 5-year-old brother.
• Hollier’s mother, Betty Miles.
• Bray’s aunt Shirley Terrell.
• Bray’s other relatives, including multiple relatives who attended court.

The offence

Bray and Jeffrey Ayers were convicted of killing Hollier. The conduct involved shooting, stabbing, and beating Hollier to death.

A jury found that Bray and Ayers murdered for financial gain and that the killing involved special circumstances, including lying in wait and murder for financial gain. Prosecutors contended the couple planned to kill Hollier and Bray’s younger sister, Amy, in order for Bray to collect Hollier’s $310,000 inheritance. Both planned to buy a home in Riverside County, a car and furniture, and to use Hollier’s $310,000 life insurance proceeds.

A note attributed to Bray to Ayers read:

• "What do you think of this? . . . someone breaks into the house and kills Amy and mom. "I come home to discover them, call police (neighbors hear nothing) and it goes on record as an unsolved homicide," Bray wrote. "I like it."

During the trial, the prosecution introduced letters between Bray and Ayers, and a diagram of Hollier’s home that was called a “blueprint for murder.” One of Bray’s missives asked:

• "What do you think of this? . . .

Bray’s letter also included:

• "Have I snapped? Plotting murder and stuff . . . After years of abuse I've had it,"

A defense account included that Bray complained about her mother and that her letter showed plans for the future rather than a plan to commit murder.

The murder took place in Hollier’s Burbank residence. Police testimony described Ayers entering the home after Hollier was awakened, shooting Hollier twice in the head and once in the arm, pistol whipping her, and stabbing her two dozen times. The slaying began in an upstairs bedroom and ended in the foyer. When police arrived, they found Ayers straddling Hollier’s body with a knife in his hand.

Amy Bray testified that she was awakened by two loud bangs, saw Ayers hitting her mother in the head with a gun, and that after she tried to call 911, Amber Bray disconnected the phone cord out of the wall. The material also reported Ayers yelling “she has to be stopped” and Hollier shouting “Help!” during the attack. The police and prosecution narratives included that Amy tried to call 911 but was thwarted by Amber Bray and by Ayers.

Verbatim quoted statements attributed to Ayers included:

• "I'm responsible for what happened," according to testimony.
• "I'm fully aware of what I've done."
• "OK, you got me."
• "For someone who was confessing to me that he had just murdered someone, he was very calm, cool and collected, and he talked to me like I was his best friend," said Officer Niles Sherman.

A defense argument associated Ayers with the claim that he was worried Bray’s mother might kill herself to escape abuse, and a juror rejected that argument. In addition, police and prosecutors introduced evidence including the letter titled “Someday in November.”

Investigation

Police alleged that Bray and Ayers spent more than two months planning the murder. Investigators found evidence in Ayers’ apartment and in Bray-related correspondence. Police reported that paperwork indicated Bray and Hollier’s daughter talked about splitting money.

Burbank police Lt. Larry Koch said investigators found papers in the Burbank apartment indicating Bray and Hollier’s daughter talked about “how they were going to split up the money.” He did not say where the money was to have come from.

Deputy District Attorney Al McKenzie described prosecution evidence as including love letters and planning of the slaying over several weeks, including deciding how to spend Hollier’s $310,000 life insurance proceeds.

Arrest

Bray was arrested after police repeatedly shot, stabbed and beat Hollier. Bray helped plan the slaying and admitted Ayers into Hollier’s residence.

One portion described the time as early on Jan. 16, 1996, around 5 a.m. Police reportedly called to Hollier’s home after neighbors heard gunshots. Another portion said Bray was initially questioned and then placed under arrest a few hours after the slaying when police discovered evidence linking her with plans to kill her mother.

Quoted statements attributed to Ayers during the arrest/confrontation included:

• "I'm responsible for what happened,"
• "OK, you got me."

Trial

Bray and Ayers pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and murder.

At arraignment in Burbank Municipal Court, Amber Bray and Jeffrey Glenn Ayers pleaded not guilty to charges that they killed Bray’s mother as part of a plot to secure a $300,000 life insurance policy. They were described as appearing in court with their public defenders.

In February 1998, a jury convicted Bray of conspiracy and first-degree murder. The material described two special circumstances allegations in Bray’s case: lying in wait and murder for financial gain.

At sentencing, the court referred to “the vicious crime of . . . butchering her mother.” Superior Court Judge Teri Schwartz imposed a sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole.

In her closing arguments, Bray’s lawyer Joy Wilensky called Bray’s words in letters “foolish and silly,” reflecting “plans for the future . . . not a plan to commit murder.”

Prosecutors’ case included that the couple planned to kill Hollier and Amy to collect a $310,000 inheritance. A juror asked not to be identified described the case as “rough, very rough,” and said:

• "I've been a juror on several murder trials, and its never easy . . . it's very emotional."
• "It's a tragic case, but the evidence is clear. Amber Bray and Jeffrey Ayers killed her for the insurance money."
• "Ms. Bray was the moving force behind this crime,"

Another quoted statement attributed to the jury foreman in Ayers’ case included:

• "There was a reasonable expectation that he would benefit financially"
• "It wasn't hard to make the decision."

A juror John Roy was quoted:

• "We just listened to the information and followed the law."

Sentencing

Bray was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole on June 30, 1998.

In addition to the life sentence, Bray was ordered to pay a total of $10,000 in fines and restitution.

During the sentencing, Shirley Terrell told the judge she was dying of cancer and requested:

• "a little hug before Amber is sent away."

Judge Teri Schwartz allowed Terrell to hug Bray, and also said:

• "I do not believe this was a miscarriage of justice."
• "Ms.
• "She has been convicted of a vicious crime of killing her mother, butchering her mother."

A probation report described Bray as having no criminal record, but still termed a "very callous individual" and said she was "a serious threat to the community."

Bray’s father Tom Bray said:

• "I love my daughter very much."
• "I don't believe she's guilty."

After sentencing, Amy Bray said:

• "I don't think she did this,"
• "And after all this, I don't think I have the same respect for the judicial system that I had." Betty Miles said she was torn by the crime and verdict, and that she still "loves Amber, in spite of everything."

Appeals

Bray’s attorney Joy Willenski filed a motion to appeal Bray’s conviction before sentence was passed by Superior Court Judge Teri Schwartz.

Outcome

Jeffrey Ayers was already serving a sentence of life without parole at the time of Bray’s sentencing.

Bray’s conviction included first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, with special circumstances for lying in wait and murder for financial gain.

Other details

The material repeatedly described planned financial motive involving Hollier’s $310,000 inheritance and related insurance proceeds.

A number of details were connected to the letters and planning, including a planned use of Hollier’s $310,000 inheritance to purchase a Riverside County house, a sports car, and furniture.

During the murder account, police recovered kitchen knives and a blue steel revolver described as used in the killing. Another detail reported police recovered a revolver purchased from a friend the night before the killing, and the gun was identified as a five-shot, steel-blue revolver.

Amber Bray and Jeffrey Ayers were described as having pleaded not guilty, and the material reported that they faced a maximum sentence of life in state prison without possibility of parole if found guilty with special circumstances.

The material also contained references to “Dungeons and Dragons-type fantasy games” and Ayers using the nickname “G.O.D.” The material further reported that Ayers’ defense argued he believed Bray’s mother might kill herself to escape abuse.

The material included a preliminary hearing in Burbank Municipal Court before Judge Alan Kalkin decided whether Ayers and Amber Bray would face trial in Superior Court, along with testimony from Amy Bray and officers including Officer Niles Sherman and Officer Melinda Wolfe.