Share and Follow
The mother of country musician Spencer Hatcher was killed in a “completely random” attack that has rattled the small community of Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Schoolteacher Holly Hatcher, 62, was fatally stabbed to death by Kevin Moses Walker, 41, in her home on Sunday, August 3, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office said in a video statement. Holly’s husband, Michael Hatcher, 65, survived the incident, though he sustained some injuries.
Walker died on the scene after being shot by Michael, who retrieved a gun from his vehicle and shot the intruder after being attacked by Walker. The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation into the home invasion is active and ongoing, but no charges are expected to be filed at this time.
“There’s going to be questions that will never be answered, but all I can tell you is we’ve cried, we’ve hurt, and we’ve hugged, and we have found more love than we have ever known has existed between us, and between you,” Michael said in the video released by the sheriff’s office.
Kevin Moses Walker had a warrant out for his arrest
Walker, who was a resident of Pikesville, Maryland, checked into the Endless Caverns campground in New Market, Virginia, at around 2 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 1, according to Rockingham County Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson. Walker took a tour of the local caverns around 3 p.m. before driving about seven miles to a Walmart, where he purchased a sleeping bag and large knife.
Hutcheson said that on the following day, Virginia State Police received a report of an abandoned vehicle. Inside the vehicle, which appeared to have been involved in a collision, Virginia State Police found a parking pass for the Endless Caverns campground where they sought the vehicle’s owner. Upon arriving at the campgrounds, officers noticed that the campground store, as well as the caverns, had seemingly been broken into and had “damages consistent with having been rammed with a motor vehicle,” according to Hutcheson.
Officers determined that Walker was likely the culprit and a felony warrant was issued for his arrest. Troopers searched for Walker on the ground and drones searched the surrounding area, to no avail, according to authorities.
“There was no indication of any violence or potential for any violence from the offender that the Virginia State Police became aware of throughout that investigation,” Hutcheson said.
“Completely random” attack
The next known sighting of Walker, according to Hutcheson, was at the Hatcher residence just before midnight on Sunday, Aug. 3. Walker entered the home and first attacked Holly, who succumbed to her injuries at the scene, before engaging Michael in a struggle that continued on the driveway. Michael was able to retrieve a gun from his vehicle and fatally shot Walker before calling 911, according to the sheriff’s office.
Walker had no known history of violence and there is no evidence to suggest that it was a targeted attack. “This is a highly unusual, apparently completely random [attack] with an individual with no known history of violent behavior of any kind, or even criminal behavior of any kind,” Sheriff Hutcheson said.
No charges are expected to be filed as the suspect is dead.
Holly is survived by her husband, Michael, and their three sons, Spencer, Dane, and Connor.
According to Spencer’s official website, the country music artist has a record deal with Stone Country Records. The site also states that “Hatcher’s mother played organ and piano at church while his father played guitar and banjo and sang in the church choir, so it was only natural that their son would follow in his family’s musical footsteps.”