4 episodes

The What Happened to Holly Bartlett podcast is a 6-episode audio series that investigates the death of Holly Bartlett, a blind woman who was found clinging to life under Halifax’s MacKay Bridge in the early hours of March 27th, 2010. Police deemed her death an accident, but her family and friends have never accepted their theory.

Investigative journalist Maggie Rahr hosts each 40-minute episode, determined to uncover what happened during Holly's final hours. Each segment, released concurrently with the television episode on AMI-TV, features in-depth interviews with Holly’s family, friends, and private investigators.

The WHTHB podcast paints a full picture of Holly Bartlett’s life and – more importantly – the uncertainty surrounding her death.

What Happened to Holly Bartlett What Happened to Holly Bartlett

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.6 • 382 Ratings

The What Happened to Holly Bartlett podcast is a 6-episode audio series that investigates the death of Holly Bartlett, a blind woman who was found clinging to life under Halifax’s MacKay Bridge in the early hours of March 27th, 2010. Police deemed her death an accident, but her family and friends have never accepted their theory.

Investigative journalist Maggie Rahr hosts each 40-minute episode, determined to uncover what happened during Holly's final hours. Each segment, released concurrently with the television episode on AMI-TV, features in-depth interviews with Holly’s family, friends, and private investigators.

The WHTHB podcast paints a full picture of Holly Bartlett’s life and – more importantly – the uncertainty surrounding her death.

    Episode 6: Tenacity

    Episode 6: Tenacity

    When Holly Bartlett was found, barely alive, under Halifax’s MacKay Bridge on the morning of March 27th 2010, her family and friends were unaware how it would alter the course of their lives. Now, almost nine years later, they are still advocating for Holly, who was so much more than a “poor, drunk, blind girl.” For the past six months, a team of concerned citizens and investigators have been digging into Holly’s case again, hoping to get closure once and for all.

    In this final episode of What Happened to Holly Bartlett, host Maggie Rahr meets up with private investigator Tom Martin near the place Holly was found. They try to piece together the movements of the last person who saw Holly alive: the taxi driver who dropped her off that night. Tom conducts a victimology, talking to Holly’s closest friends and family to find out everything he can about her personality. Did Holly’s feisty disposition make her a target that night? Finally, the whole team returns to the abutment one last time to hear Tom’s final theories, and we’ll learn what Holly’s mother Marion hopes people gain from hearing Holly’s story.

    • 42 min
    Episode 5: New Evidence

    Episode 5: New Evidence

    Re-opening a closed case isn’t easy. The 2010 death of Holly Bartlett, ruled an accident by Halifax police, was already the subject of a 2014 review by the Sûreté Du Quebec. Now, another four years have passed, and Bartlett’s family and friends are hopeful that new light can still be shed on the case.

    Host Maggie Rahr meets with private investigator Tom Martin to re-examine the clothes Holly was wearing when she was found. Then, Tom catches another break, Nova Scotia’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Marni Wood, has agreed to meet with him to discuss her original autopsy on Holly. We’ll then talk to Brian Parsons, who uncovered new evidence back in 2014 when he discovered a transit bus CCTV video from the night of March 26th. Finally, we’ll compare the conflicting stories of the last person to have seen Holly before she died, the taxi driver who dropped her off that night – and Maggie tries calling him to get his side of the story.

    • 43 min
    Episode 4: Disoriented

    Episode 4: Disoriented

    When Holly Bartlett was found, barely alive, under Halifax’s MacKay Bridge in March 2010, investigators quickly ruled it an accident. They said she was drunk and disoriented. Holly, who was blind, would never be able to give her side of the story, as she died the next day. In the nine years since then, family and friends have struggled with the short investigation by police, and are now trying to uncover the truth about what happened that night.

    In this episode, host Maggie Rahr returns to the apartment building Holly lived in at the time of her death, to talk with former superintendent Kelly Moore. We’ll hear from private investigator Brian Parsons about a key piece of evidence – a five dollar bill found at the scene. Then, Peter Parsons and Maggie sit down with forensic toxicologist Jim Wigmore to calculate Holly’s blood alcohol content. Lastly, we meet another private investigator, Tom Martin, and head to the abutment where Holly was found that cold winter morning.

    • 43 min
    Episode 3: Fatal Accident

    Episode 3: Fatal Accident

    In 2010, Holly Bartlett’s death was ruled an accident after she was found clinging to life under Halifax’s MacKay Bridge. Despite her family and friends claims that Holly, who was blind, could get around just about anywhere if she had her cane, police said she must have been drunk and disoriented. Now, a team of Holly’s friends, investigators and activists are trying to find out what really happened the night of March 26th 2010.

    In Episode 3, we’ll meet one of Holly’s closest childhood friends, Shelley Adams. Adams, who is blind herself, tells listeners about growing up visually impaired and attending the Sir Frederick Fraser School for the Blind with Holly. Next, host Maggie Rahr goes over the medical examiner’s report from back in 2010, and gets a second opinion on its accuracy from Dr. Michelle Patriquin. Then, Maggie meets Peter and Brian Parsons near Holly’s old apartment building to retrace her steps that evening, and we run into her old roommate Andrew, who helps us get a better understanding of who Holly was like as a person, and what her life was like before she died.

    • 42 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
382 Ratings

382 Ratings

bnc620 ,

Interesting Story

Thank you for telling Holly’s story with such compassion. My heart breaks for her family and friends. In the intro, when Holly’s sister says, “When Holly died a part of me died.” Heartbreaking. I’m on episode 4 and my fingers are crossed they find justice for Holly and answers for her mother and sisters.

posseh ,

Brilliant

I loved this. I pray for justice for Holly.

maymiac ,

Irresponsible

I was enjoying the first few episodes of this series until it was clear the journalist had her own opinions of what happened in the case and was making everything fit that narrative. The last episode was shockingly unprofessional, the detective was trying to reel her in, but she had her mind made up. What could have been a great podcast became uncomfortable and disrespectful to the victim and people involved with the case.

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