Missing Person: Betty Ann Holt

Details from a government source (might be paraphrased):

Betty Ann Holt was last seen on March 1st, 1985 (Friday), at a relative's residence in Acworth, Georgia, after an argument. She left on foot, walking toward Highway 92, and has not been seen or heard from since.

Last contact: Note that March 1st, 1985 (Friday) is listed on her NamUs profile for when she was last seen but I do wonder if the date might be only an estimate. When only a month and year is known for when a person was last seen, NamUs will use the 1st as a kind of placeholder. However, the disappearance date could still be accurate. Nonetheless, from what I read about this case, she was reported missing some 40 years after her last-seen date. To me, that brings into question the reliability of memory for all the key details. Anyone looking at this case should be open to a time range from early 1985 for a last-seen date, in my opinion.
Last location: Acworth, Georgia - Relative's residence, walking toward Highway 92
Age when Betty Ann Holt disappeared: 15
DOB: Likely between March 2nd, 1969 and March 1st, 1970 based on her age at the time of her disappearance.
Sex: Female
Height in inches: 65 - 67
Weight in pounds (lbs): 120 - 130
BMI: 19.9 - 22.7 - Healthy weight (calculated to help picture what Betty Ann might have looked like)
Ethnicity: White / Caucasian
Hair color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Link to Government Source: NamUs MP146921 (right-click to open)

Discussion page: Websleuths discussion

Unraveling the Mystery: Key Insights and Updates

By: Shane Lambert
Original time of writing: August 16th, 2025 (Saturday)

Has Betty Ann Holt been found?

Betty Ann Holt remains missing as of August 16th, 2025. In fact, her case was only recently uploaded to NamUs. It may be that she was only reported missing in 2025, creating a 40-year gap between her last-seen date and her missing persons report. The investigating agency tab at NamUs states she was reported missing on May 30th, 2025.

There wasn't anything in newspapers archives that I could find on this missing person in terms of journalism from about the time of her disappearance. That makes sense if she was not reported missing until 2025. I do invite others to look through similar resources to see if a missing person's report ever hit the newspapers in the mid-1980s as the keyword combinations that might generate a hit can be immense.

I think that this case might open up a bit if the person that decided to report her missing opens up a Facebook group or posts information in forums about Betty Holt's disappearance.

Discounting Samuel Little

In exploring potential leads in the cold case of Betty Ann Holt's disappearance from Acworth, Georgia, on March 1st, 1985, Samuel Little initially emerged as a compelling figure to consider due to his prolific history as a serial killer active in the Southeast during the 1980s. Little confessed to at least seven murders in Georgia, including several in the Atlanta area—roughly 30 miles from Acworth. He targeted vulnerable young women, often strangling them after opportunistic encounters on roadways or in distressed situations, which could superficially aligned with Holt's profile as a 15-year-old walking alone toward Highway 92 after a family argument.

His nomadic lifestyle and confessions to killings in nearby cities like Macon and Savannah in the early 1980s made him a plausible suspect at first glance. However, upon closer examination, I think Little was incarcerated in San California in 1985. This timeline firmly eliminates him as a suspect if Holt met foul play shortly after her last sighting.

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