IN 2014, 20-year-old Hollie Gazzard was murdered while working in a Gloucester hair salon.
The tragic story behind Holly’s brutal murder has now been examined as part of a new series of Netflix’s true crime documentary – My Lover My Killer.
Who was Holly Gazzard?
Hollie Gazzard, 20, was a hairdresser from Gloucester.
When talking about his daughter, Holly’s father Nick described her as ‘spirited and ‘bright’.
What happened to Holly Gazzard?
In 2014, Hollie Gazzard was brutally murdered while at work by her ex-boyfriend, Asher Maslin.
Maslin stabbed 20-year-old Hollie 14 times as she finished cutting her last customer of the day.
The Gloucester hairdresser had ended her relationship with Maslin on Valentine’s Day 2014 – just four days before she was murdered.
After being told it was over, he became angry, shouting that he had a “cold heart”.
He then followed her to her car before stealing her bank card and making off with £300.
Maslin was unwilling to accept that their relationship was over and began bombarding Hollie and her family with abusive and threatening texts.
One message read: “Give me a ring now or the bat will hit your dad’s head.”
Chilling CCTV footage, shown in the documentary Stalked: Murder In Slow Motion, shows Maslin being ripped off, selling his DVD player to raise money to buy the 12-inch kitchen knife used to attack Hollie.
Before her death, Holly had reported Maslin to police on February 16, however, authorities were unable to locate him.
Her desperate appeal to the police came after Maslin became possessive and abusive, leaving her parents increasingly concerned for her welfare.
On one occasion, the young couple attended Mandy’s mom’s birthday dinner.
It was there that Maslin began to drink and show his true colors.
Holly’s father Nick recalls: “He was abusive to Holly. He humiliated her in front of everyone else. He spoke to her like a piece of dirt.
”He was demanding, snapping his fingers and saying things about her. The way he treated her was like a child. He had no respect.”
Two days after Holly contacted police, her sister Chloe’s partner received a terrifying text message, which read: “I’ve warned you all.”
A few minutes later, on February 18, Maslin walked into the living room where Hollie was working.
Salon manager Sian Pryszlak recalled the terrifying moment and said: “I was doing a gentleman’s hair.
“I said hi and she said hi and I went to the back of the salon and held my phone up to Hollie to show I was going to call the police and we both nodded at each other.
“I remember feeling quite nervous and anxious about it. I heard a lot of commotion and then there were people running towards me and a customer said. “There is a knife.”
The frenzied attack lasted just two minutes.
Holly was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
Who is Asher Maslin?
Asher Maslin is responsible for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Holly Gazzard.
Maslin met Hollie in 2013 at a bar where she was working part-time at the time.
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According to Holly’s father Nick, Maslin was “hooked” on her immediately, hounding her on dates until she finally agreed.
After Holly’s death, it was discovered that her killer had previous convictions for violence.
Her father, Nick, explained: “She had been arrested 23 times with escalating violence, with domestic abuse, GBH. He was a serial offender.
“Holly wouldn’t want to be with someone who had done this to other people.”
In July 2014, Asher Maslin was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 24 years to life in prison.
During his trial at Gloucester Crown Court, Nick said: ”He showed no remorse, he was disrespectful to the judge.
“It really pissed me off. I was seething inside.”
After Holly’s death, her family set up a trust in her memory.
The Hollie Gazzard Trust helps to reduce domestic violence by creating and delivering programs on domestic abuse and promoting healthy relationships in schools and colleges.
