Heather Holm

Heather M. Holm was a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent and behavioral analyst serving with the Los Angeles Violent Crime Unit, her last assignment was to the Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs (LAMTFVG).

## Early Life

Heather Mae Holm was born on February 10 1989 in Colorado City, Arizona. Heather was born into a Mormon fundamentalist family and was one of 35 children born to her father, one of 8 to her mother. Heather even escaped in 2005 with her two children when she was 16, and with the help of her aunt Grace, she was able to start a new life. Heather earned her GED in 2006 and went to college at Virginia Commonwealth University where she earned a MS in computer science via their accelerated program.

## Career

Heather worked as a private investigator during college and joined the FBI in 2013 and began her career training with Behavioral Analysis Unit 3 at the FBI Academy as a trainee and eventual became qualified as a behavioral analyst, during her training she also served as a Cyber Forensics Specialist for BAU3. In 2014 at the completion of her training, Holm transferred to the Violent Crimes Against Children Squad at the Los Angeles Field Office, during 2015 she served with the Southern California Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. In 2016 Holm transferred to the Los Angeles Violent Crime Unit and eventually went on to serve with the Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs. Holm was also a SWAT/SOG operator and a Hazardous Devices Technician.

### Service History

* Behavioral Analysis Unit 3: 2013 to 2014
* Los Angeles Violent Crimes Against Children Squad I: 2014 to 2016
* Los Angeles Violent Crime Unit: 2016 to 2022
* Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs: 2016 to 2022 (as part of VCU)

## Personal Life

Heather met Nicola Crawford in 2015 and the pair were married in 2017, together they have four children; Raelyn, Shaunna, Josh and Emmalisa. The couple lived with their two younger children in Pasadena, while Heather’s two older children had been adopted by her aunt. Heather enjoyed reading, hiking, travel and keeping fit.

## Death

Heather Holm was killed and two other SWAT operators injured during the service of a high risk warrant in South Los Angeles. SWAT Assault Team 2 we’re serving a warrant on a suspect in a crimes against children case at around 10pm on Friday November 4 2022. After entering the house at approximately 10:31pm, the team located the suspect who fled into a bedroom at the rear of the home, while preparing to breach the door the suspect opened fire on the team striking three of them. Heather was shot in the neck, while two other operators were hit in the chest and arms, the suspect was killed in the ensuing gunfight. Heather was treated by the SWAT team’s medic however she was pronounced dead at 10:47pm, shortly after the EMT’s arrival on scene. The other two SWAT operators received non life threatening injuries and were treated at a local hospital before being released.

Heather was 33 years old and is survived by her wife, three daughters and stepson. Heather was posthumously awarded the FBI Medal of Valor, along with the other two SWAT operators. Heather’s family chose to have a private ceremony, her ashes were subsequently spread on her family’s farm in Maine.