Investigators say Amy Beth Hollingsworth died from injuries tied to an August 2025 attack.
SUMMIT COUNTY, Ohio — A Green area man charged in a rape case that became a homicide investigation was ordered held on $2 million bond Friday after pleading not guilty in Barberton Municipal Court.
Adam Richardson, 41, faces charges of murder, rape and felonious assault in connection with the death of Amy Beth Hollingsworth, 48. The case centers on a reported Aug. 30, 2025, sexual assault and Hollingsworth’s death in December. The Summit County Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide.
Sheriff’s officials said deputies were first called after a report that Hollingsworth had been sexually assaulted. She was taken to a hospital for medical care. Records cited in court allege Richardson threatened her and used force. An arrest report said Hollingsworth was punched, choked and raped. The same report said she suffered a stroke after the attack and was left paralyzed.
Richardson was arrested Thursday after sheriff’s detectives searched his home. Investigators said they recovered electronics, illegal narcotics and cash. Officials have not said what role those items may play in the prosecution. The sheriff’s office said additional charges are pending and will depend on what investigators find as the case develops.
At Friday’s arraignment, Richardson pleaded not guilty to all charges. In court, he said he had “a business to run” and affairs to handle as he prepared for “the fight of my life.” The judge set bond at $2 million. Jail and court records list him as held while the case awaits its next steps.
The new charges follow earlier contact between Richardson and local courts. Records reviewed by 19 News show he pleaded guilty to telephone harassment in 2023. Investigative records also describe previous domestic related incidents, including a 2022 case in which authorities said he threatened a woman in a vehicle, grabbed the steering wheel and caused the vehicle to hit a concrete barrier.
Authorities have not released a full timeline showing each step between Hollingsworth’s hospital treatment, her December death and Richardson’s arrest in June. The medical examiner’s homicide ruling is a key part of the case because it ties the criminal investigation to the fatal outcome. Prosecutors will have to present evidence supporting each charge as the case moves through court.
The investigation remains active. Officials said further charges could be filed after detectives finish reviewing evidence from the search. Richardson has entered not guilty pleas, and no trial date has been announced. The case remains pending in Summit County.
Author note: Last updated June 6, 2026.