U.S. Marine sought in death of Emerson student, military confirms

BOSTON — The U.S. Marine Corps says a Marine from the 1st Marine Division is alleged to have been involved in the incident that left 19-year-old Dan Hollis, an Emerson College student and native of Hopedale, dead last month.

A Marine Corps spokesman confirmed to Boston 25 News Tuesday that a Marine from the 1st Marine Division, which is based at Camp Pendleton in California, was on approved leave when the Sept. 28 incident that left Hollis with a severe brain injury during an apparent scuffle happened. The Marine's name is not being released at this time, the spokesman said.

"We are deeply saddened to learn that an off-base incident allegedly involving one of our Marines has led to the passing of a man in the Boston community," a Marine Corps statement said. "This is a tragic event and is being treated with great care and solemnity on the part of the command. "

The Marine Corps said more information will be released "once the Marine is in custody."

It's been nearly a week since the fight that sent Hollis to the hospital with a severe head injury, only to be diagnosed with a blood clot and later removed from life support.

Sources have told Boston 25 News police have more than one person of interest, and at least one person involved in the fight lives out of state. Detectives will have to travel outside of Massachusetts to gather more information on what happened on Park Vale Avenue last Saturday.

As of Friday afternoon, there had been no arrests and police have not released any other information.

On Friday, Jennifer Kelly, Daniel's mother, posted a statement on behalf of her family on the website Caring Bridge:

"On behalf of Daniel's father, Jason Hollis, older sister, Kate Hollis, and our entire extended family I would like to express our family's gratitude for the overwhelming support sent to us over the last week.  It has become abundantly clear to us that Dan not only made the world brighter for his friends and family, but also for those he encountered.

Hard to ignore due to his height and strawberry-blonde hair, it was his infectious smile and dazzling blue eyes that danced with just a bit of mischief that pulled you in.  To put it simply, Dan loved life and wanted others to share in his happiness. He often quoted his favorite artist Travis Scott in saying, "I want people to have the best time ever.  Especially if they're around me."

Daniel was many things student, athlete, leader, artist, music lover, friend.  He was just 19 years old and only beginning to experience the world around him.  His family and the small town of Hopedale, Massachusetts provided a strong foundation from which he took off to explore the thrills of life in the city at Emerson College.  He looked forward to traveling abroad and expanding his creative pursuits through clothing and marketing. While often receiving recognition for his play on the field or ice, it was the camaraderie of the team that Dan most loved about sports.  For Daniel, life was about relationships and enjoying experiences with others.

As we mourn his loss, we take solace in the fact that Dan's choice to be an organ donor saved the lives of three people on Thursday.  We pray for a speedy recovery and long, prosperous life for the recipients and their families. May they use his gift to make the world a better place.

Our family would also like to thank the incredible nursing staff and the medical team at Brigham and Women's Hospital for their care and support of Daniel during his final days.

We stand in full support of the Boston Police Department as they continue their investigation into this matter.  We are confident they will find the individuals responsible for this tragic act of violence and bring them to justice.

In the meantime, we kindly ask that the media refrain from continuing to disturb Daniel's family and friends during our time of mourning. We wish to focus our energy on celebrating his life and helping one another learn to live in a world with a little less sunshine."

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