Man Who Beat His Infant Daughter to Death for Crying and Disrupting His Xbox Time Learns His Fate in Court

A Virginia father will spend the next three decades in prison for the brutal killing of his two-month-old daughter — all because of a fit of rage over a gaming headset.

According to a news release from the City of Virginia Beach, 27-year-old La’Shaun Quintae Holloway was convicted of second-degree felony murder and child abuse for the 2020 killing of his baby daughter.

Circuit Court Judge Afshin Farashahi sentenced Holloway to 50 years behind bars, suspending 20 of those years — leaving him with a 30-year prison term.

The horrific crime took place on December 19, 2020, just days before Christmas. Holloway was watching his infant daughter when family members heard him yelling and cursing at the baby, reportedly furious over an Xbox headset. Moments later, the home fell silent.

Family members found the baby unresponsive and rushed her to the hospital, where she died a few days later.

Medical examiners discovered shocking evidence of long-term abuse. The infant had 26 rib fractures in various stages of healing, a fractured clavicle, a skull fracture, bruising around the eyes, and an extensive brain bleed — all consistent with abusive head trauma.

Holloway was convicted on August 26, 2024, after a three-day jury trial.

While Virginia’s sentencing guidelines typically cap similar cases at around 23 years and 8 months, the court determined that the sheer brutality of the crime warranted a far harsher penalty.

“In arguing for this high sentence, the Commonwealth referenced the significant injuries, age of the baby, and the brutality of the murder. Judge Farashahi agreed that those factors warranted a sentence above the guidelines,” the release stated.

This wasn’t Holloway’s first brush with the law. Court records show prior convictions for child abuse and neglect, as well as eluding police, hit-and-run, and DUI offenses.

The shocking case highlights the growing issue of gaming-related rage. A 2022 survey by Opera GX found that one in four gamers admitted to destroying their gaming equipment in anger. Two-thirds said they get angry when losing, and a “majority” reported having their entire day ruined by a game.

In response, Opera GX even launched what it called “Anger Controllers” — a tongue-in-cheek product meant to raise awareness about rage and self-control among gamers.

“Anger Controllers are our tongue-in-cheek way of highlighting the very real issue of rage and anger management amongst gamers, which impacts many individuals including those they play with,” said Maciej Kocemba, head of Opera GX.

The Holloway case serves as a chilling reminder of what happens when unchecked rage turns deadly — especially in a culture increasingly desensitized to violence and personal accountability.