MA MA - Holly Piirainen, 10, Sturbridge, 5 Aug 1993

[Search 4 Holly's Killer]

Hello, Websleuths:

here is a mugshot of David Pouliot, a man forensically linked to the murder scene of Holly Piirainen. Question: can anyone identify the emblem on his t shirt? I know he is from Springfield Massachusetts if that helps.

 

[MassGuy]

Hello, Websleuths:

here is a mugshot of David Pouliot, a man forensically linked to the murder scene of Holly Piirainen. Question: can anyone identify the emblem on his t shirt? I know he is from Springfield Massachusetts if that helps.

It sucks that it’s cut off, and that the photo is over 25 years old. I’m thinking maybe 777.

Why the interest in the shirt?

 

[Alethea]

Hello, Websleuths:

here is a mugshot of David Pouliot, a man forensically linked to the murder scene of Holly Piirainen. Question: can anyone identify the emblem on his t shirt? I know he is from Springfield Massachusetts if that helps.

It almost looks like it should be a W from a sports team logo? I am trying to search for any relevant logos.

 

[Alethea]

West Springfield? Maybe we can look in newspapers from the time though their classifieds to see if any local shop had a logo like that.

 

[Alethea]

Here's another image from this link: Forensic Link Found in Piirainen Case

Looks like an orange letter with something in the middle (not that this helps...)

 

[Angela_Beckett]

Looks like the W from Wilson Sporting Goods brand.
Wilson Sporting Goods - Official Website

 

[weepingangel]

Looks like the W from Wilson Sporting Goods brand.
Wilson Sporting Goods - Official Website

Vintage 80s Wilson Athletic Wear Tank Top Sz XL Sleeveless Graphic Tee Shirt USA | eBay

good call!!
no wonder it looked so familiar

 

[Richard]

HOLLY PIIRAINEN

In 1993, 10-year-old Holly Piirainen disappeared after taking a walk to see collie puppies near her grandmother’s Sturbridge summer home. Two and a half months later, On October 23, 1993, her remains were found in Brimfield by a hunter in the woods.

Those with information about this case please contact the State Police Detective Unit at 413-505-5946 or the State Police Unresolved Cases Unit at 1-855-MA-SOLVE (1-855-627-6583) or you can text the word Solve to 274637 from your cell phone.

LINK:
Unsolved Homicides | Hampden District Attorney

 

[Search 4 Holly's Killer]

Looks like the W from Wilson Sporting Goods brand.
Wilson Sporting Goods - Official Website

It could be but it also has something else striking through it.

 

[Search 4 Holly's Killer]

It sucks that it’s cut off, and that the photo is over 25 years old. I’m thinking maybe 777.

Why the interest in the shirt?

Just looking to see if the emblem will connect him to something else in his life, like a club or association. In other words, trying to create a sketch of who he was.

 

[MassGuy]

Just looking to see if the emblem will connect him to something else in his life, like a club or association. In other words, trying to create a sketch of who he was.

I think there’s a good chance it becomes a moot point anyways. DP didn’t seem to have the background of someone who would commit this type of crime (sex crimes).

He’s still an intriguing suspect, but I’m more interested in this guy they exhumed. It generally takes quite a bit of evidence to approve something like that, and it helps to explain why this was apparently a one off—he was dead within a couple years.

 

[Luckyzmom]

Darned good thinking ! Wonder what LE is looking into, you are spot on with the warren to exhume

 

[Baddux]

I ended up finding out the name of the man they exhumed.

 

[brontefan]

I wanted to correct my earlier post regarding where the killer in Holly Piirainen's case most likely lives. I think I am wrong about a major detail. The Dark Minds program gave me the impression that Holly Piirainen was walking along Allen Road to the intersection of South Shore Drive where there was a house that had some puppies. This made me think the grandparent's cottage was located on Allen Road. I think this is the wrong scenario.

The correct scenario I think is that the grandparent's cottage where she was staying was located on South Shore Drive and she was walking towards the intersection with Allen Road. This is where she was kidnapped and they only found one shoe. This is important because it means that if she was kidnapped by someone who was presumably driving down Allen Road, it greatly decreases the amount of time they would have had to notice her walking. There still is the possibility that maybe the kidnapper passed by South Shore Drive and looked to the right or left depending on their direction of travel and saw her walking. Then they stopped, backed up the car, and kidnapped her.

If I finally have the scenario of Holly Piirainen's kidnapping correct, it puts the case in a totally different perspective for me. It makes it that much more surprising the case was not solved. I would have thought the kidnapper in this case either lives, works, or was visiting from some place on South Shore Drive. Still, because the kidnapping happened at or very close to the intersection of Allen Road, you cannot eliminate the possibility that it was someone driving down Allen Road.

I only realized this when after listening to the podcast episode that Holly and her brother went walking to the end of the road. And obviously Holly Piirainen was not kidnapped from either "end" of Allen Road. So hopefully I am correct now about how the Holly Piirainen case played out that day, August 5, 1993.

This is sort of a weird question, but does anyone know of any other case where one sneaker or shoe was left at the point of abduction?

Good point about the timing.

In 1993, South Shore Drive was a dirt road.

 

[Kell1]

I going to sound like a broken record here, I apologize,

The majority of Child abduction murders follow a pattern, that doesn't vary much, in short

The offender is usually a local that lives or works nearby, usually mid to late 20's (around 27) depending on any previous incarceration

Comes upon victim by chance, victim is selected based on the absence of adults.

The younger the victim usually more likely the use of a physical attack.

A vehicle is almost always used, the victim is usually less than .5 miles from home when abducted, and usually transported greater than 5 miles.

The motive is overwhelmingly sexual

The Victim is often deceased with the first 1-3 hours following the abduction, with the majority killed within 1, the child is usually not reported missing until 2--4 hours after the abduction. In most cases, the child is deceased before they have even been reported as missing .

The victim recovery site and the murder site are usually within 200 feet of each other, often the victim is killed where they are found

The body is usually hidden to avoid detection

A large number of offenders return to the body before its discovery, primarily withing 48 hours after the murder

Offenders usually live with parents, or a significant other. Have a high likelihood of past sexual offenses, usually involving children. The majority work in some type of blue collar, unskilled or semi skilled labor most often in the construction industry

described as odd and often somewhat loners

The offender is often very familiar with the body recovery site.

the offender is usually not under any type of custody arrangement at the time of the offense (Parole, Probation etc..)

Unlike abduction murders of adults, there is rarely a triggering event prior to the abduction of children.

Will often display a variey of post offensive behaviors following the crime .

the offenders name usually comes up in the investigation within the first week

 

[brontefan]

I going to sound like a broken record here, I apologize,

The majority of Child abduction murders follow a pattern, that doesn't vary much, in short

The offender is usually a local that lives or works nearby, usually mid to late 20's (around 27) depending on any previous incarceration

Comes upon victim by chance, victim is selected based on the absence of adults.

The younger the victim usually more likely the use of a physical attack.

A vehicle is almost always used, the victim is usually less than .5 miles from home when abducted, and usually transported greater than 5 miles.

The motive is overwhelmingly sexual

The Victim is often deceased with the first 1-3 hours following the abduction, with the majority killed within 1, the child is usually not reported missing until 2--4 hours after the abduction. In most cases, the child is deceased before they have even been reported as missing .

The victim recovery site and the murder site are usually within 200 feet of each other, often the victim is killed where they are found

The body is usually hidden to avoid detection

A large number of offenders return to the body before its discovery, primarily withing 48 hours after the murder

Offenders usually live with parents, or a significant other. Have a high likelihood of past sexual offenses, usually involving children. The majority work in some type of blue collar, unskilled or semi skilled labor most often in the construction industry

described as odd and often somewhat loners

The offender is often very familiar with the body recovery site.

the offender is usually not under any type of custody arrangement at the time of the offense (Parole, Probation etc..)

Unlike abduction murders of adults, there is rarely a triggering event prior to the abduction of children.

Will often display a variey of post offensive behaviors following the crime .

the offenders name usually comes up in the investigation within the first week

I think it's great- and really helpful - that you give your insights on these cases.

Question for all - I have read different versions of the puppy account. I read one - but only one - version in which one or all of the collie puppies escaped. Has anyone heard this?

 

[Slawsb]

I think it's great- and really helpful - that you give your insights on these cases.

Question for all - I have read different versions of the puppy account. I read one - but only one - version in which one or all of the collie puppies escaped. Has anyone heard this?

Did she at least get to see the Puppies???

 

[Kell1]

I think it's great- and really helpful - that you give your insights on these cases.

Question for all - I have read different versions of the puppy account. I read one - but only one - version in which one or all of the collie puppies escaped. Has anyone heard this?

I once heard something to the effect that the puppies had gotten out of their enclosure and were out in the street, supposedly a man stopped to help corral them again, but thats the extent of what I heard .

It was kind of glazed over by whomever it was that was telling the story

Facts in Hollys case, are a bit confusing

 

[Kell1]

Did she at least get to see the Puppies???

I've seen it reported she never arrived at the home to see the dogs, I haven't seen anywhere where the homeowner was interviewed

 

[brontefan]

I once heard something to the effect that the puppies had gotten out of their enclosure and were out in the street, supposedly a man stopped to help corral them again, but thats the extent of what I heard .

It was kind of glazed over by whomever it was that was telling the story

Facts in Hollys case, are a bit confusing

Yes, definitely.

That is the exact thing I heard. But I also read she never got there.

In the earliest accounts in multiple newspapers, written the day after her disappearance, there are references to a big, unfriendly dog. In one version, the brother ran home after seeing it. In another, she told him to go back because one of the dogs was unfriendly. There is a direct quote by the grandfather about it. That dog eventually disappears. There is another story that talks about area children visiting the collie pups and watching them roll down the hill. I'm wondering if the dog was at another house along the way. On the flip side, did she tell him that to protect him and get him to go back?