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

[Yemelyan]

There is news in this investigation!

Body exhumed in connection with 27-year-old unsolved murder of Holly Piirainen

From the article:

Sources tell 5 Investigates that investigators exhumed the body of a man from a cemetery in Hampden County, who died four years after Holly’s murder.

Sources tell us the body is not that of David Edmond Pouliot, a 49-year-old Springfield man who died in 2003. Pouliot was was named a person-of-interest in Piirainen’s murder eight years ago.

 

[dotr]

There is news in this investigation!

Body exhumed in connection with 27-year-old unsolved murder of Holly Piirainen

From the article:

Sources tell 5 Investigates that investigators exhumed the body of a man from a cemetery in Hampden County, who died four years after Holly’s murder.

Sources tell us the body is not that of David Edmond Pouliot, a 49-year-old Springfield man who died in 2003. Pouliot was was named a person-of-interest in Piirainen’s murder eight years ago.

WOW, thanks for this unexpected update!

 

[MassGuy]

I wonder if this is another GED Match hit. This was one of those cases that haunted me as a child. I remember seeing her poster everywhere before her body was found.

Sounds like this is going to end up being a name we’ve never heard before. If it’s confirmed to be him, it would also mean that a different person killed Molly Bish (it’s been theorized it could be the same killer).

 

[Seattle1]

dbm

 

[Yemelyan]

A little more info here:

Family hopeful about new lead in Holly Piirainen murder case

The Piirainen family is cautiously optimistic. The man whose grave was exhumed was investigated after a tip was provided to police. The man is not yet being named but it's being reported he died of an overdose.

 

[Mrs..b]

Hello All, I’m a lurker who has been following this for a long time. Wondering out loud, could this be a family member of David Pouliot? Cousin, uncle, ect. I’m not sleuthing them, but reports from earlier said Mr Pouliot or people associated with him where connected to where Holly was found. Wondering if DNA could match a distant family member. This has gone long enough with out an answer.

 

[Yemelyan]

Hello All, I’m a lurker who has been following this for a long time. Wondering out loud, could this be a family member of David Pouliot? Cousin, uncle, ect. I’m not sleuthing them, but reports from earlier said Mr Pouliot or people associated with him where connected to where Holly was found. Wondering if DNA could match a distant family member. This has gone long enough with out an answer.

I don't know whether it's a family member specifically, but just last year in 2019 LE talked about the evidence that they found being tied to David Pouliot and how it meant either he was at that scene or someone closely associated with him was.

The article I read said that LE was looking very closely into his known associates at that time. So I too am thinking this exhumation has to do with an outcome of that line of investigation.

 

[Mrs..b]

I just re-read, as I’m refreshing myself with this, that David Pouliot was forensically tied to the scene, but not a suspect. That is such a head scratcher to me. They stated indisputable evidence to place him at the scene, but don’t think he is a suspect,umm what? this weeks situation will bring more concrete evidence. I have a million questions...

 

[Luckyzmom]

Welcome @Mrs..b glad to have you here, it's past time for Holly to have justice .MOO

 

[Mrs..b]

Yes! I’m about an hour away from this area and i remember it happening, and would never have thought as now as an adult with kids Hollys age, still be wondering, who did this. I hope justice is coming soon for Holly

 

[weepingangel]

No new info here yet I don’t think
Cousin: Investigators exhume body in search for clues in '93 Holly Piirainen case
Piirainen’s cousin, Julie Goering of South Carolina, said by phone Sunday night that the family had been notified by Massachusetts State Police that the body of a man had been exhumed from a grave in Hampden County. The man, Goering said, may be connected to Piirainen’s case.

“We are hopeful that this new development will lead to justice for Holly after more than 27 years with no answers,” Goering said in a statement on behalf of the family.

“There is not a single day that goes by that we don’t hope and pray for the resolution of Holly’s case and to know the person responsible is off the streets,” the statement continued. “We truly appreciate everyone who has continued to share Holly’s story over the last 27 years.”

Goering told the Telegram & Gazette the family doesn’t have additional information about the man’s potential connection to the case.

She said the family is supposed to have a meeting with representatives of Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni’s office in the coming weeks, to learn about what the suspect’s connection to the case might be.

 

[Seattle1]

Family hopeful about new lead in Holly Piirainen murder case

Oct 2, 2020 - updated 7:18 PM

Sources tell 5 Investigates the remains of a 22-year-old man who died in 1997 — four years after Holly disappeared — was exhumed — earlier this week. 5 Investigates has also learned the man died of an overdose. We are not identifying him because he has not been publicly identified by authorities.

[..]

Holly disappeared back in August of 1993 while visiting her grandparents in Sturbridge. Her remains were found months later in the woods of Brimfield. Her family can't comment on any specifics, but sources tell 5 Investigates a tip led investigators to a grave in Hampden County where the body of young man was exhumed.

[..]

In 2012, a Springfield man, David Pouliot, who is deceased, was named a person of interest in the case after investigators linked his DNA to evidence discovered near where Holly was found. No official suspects have ever been named and there haven't been any arrests-now the trail taking investigators to another person.

[..]

The family is offering a $40,000 reward for information in the case. Anyone with information is asked to call (413) 505-5993.

 

[Seattle1]

The connection between Molly and Holly is eerie to say the least.

For those who are unaware, when Holly first went missing, Molly Bish wrote a letter to the family of Holly expressing her condolences and offering her love. I do agree that Holly's abduction and killing seemed to be more of an opportunity crime vs pre planned, whereas Molly's seemed more planned. Although their abductions seemed completely different, I don't think their connection is a mere coincidence.

What I would love to know is who else knew about the letter that Molly wrote Holly?

There's a big age discrepancy between 10 yr old Holly and 16 yr old Molly. If the same killer, seems he escalated from a child to a fit, young woman that had been lifeguarding nearby for only a week. I think the killer was familiar with the area and brazen to take the girls in broad daylight. MOO

ETA: Unnamed 22 year old whose body exhumed Oct 2020 died 1997 (and MB killed 2000).

 

[rob525]

I just read through this thread again after some time away from it. I did have some questions that maybe someone could answer ( and I apologize in advance if these have been asked and answered and I just missed it in my reading).

First, how old was the brother whom ran home at the sound of the loud noise?

Second I came across this quote: "Last month, Gary Schara was charged with the kidnapping, aggravated rape, and murder of Lisa Ziegert, who was found dead in Agawam 25 years ago. Schara’s DNA will now be tested against Holly’s case." From this I gather that there is unidentified DNA in or around the location where Holly was found?

It was said that she was found by hunters and that David Pouliot was a hunter. Does anyone know if there is a hunting season around the first of August in Massachusetts? My first thought was that David Pouliot may be a victim of circumstance, having been hunting recently in the immediate area where Holly was found. But, I can find nothing that would be in season in early August thus less likely that he was there hunting.

 

[Yemelyan]

I just read through this thread again after some time away from it. I did have some questions that maybe someone could answer ( and I apologize in advance if these have been asked and answered and I just missed it in my reading).

First, how old was the brother whom ran home at the sound of the loud noise?

Second I came across this quote: "Last month, Gary Schara was charged with the kidnapping, aggravated rape, and murder of Lisa Ziegert, who was found dead in Agawam 25 years ago. Schara’s DNA will now be tested against Holly’s case." From this I gather that there is unidentified DNA in or around the location where Holly was found?

It was said that she was found by hunters and that David Pouliot was a hunter. Does anyone know if there is a hunting season around the first of August in Massachusetts? My first thought was that David Pouliot may be a victim of circumstance, having been hunting recently in the immediate area where Holly was found. But, I can find nothing that would be in season in early August thus less likely that he was there hunting.

She had two brothers but the one who ran home without her was apparently five years old. See this article: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...GBAC&usg=AOvVaw0hfvj-7zatVURB8YdzmBce&ampcf=1

From everything I've read, there was an item near the crime scene that has David Pouliot's DNA along with unidentified DNA. Thus why LE want to know who he associated with at the time of the murder. Something about this item is suspicious over and above the fact that it was close by, according to LE. You have to ask, what kind of item would preserve recognizeable DNA for the length of time. Just speculation but I'm wondering if it was a syringe that LE suspects was shared between Pouliot and another unidentified person.

 

[Austin023]

That, a used syringe, or maybe a spent cigarette. The part I find equally interesting is the exhumation last month of a man who died in 1997, where a letter that had been placed inside his casket, was retrieved.... apparently, a credible tip lead investigators to do that exhumation, though unfortunately, the item retrieved was badly water damaged. The man, who died in 1997 was NOT David Pouliot, who himself died in 2003. The DA for Hampden county would not confirm the dead man's identity, only that he was 22 years of age when he died from a drug overdose in 1997. A letter or some kind of communication has been placed in his coffin at the time of burial, tho with passage of so much time, it's unclear if it was intact enough to be of any use forensically. One article mentioned significant water damage.
I hope this case one day gets solved, though I tend to agree that whomever killed Holly is probably deceased.

She had two brothers but the one who ran home without her was apparently five years old. See this article: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.boston25news.com/news/new-england-s-unsolved-holly-piirainen-25-years-later/823976673/?outputType=amp&ved=2ahUKEwiZ-5LXpPbsAhXjj3IEHSLtB9kQFjACegQIGBAC&usg=AOvVaw0hfvj-7zatVURB8YdzmBce&ampcf=1

From everything I've read, there was an item near the crime scene that has David Pouliot's DNA along with unidentified DNA. Thus why LE want to know who he associated with at the time of the murder. Something about this item is suspicious over and above the fact that it was close by, according to LE. You have to ask, what kind of item would preserve recognizeable DNA for the length of time. Just speculation but I'm wondering if it was a syringe that LE suspects was shared between Pouliot and another unidentified person.

 

[Mrs..b]

There is a new website for Holly, www.helpholly.com. It’s def worth checking out. It states that police have known suspects, but need more info, among a few other things I had not read before.
It is so disappointing that it doesn’t seem any info will come from the exhumation. That sounded so promising.

 

[Yemelyan]

There is a new website for Holly, www.helpholly.com. It’s def worth checking out. It states that police have known suspects, but need more info, among a few other things I had not read before.
It is so disappointing that it doesn’t seem any info will come from the exhumation. That sounded so promising.

Thanks for linking this, there's a lot of information there that has not been given before.

 

[Mrs..b]

YW, and yes that was a lot of info. I feel like it’s taking me a minute to process it all, lol. I hope this will encourage someone to speak up finally. Lots of options to report anonymously.

 

[Search 4 Holly's Killer]

Hi, everyone:
I am investigating this case. If anyone reading this were either one of the hunters who discovered Holly's remains or are one of the two teenage girls who crossed paths with the possible suspect who drove by their Allen Road house in August, 1993, I would love to interview you.