BRIMFIELD, Mass. — Holly Piirainen’s family is holding out hope now, 32 years since her remains were found in the woods in Brimfield.
“You have to be very patient, there’s a lot of rollercoasters, but we’re not gonna give up the faith that she’ll have some justice,” said Carla Jackman, Holly’s aunt.
Investigators say the ten-year-old girl was visiting her grandparents in Sturbridge when she went to see a neighbor’s puppies and never returned.
Police have yet to identify her killer.
“They have several persons of interest who have been persons of interest since the beginning, and they’re still keeping an eye on those people,” said Jackman.
On this anniversary, the Hampden District Attorney has a renewed push for answers.
The DA’s office will host a forensic drive in November, where anyone can come and get a cheek swab.
The District Attorney says collecting more DNA from the public could generate new leads by identifying unknown suspects, who could be someone’s distant cousin.
“Each new DNA sample has the power to bring us closer to the truth. Holly deserves justice, and her family deserves answers. This effort is about remembering her and using every available tool to find the person responsible,” said District Attorney Anthony Gulluni in a statement Thursday.
“That could be a help and you may not even realize it, even if it doesn’t help Holly’s case, maybe it could help another,” said Jackman.
Holly’s family says they’re just thankful after more than three decades, the District Attorney continues to seek justice for Holly.
“He’s a very positive person and he feels confident that this will be solved one day, and I just love to hear that, it’s comforting that he feels so strongly about it and that it’s still an active case after all these years,” said Jackman.
The Hampden District Attorney’s office will host that Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) drive on November 9th at the Public Safety Complex in Brimfield from 11 AM to 3 PM.
Investigators encourage anyone with information related to Holly’s murder to contact Holly’s Tip-Line at 413-426-3507. You may also use Text-a-Tip by texting the word CRIMES (2-7-4-6-3-7) and typing the word SOLVE into the body of the message, followed by your tip.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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