Investigators in western Massachusetts will hold a DNA swabbing event hoping to find new leads in the cold case murder of Holly Piirainen. The 10-year-old girl left her grandparents' home in 1993 and never returned. Her body was found months later, but no one has ever been charged in her death.
Thursday, Oct. 23, marks 32 years since Holly's remains were found in the woods off Five Bridge Road in Brimfield, Massachusetts, 65 miles southwest of Boston.
Holly Piirainen in a family photo.Hampden County District Attorney
Who was Holly Piirainen?
Holly was last seen on Aug. 5, 1993 when she left her grandparents' home in Sturbridge, telling her father she was going to visit a neighbor to see a litter of puppies. An hour later, she didn't return and her father reported her missing after finding her sneaker on South Shore Road in Sturbridge.
That October, hunters found Holly's remains in nearby Brimfield.
In 2023, the Hampden District Attorney released a photo of a white shirt found near Holly's remains. The white tank top says "Boston" on the front in pink and purple.
Investigators are looking for information about this shirt found in Brimfield in October 1993.Hampden District Attorney's Office
New push for DNA
The Hampden DA will host a Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) event in Brimfield, Massachusetts next month in hopes of advancing the case.
People are encouraged to provide a cheek swab, which could help investigators generate new leads. With the help of FIGG, DNA collected from crime scenes can be compared against genealogy databases to identify relatives of suspects.
"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," Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said in a statement Thursday.
The FIGG event will be held on November 9 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Public Safety Complex on Wales Road in Brimfield. The Hampden DA said participants will also receive their own ancestry and family tree information for free.
"People have been very generous and participatory in providing their DNA for these events," said Gulluni. "I think with the shared hope that we have, that we can provide answers to Holly's remaining family and hold someone accountable for doing something unspeakable to an innocent 10-year-old girl."
Anyone with any information on Holly's disappearance and murder is encouraged to contact her tip line at 413-426-3507.