Holly's Been Taken. The unsolved murder of Holly Piirainen

By: Short Walk Media and Richard Price
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  • Summary

  • They found their sister's sneaker near a wooden fence. There was no note, visible sign of a struggle or an accident. But a 10-year-old girl who lived a serene, happy life disappeared in August 1993 while on vacation at her grandparent's house in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. On that horrible day, she and her baby brother took a 5-minute walk to see a litter of collie puppies play on a neighbor's property. Her brother returned home shortly afterward, leaving his sister alone. Then she was gone. No one saw what happened. Or so it seems.

    Just before her disappearance, about 200 yards away, a man in a pickup truck leered at two teen girls, terrifying them as they checked their mailbox. They feared he was about to grab one of them. Holly Piirainen's remains were found 79 days later in the woods about nine miles away. The medical examiner marked it a homicide.

    A team of retired investigators believes the man in the pickup is responsible for the abduction and murder of Holly, but her case is still unsolved. Three decades later, Holly's story has never been told in its entirety. With the cooperation of Holly's family, I decided to tackle the story of what happened that day. Let's discover what we know and don't know and who are the persons of interest. And...let’s be prepared to uncover some new details along the way.

    MEDIA INQUIRIES ONLY: Contact Richard Price: shortwalkmedia1@gmail.com; (508) 614-9367‬
    Richard Price 2022
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History Social Sciences True Crime
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Episodes
  • Expert explains cold cases and the process of solving them

    Expert explains cold cases and the process of solving them
    Jan 19 2022

    In this episode, we will meet Dr. Jim Adcock, founder of the Mid-South Cold Case Initiative and an expert on death investigation and the cold case process. We will take a macro look at victimology, suspectology, and crime scene analysis.

    Do you have any knowledge about the Holly Piirainen case, no matter how small? Don't hesitate to contact the Hampden District Attorney, based in Springfield, Massachusetts, at www.hampdenda.com. Or call the State Police Detective Unit at 413-505- 5993 or the State Police Unresolved Cases Unit at 855-627-6583. You can also text the word Solve to 274637 from your cell phone.

    Check out Dr. Jim’s podcast series, “Solving Cold Cases with Dr. Jim”: https://www.ms-coldcaseinitiative.com/podcasts/

    MEDIA INQUIRIES ONLY: Contact Richard Price: shortwalkmedia1@gmail.com; (508) 614-9367‬
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    54 mins
  • Holly's Been Taken

    Holly's Been Taken
    Jan 17 2022

    In August 1993, 10-year-old Holly Piirainen took a short walk with her baby brother to admire a litter of puppies playing in a neighbor's yard. Her brother returned home, leaving her alone. Then she disappeared with just a sneaker left behind. Moments earlier, two teen girls, about 200 yards away, felt threatened by a man driving a pickup truck who leered at them.

    Today, her case is still unsolved.

    After 28 years, new details about her abduction that August has surfaced thanks to new research. Hear what happened that day as our journey to tell Holly's story begins.

    Do you have any knowledge about this case, no matter how small? Call the Hampden District Attorney, in Springfield, Massachusetts, at www.hampdenda.com. Or call the State Police Detective Unit at 413-505- 5993 or the State Police Unresolved Cases Unit at 855-627-6583. You can also text the word Solve to 274637 from your cell phone.

    Did you like this episode? Please give us a 5-star review. It helps our ratings and could aid in reaching a listener who can help solve this case.
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    19 mins
  • I Have My Holly Shell

    I Have My Holly Shell
    Jan 18 2022

    Meet Holly Piirainen's cousin, Leah Jolin, in this open and frank interview. She will talk about the days before the abduction, their relationship, and more about Holly's personality. This interview will help us better understand the case and reveal how Leah has learned to manage the loss of not just Holly but also another loved one who, years later, was brutally murdered.

    I will also give you my analysis of what the retired investigators revealed in episode 1.

    Do you have any knowledge about this case, no matter how small? Don't hesitate to contact the Hampden District Attorney, based in Springfield, Massachusetts, at www.hampdenda.com. Or call the State Police Detective Unit at 413-505- 5993 or the State Police Unresolved Cases Unit at 855-627-6583. You can also text the word Solve to 274637 from your cell phone.

    MEDIA INQUIRIES ONLY: Contact Richard Price: shortwalkmedia1@gmail.com; (508) 614-9367‬
    Show More Show Less
    57 mins

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