Florida Woman’s Brutal 1999 Murder Unsolved for 24 Years—Now Boyfriend Charged
Sherry Holtz was brutally murdered in 1999, and her case remained unresolved for more than two decades – until now.
Holtz’s “longtime boyfriend” Gary Durrance, 73, has been arrested and accused in connection with her death, according to a press conference held by the Sanford Police Department on July 19.
Holtz’s body was discovered on December 4, 1999, in a wooded region of Sanford, Florida, by someone collecting cans, according to authorities. Holtz, who was 50 years old when she died, was discovered lying on her back on a concrete slab.
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Her neck was cut, and it was determined to be the principal cause of death. She had also experienced blunt force damage to the head and been strangled, according to authorities, as well as upper body lacerations and evidence of serious sexual abuse.
“There is no other way to describe it but as a brutal homicide,” said Bianca Gillett, a public information officer for the Sanford Police Department.
A sexual assault kit was tested at the time, but no DNA was discovered. A blood-stained knife found at the murder scene was also ineffective in the investigation because the sample was “insufficient in size for testing at that time,” according to police.
“Looking for DNA wasn’t as common as it is now,” Chief of Police Cecil E. Smith remarked.
However, when the cold case was revived in May 2023, investigators discovered that the blood on the knife’s blade belonged to Holtz, but the extra DNA on the grip belonged to Durrance.
Durrance became a suspect in the original 1999 inquiry after police discovered that Holtz and Durrance had battled and Durrance had kicked her out of their shared house on December 2, just days before her murder. They also have a history of domestic violence problems going back to 1996.
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On July 17, Durrance was granted an arrest warrant based on witness accounts and additional physical evidence. On July 18, he was identified and detained before being charged with second-degree homicide. He is now being imprisoned at Seminole County Jail.
It is unclear whether Durrance has legal representation who can comment on his behalf.
Durrance allegedly admitted to his role in Holtz’s death to detectives after being arrested.
“We are absolutely positive that the right man is behind bars tonight,” Gillett told the crowd. “And he will finally serve justice and have to answer for his crimes.”
Police also stated that Holtz has an adult son, whom they are still attempting to reach and alert of the arrest.
“We just kind of hope that this brings some peace to the family knowing that this individual who was a longtime boyfriend will now spend the rest of his natural life in jail,” Smith told the press. “And have the opportunity to face justice for the things that he has committed to Sherry.”