In a breakthrough for a 21-year-old cold case, a woman whose skeletal remains were discovered in 2003 by landscapers in Christmas, Florida, has been identified through advanced DNA technology.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office announced that the victim is Holly Garcia, a 22-year-old wife and mother who lived in east Orlando.
Although jewelry was found with the remains, Garcia was never reported missing.
Read: Police In Florida Crack 37-Year-Old Cold Case, Identifying Killer Of Former Firefighter
The case went cold until 2022, when a grant from the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System allowed the sheriff’s office to partner with Othram Labs. Forensic genetic genealogy, a technique analyzing DNA to identify relatives, led to a match in 2023 and the official identification of Garcia in March 2024.
Investigators are now searching for Garcia’s husband, Miguel Angel Garcia-Rivera, and seeking information from anyone who knew Holly Garcia or has details about her life and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and death.
The case, once a cold mystery, is now an active homicide investigation.
“We are thankful and happy that she has been identified but we are starting from scratch 20-plus years later to find out what occurred to her,” said Det. Chelsey Koepsell/
If you knew Holly Garcia or have any information about her life or the circumstances surrounding her death, please contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit at (407) 836-4357 or Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477).
Help support the Tampa Free Press by making any small donation by clicking here.
Android Users, Click To Download The Tampa Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter. Sign up for our free newsletter.