$15,000 Reward Set in Piirainen Case

State Sen. Stephen Brewer, D-Barre, said he takes the disappearance and murder of 10-year-old Holly Piirainen personally.

The 10-year-old Grafton girl disappeared Aug. 5, 1993 in Sturbridge. Her remains were found Oct. 23 in Brimfield. That area falls in his district.

He and State Rep. Todd Smola, R-Palmer, have issued a $15,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case.

“When a parent loses a child, there is never closure,’’ Brewer said this morning at a press conference in Springfield. The conference announced that law enforcement officials have made a forensic link between evidence found near where Holly’s body was found and a former Springfield man named David Pouliot.

Brewer said he is determined to help the Piirainen family find answers.

Holly, he said, could be married now and a mother. Instead, “all they have is memories and a stained glass window in a church in North Grafton.’’

He urged people to come forward with any information they might have about Pouliot, who was born Jan. 4., 1954 and died in 2003 at 49. Law officials are interested in any information about his activities between 1993 and 2003.

“One break, one lead can make a big difference,’’ he said. “No lead is too big or too small.’’

Anyone with information is asked to call 413-505-5933.