Florida police arrests murder suspect in connection to 25-year-old cold case

Florida police made an arrest this week in connection with a 25-year-old cold case, charging the suspect with second-degree murder.

The case in question is that of Sherry Holtz, who was found dead in a wooded area in Sanford in 1999. She was found with her throat cut, her clothes pulled of and signs of blunt-force trauma, strangulation and sexual battery. She was found by a person walking through the woods collecting cans.

Investigators found back then a bloody lock-blade knife in the area and sent it for testing, but the sample was so small they were unable to perform DNA testing at the time. However, the evidence was preserved and resubmitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in May 2023.

Now, new technology determined that some of the blood was hers but there was also some of an ex boyfriend, Gary Durrance. He was arrested laws Thursday in Volusia County and booked into the Seminole County Jail on a second-degree homicide charge.

Police spokesperson Bianca Gillett said Holtz was living with Durrance and three other roommates at the time of her death. After interviewing the housemates, authorities concluded that the two had gotten into an argument and that Durrance expelled Holtz from their home a day before she was killed. Police had also responded to domestic violence incidents involving the two during the years prior to the homicide.

Roommates said Durrance was home on the night Holtz was killed but couldn't ensure he was there the whole night. There were also indicators that he left at some point. After the investigation was reopened, interviewees said Durrance told them he had seen her dead body and assisted in the scene. However, it was later determined he said so before police was notified of her death.

Durrance is the sole suspect and admitted to being involved in the killing after his arrest. "We are absolutely positive that the right man is behind bars," she said.