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Posts:
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(54 of 54)
Re: Who murdered Holly Brannigan? (cold case from 1970's)
Aug 23, 2009 3:51 PM
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There have been many interesting posts regarding Holly Branagan’s murder. We have heard from friends who love Holly and from neighbors who care about who committed this senseless horror.
What we want collectively is an easy answer. A straight factual summation explaining who and especially why Holly was stabbed to death that afternoon.
A straight answer is not going to come from anyone anytime soon. The killer or the persons who know who the killer is, will continue to watch the news, read the paper, or poke around on web sites that have stories and posts about Holly. They will hope that we exhaust ourselves and forget about Holly and who did this to her.
Not going to happen. As difficult as it is to keep posting with mostly the same information in our heads is not easy. We recently had a new set of circumstances to mull over. The “disturbed” neighbor. Very feasible. Easy to take, a good bet if the parents were that low-life that they wouldn’t want the entire community to rest at night knowing that the killer was locked up. Forever. The guy was disturbed. It’s not like he went there to kill Holly and got up and went to work the next day. This guy couldn’t work. He was “disturbed”. How quickly I want to just accept this and move on. But it’s not that easy. It can’t be. Until the BPD announces that Holly’s case is closed, with or without a suspect in custody, I will make an attempt to keep Holly’s thread going. Painstaking as it may be.
With all of the great minds our members have, it should be a breeze.
I would like for faithful members, guests and even you (you know who I mean) to bear with me as I drag the information we all know back onto the latest page in the thread for us to read and think about some more.
This is not me stating facts but merely reiterating what we all know so far.
It is my hope that when someone pops in at some point, and they read the autopsy results (what we have of the report) and the details about the timeline and the phone, they will suddenly have a memory jog. Something huge will come to their mind. The key to unlock the mystery of who was at Holly’s door on Wednesday, March 28th at about 4:30 in the afternoon. Approximately an hour before dark, give or take a few minutes.
According to the Farmers Almanac:
Rise and Set
Bethlehem, PA
Latitude: 40:39:11 N Longitude: 75:20:12 W
for Wednesday, March 28, 1979
SUN RISES 5:52 AM
SUN SETS 6:22 PM
HOURS IN DAY 12:30
So it wasn’t even dark yet.
Here’s what we know:
Holly was dropped off after school. By whom I don’t know but they do.
Holly had changed her clothes. Had some food and a soda.
Holly made plans with friend to go to pizza hut.
4:30 ‘visitor’ arrives – Holly puts phone down, answers door, picks up extension and tells friend on phone she will call her back. She never mentions who the visitor is to her friend.
4:45 Holly calls dad’s office – Holly had to go back to phone receiver she put down at time of doorbell ring to be able to call out.
5:00 phone just rings, no answer when friend tries to call – phone had to be back on the hook at 5PM or friend would have gotten a busy signal.
6:00 friend drives to house, no one comes to door – it’s still only dusk. Friend leaves…….never calls back to find out phone is busy all night.
Sean calls during evening, line busy.
He tries again Thursday AM, still busy.
Remember the dog? Where was the dog when friend was trying to get Holly’s attention at 6PM? Was killer still inside? Keeping dog from running to door? Holly was pronounced as having died at sometime around dusk. Dusk would have been right ‘around’ 6PM.
7 AM – ‘some neighbor’ tells police they received a call asking for Holly at their home – phone lines crossed? There is the report that phone company was working in area.
7AM – Different friend arrives to drive Holly to school, rings bell, dog comes to door, no Holly. By the way sunrise on Thursday March 29, ‘79 was 5:51 AM. So it is light out.
At about 10:30 AM - Sean becomes concerned phone is still busy, he and his friend make the horrifying discovery.
Police arrive.
They find no forced entry – Holly knew visitor.
Holly is face down, half of knife blade still in her back. Handle still there. Holly has bled to death.
Autopsy results that are shared with public are:
18 stab wounds
15 serious knife wounds
3 slight wounds
2 defensive wounds – Holly attempted to fight back
Indications of some struggle on the body – Does that mean killer had some possible marks of a struggle visible on their body?
No sexual assault.
Phone in bedroom OFF of the hook – same phone she initially put down to answer the door bell?
Clock stopped at 5:20 PM – pendulum on floor – bumped in struggle?
Other than that only LE and a few others know what else may or may have not been out of place. This all happened during daylight. Not in the dark of night like most murders.
This person who murdered Holly had to have known Holly’s situation. That no one else was home. Maybe they even knew that Sean was sleeping over at his friends for the night. They certainly took a chance if they didn’t know.
A confrontation such as this would have to be about:
Love
Lust
Passion
Jealousy
Money
We know it was rage. We know it was overkill.
We know how it ended for Holly. That’s all we really know. Yet I can’t help feeling that someone out there knows exactly what went down. They know who and they know why. The killer knows. That is certain.
Please accept my sincere apologies that I can only post old news. That is how it will have to be until we get new information. It's not going to be leaked at this juncture in the ongoing investigation. Still, I will not stop.
If you read this post closely, you can get the feeling for my thoughts on this whole time line. I am not convinced this is all there is. Feel free to comment.
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Posts:
32
Registered:
1/14/09
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(53 of 54)
Re: Who murdered Holly Brannigan? (cold case from 1970's)
Aug 19, 2009 11:39 AM
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It's been a week and we have had new information coming in from friends, neighbors and other people in the community that have remembered some interesting incidents. There is a person who is pretty sure there was someone treated at one of our small local hospitals the morning after Holly was murdered. Hours before the news was spreading that this beautiful young woman was found murdered. No one in town knew about this murder until later that Thursday evening and the next day.
LE has been notified so they can check this out.
In the meantime, please keep shaking those memories out. In time we will know who and why.
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Posts:
32
Registered:
1/14/09
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(52 of 54)
Re: Who murdered Holly Brannigan? (cold case from 1970's)
Aug 13, 2009 10:47 AM
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I have decided to post Holly's memorial again and ask for friends, neighbors and anyone who wants to stop by and light a candle for Holly. Not just to show you care, but as a symbol of hope to keep Holly's memory a positive focus. There is also a tribute feature to say a few words.
I firmly believe that collectively we can help this case be solved. Not letting it slip our minds, prayer and on the part of LE, hard work, it will be solved.
Many friends are emerging. They have good and positive things to say about Holly as a person. They are expunging their raw emotions. many feel they should have been there, they might have stopped this murder from happening. We need to let them know they have support. Our support and thoughts for them should be shared.
Please visit Holly's memorial at:
http://holly-branagan.gonetoosoon.org/memorial/
Thanks.
If anyone wants to email me feel free:
starkrial@yahoo.com
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Posts:
32
Registered:
1/14/09
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(51 of 54)
Re: Who murdered Holly Brannigan? (cold case from 1970's)
Aug 8, 2009 3:27 PM
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To ppbarnes and babsie and everyone else who cares,
The pain that Holly's (and Sean's) Dad and friends felt is beyond what we not closely associated can feel. I have received email from ppbarnes and we have developed a kinship despite the tragedy that brought us together.
It is the fact that people from the past are coming forward at all that is of the utmost importance.
Some friends have chosen to email privately and quietly. Others have joined blog sites and participated. There are some who have over the past few months gone directly to the LE investigating Holly's cold case.
As you know after reading this thread, we have a cold case unit now working exclusively on cold case homicides. As I am reminded by LE and other members of this site, this is not a one hour TV show and everything will miraculously be solved by the end of one hour. This is a thirty year old case that is being handled by experienced, seasoned LE who are determined to make Holly's case the first case in their endeavors.
Hopefully with the new information Holly's case will be solved one day down the road. The investigators will still have other unsolved homicides to work. We, who are concentrating on Holly's case right now will gather to have a somber celebration that her killer was caught and brought to justice.
Some of us will continue with other cases that have touched us in some way. If everyone who has an interest in cold cases takes a little time to assist family, friends and loved ones, we might be able to solve more of these senseless murders.
Our society has become complacent, people take these horrible deeds in stride anymore. When Holly's murder happened many lives were touched and destroyed by this killer. Yes, Holly was the victim. But there are many more left behind to struggle through their nightmares and grief.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I saw the Holly Branagan murder as personal. NOT the act of a psychotic serial killer. ppbarnes was letting me know that the kids around here were absolutely petrified because the movie was only months old.
Either way I appreciate the defense as well as the apology. We all peek in her for the same reason. To find Holly's killer.
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Posts:
2
Registered:
7/19/09
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(50 of 54)
Re: Who murdered Holly Brannigan? (cold case from 1970's)
Aug 8, 2009 12:22 PM
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babsie1952
As a friend who was interviewed by the police, it was upsetting to read a blanket statement, that
"The Halloween theory is also supposedly why the friends were so scared. It was the reason why Holly’s friends wouldn't talk to police."
Many of her friends did talk to the police. For those who didn't, shame on them. They have to live with their own conscious. I hope that the guilt gets to them, and they come forward and speak of what they know. Someone knows something.
Starkrial and I have been privately emailing and I have explained how I feel and after giving it more thought, realized that I was being over sensitive.
To Starkrial,
I apologize to you publicly on this forum for overreacting. I know you are sincere in trying to help. Holly is lucky to have you so diligently working on her case. I am grateful to you for that. There is a hurt that runs very deep, a scar within me. I know that I was being over sensitive. I apologize.
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Posts:
2
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8/6/09
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(49 of 54)
Re: Who murdered Holly Brannigan? (cold case from 1970's)
Aug 6, 2009 5:19 AM
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I need to clarify that my comments of criticism I made was about the negative post Barnes made .
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Posts:
2
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8/6/09
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(48 of 54)
Re: Who murdered Holly Brannigan? (cold case from 1970's)
Aug 6, 2009 5:17 AM
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Your comments are rude,selfish, and unwarranted.
The focus should not who knew Holly better but to offer information for someone who took the initiative to do something about it.
If you were so close to Holly as you say your are, you should be more supportive of those who are taking their time to do something.
It is so sad that you feel the need to post such negative remarks and such a waste of time It does not matter who they person is that is assisting or keeping a cause alive, honor the fact they are doing something rather than being critical of those who do. Shame on You BJ
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32
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1/14/09
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(47 of 54)
Re: Who murdered Holly Brannigan? (cold case from 1970's)
Jul 31, 2009 7:42 PM
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It’s been four full weeks since Detective Bob Egan has headed up the new cold case unit in Northampton County. As he is diligently keeping at task, I am once again fulfilling my promise to not let Holly’s murder be shrouded in mystery and secrecy. I am asked who am I? I do not believe that it has anything to do with Holly’s brutal attack. I don’t think it’s appropriate to speak of myself in this forum. However, I will placate anyone who thinks I harbor some kind of ulterior motive by telling you I am a person who cares.
I care about Holly Branagan, her brother, and all the victims of senseless brutal attacks that took their lives away too prematurely. I care too, about Holly’s family and friends and fellow neighbors who also experienced a horrifying blow that March day in 1979. I am not an evil person. My intention is to keep Holly’s case from slipping back into ‘urban legend’ cold case status for another 30 years. From my own personal losses of loved ones I have tried to learn how to help others. My heart was touched by words spoken by Mr. Branagan and I decided to begin my quest.
For me to have to explain myself indicates that my message has been miss-interpreted as a message of ill intent. If you read the entire thread, surely you can ascertain the depth of my sincerity. Others who have wept at Holly’s grave have thanked me for giving a voice to those still to pained to speak. Being hurtful or ‘offensive’ has never been my intent. I am not natured to be an offensive mean person. Please email me privately if you have any other questions. This is about Holly, not me.
Bachen, thanks for the kind words. I know that if we never give up hope we will see Holly’s killer brought to justice. It is not fair for a murderer to be living free for all these years. The pain will never fade from this heinous assault, that is true, but until the murderer of this beautiful human being is finally apprehended I and the rest of Holly’s vocal advocates will continue our mission. That being, to keep the candle burning until it at last must flicker and fade away.
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3
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4/13/09
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(46 of 54)
Re: Who murdered Holly Brannigan? (cold case from 1970's)
Jul 30, 2009 10:29 AM
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ppbarnes,
Have you read all of the posts? I have been keeping up with these and other sites that have only the best interest of Holly, Sean, Mr. Branagan and their friends at heart.
There is no malice intended anywhere I can find. You say you are offended. I doubt that is the intention of people who are trying to give a voice to victims that cannot speak for themselves. Read the words carefully, perhaps you might find that the intention of the people who take time to post with utmost respect for Holly and the horrible way in which she was killed, are doing it in hopes of friends sharing the kind words such as you have.
There is no need to incinuate any ill intention on the part of people who care. There are many of us who do care.
I went to Freedom, I graduated in 75, earlier than you in 1980 or Holly in 1979. I lived in the neighborhood, I knew of Holly and Sean but was not "best" friends with either. I knew people who did know them and only ever heard wonderful stories about both of them. Let's pull together and hope that soon this nightmare will be solved. Negative comments are so unnecesary regarding this sad cold case.
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2
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7/19/09
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(45 of 54)
Re: Who murdered Holly Brannigan? (cold case from 1970's)
Jul 19, 2009 9:48 PM
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Dear Starkrial:
Who are you? I read many of your posts--and actually am a little baffled. Holly was one of my best friends in High School. Her friends were not afraid of talking to the police. I spoke with the police on more than one occasion. As did many of her close friends. Don't speak of things that you know nothing of. #0 years later I still cry for her. I think of her father and I remember him at her funeral. How terrible and devastating it was for him. the police know who was at the door that person was not a person of interest in the crime. This was told to me by the police when I was interviewed by them. the halloween theory was not a myth. Holly saw that movie and made the comment that she knew that was how she was going to die.
You speak as if you know things, but you offend those who wept at her casket, and had nightmares for years. How did you know Holly?
Let me tell you about her. She was an amazing person. She was funny and warm and a great friend. She had a beatiflu smile and and infectious laugh. she and I had the best times together. She was not a soccer coach, she was a soccer manager, along with myself. We spent every day together at school, at soccer practice, stood beside each other in glee club. Snuck cigarettes in the bathroom together at school, had sleepovers, etc . Someone stole her life from her and stole my friend. 30 years doesn't make a person forget. i always prayed for an answer. But now I am curious, who are you?
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32
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1/14/09
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(44 of 54)
Re: Who murdered Holly Brannigan? (cold case from 1970's)
Jul 16, 2009 2:06 PM
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Thanks Belgian,
I have received emails from friends of Holly's and everyone shares the same opinions about both Holly and Sean. They were nice people. Bad things shouldn't happen to nice people.
There is also great debate about Sean's 'accident' not being an accident. What is your opinion? I had one friend of theirs tell me "I know of no one who thought Sean's 'accident' was an accident. Still, there is an official report that it was just an accident. Six months after his little sister was brutally murdered by 'someone who she knew', or more likely an acquaintance of the family. And coincidentally, just a few weeks after he told his Dad that he was going to spread a rumor that he knew who killed Holly, in an attempt to flush out the killer.
That along with the other rumors, and fake PI's and PA State troopers speaking unethically about an open investigation, has all fed into the whole 'urban myth' quality of Holly's case.
Well, no more. The Cold case Unit is up and running. It may take a long time but this case is solvable.
Thanks to you and the others who have created some realism for Holly and Sean. They deserve the collective consciousness this case is now generating.
I know we alone cannot solve this case. Still, just a small effort such as yours can not hurt the investigation. Perhaps you will encourage others to speak up. If not here, there are other places.
Thank you again.
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1
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7/12/09
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(43 of 54)
Re: Who murdered Holly Brannigan? (cold case from 1970's)
Jul 12, 2009 8:44 AM
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Hey, Starkriel, thanks for all your work. I'll follow along as you make new posts.
Sorry I can't add anything. I can only attest to what a really nice, bright family they were. I was in Band with her in HS and knew both her and her brother. Holly was a good musician, and a warm, caring person, always with a smile, sensitive and not boastful or rude in any way. The kind of person anyone would want for a friend.
Mr. Brannigan, may you find peace and resolution soon.
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32
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1/14/09
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(42 of 54)
Re: Who murdered Holly Branagan? (cold case from 1970's)
Jun 25, 2009 2:40 PM
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I have news that the Cold Case Unit in Northampton County PA will officially be opening on Monday June 29. Detective Robert Egan, a retired homicide detective from the PA State Police will be heading up the new unit. He will be working with the BPD Detectives in charge of Holly's case. In addition there will be four retired investigators volunteering.
This is great news. The DA told me that Holly's case will be the first priority and they will begin the task starting next week. They have many new interviews to do as well as investigate the new information that has come to light. This combined with the re-testing of evidence may be the final steps in bringing justice for Holly and maybe Sean as well. Not to mention peace for Mr. Branagan. All he wants to know at this point is why?
Stay tuned.
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32
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1/14/09
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(41 of 54)
Re: Who murdered Holly Brannigan? (cold case from 1970's)
Jun 14, 2009 12:56 PM
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Concertmaster,
I was not a friend of Holly's or Sean's but a concerned neighbor and blogger. I was re-reading your post and I believe in one of the articles I posted here there is reference to SH as she was interviewed by the Express Times. There were two thirty year articles. What I was wondering is if the reporters from the original articles from 1979 got it wrong. According to all combined blogs and articles, the person who went by Holly's to pick her up that AM and the 'friend' on the phone were two different people. I am just curious because I often wondered about the 'friend' on the phone and what they really might have heard.
Either way I am sorry that all of you had to go through such a horrible thing at so tender an age. You are one of two people who have taken the time to read these posts, and say something 'real' about Holly and Sean.
If you do ever check in here, please feel free to contact me. I have compiled many interesting and some disturbing pieces of information over the past few months. All of which I have passed on to LE.
I can be emailed at starkrial@yahoo.com
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Posts:
32
Registered:
1/14/09
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(40 of 54)
Re: Who murdered Holly Brannigan? (cold case from 1970's)
Jun 2, 2009 8:16 AM
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It's interesting to read the latest comments both here in the A & E Cold Case forum and the various other sites. It is almost like some the people who do take the time to post don't even read the words in the prior posts.
They jump on the page and prattle on but don't extend even a tiny bit of emotion. They show no compassion for Holly Branagan, the sensitivity of the crime details, or her family.
It's almost as if they just want to shout that they know who killed Holly and the rest of us are fools for thinking anything else.
Maybe a short video about the crime will help. I'll add it again.
Here is an NBC video clip referencing Holly's' murder. Originally submitted by Jim Friedman.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=holly+branagan&aq=f
Please read the posts before you callously reply.
No one means to cause anger. Holly was brutally murdered. People here still do care.
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