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You are here: Home / Archives for Moira “Holly” Branagan

Moira "Holly" Branagan

Moira “Holly” Branagan murdered 40 years ago

March 28, 2019 By Alice

Moira "Holly" Branagan

Moira “Holly” Branagan (Dec 8, 1962 – March 28, 1979) was murdered 40 years ago today. In 2014, it looked like the 1979 case was breaking open. However, Det. Thomas Galloway, in charge of the investigation, did not release any information except for this: “I have developed a suspect, but we’re not ready to move […]

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Filed Under: Cold Case News Tagged With: Bethlehem, DNA, Knife Attack, Moira "Holly" Branagan, Pennsylvania

Moira “Holly” Branagan (1962-1979)

March 28, 2016 By Alice

Moira "Holly" Branagan

Moira “Holly” Branagan (1962 – 1979) was murdered 37 years ago today. Holly was found stabbed 18 times in the back with a 10-inch kitchen knife. The autopsy showed she had 15 serious knife wounds, three less serious wounds, and two defensive wounds on her hands. The crime The attack was so violent that the […]

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Filed Under: Unsolved Tagged With: DNA, Knife Attack, Moira "Holly" Branagan, Pennsylvania

Suspect in Branagan cold case

March 24, 2014 By Alice

Moira "Holly" Branagan

When I checked StatCounter I saw that many people had look up the Moira Holly Branagan case. I asked on Twitter whether there was anything new I might have missed … and YES! An article came up in Allentown’s Morning Call newspaper on Sunday. Hat Tip to @deathunderglass! “For the first time since Holly Branagan‘s murder 35 […]

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Filed Under: Forensics Tagged With: Autopsy, DNA, Finger Printing, Knife Attack, Moira "Holly" Branagan, Pennsylvania

Moira Holly Branagan Alert

November 19, 2011 By Alice

Moira "Holly" Branagan

The Grand Jury is making progress in the cold case of Moira Holly Branagan. New material have been sent to the labs to be examined for DNA, and a report is expected at the end of the month. Moira “Holly” Branagan (1962 – 1979) was found stabbed 18 times in the back with a 10-inch kitchen […]

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Filed Under: Cold Case News, Forensics Tagged With: Autopsy, Bethlehem, Cruelty, Finger Printing, Forensics, Knife Attack, Moira "Holly" Branagan, Partial Finger Printing, Pennsylvania

Update Moira Holly Branagan

February 23, 2011 By Alice

Moira "Holly" Branagan

We have renewed activity in the Branagan case. Currently, we are actively investigating Holly’s former friends, classmates, and neighbourhood kids. What we are looking for is: abrupt behavioural changes right after the murder which one of her former friends/classmates committed suicide which one of her former friends/classmates has been committed to a psychiatric hospital which one […]

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Filed Under: Forensics, Unsolved Tagged With: Autopsy, Bethlehem, DNA, Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Knife Attack, Moira "Holly" Branagan, Pennsylvania

Sum it up! #5

February 5, 2011 By Alice

sum it up #cclivechat

In this Sum it up I’d like to draw your attention to four websites or blogs that have kept me busy reading all week. The first one is “the Civil Rights Cold Case Project.”  On this site you can find information about cases related to the Civil Rights Era and some you will recognize since […]

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Filed Under: Unsolved Tagged With: death investigations, Frontline, Henry Dee & Charles Moore, Iowa, Moira "Holly" Branagan, NPR, Path Wonk, Sharron Prior, Sum it Up!, Villisca Axe Murders

Different angles: Branagan Case

June 6, 2010 By Alice

Moira "Holly" Branagan

Different angles in the Branagan Case: I have been musing with my friends on Twitter about some of the cold cases on DCC and good remarks have led me to rethink some cases, go back over details, check where I might have missed something, or where I assumed something was clear while it only was […]

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Filed Under: Forensics, Unsolved Tagged With: Autopsy, Bethlehem, Evidence, Forensics, Knife Attack, Moira "Holly" Branagan, Pennsylvania

Murdered: Moira “Holly” Branagan

May 24, 2010 By Alice

Moira "Holly" Branagan

Moira “Holly” Branagan (Dec 8, 1962 – March 28, 1979) was a senior at Freedom High School. She had a part-time job at a local deli. Her father worked as a sales executive for Lone Star. He was away on a business trip the night she died. Her mother, who’d suffered from leukemia, had passed […]

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Filed Under: Unsolved Tagged With: Autopsy, Bethlehem, DNA, Forensics, Knife Attack, Moira "Holly" Branagan, Pennsylvania

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Author Notes

Since 2009, I write about unsolved cases that need renewed media attention. I only do research and leave active investigations to the authorities.

My posts cover homicides, missing and unidentified people, wrongful convictions, and forensics as related to unsolved cases.

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Alice de Sturler
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