Holly Garcia : “Christmas Skeleton Cold Case Solved by Detectives”

Cold case detectives with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office have made a breakthrough in a decades-old murder mystery. After more than 20 years, they have finally identified a woman who was found murdered in Orange County.

The investigation dates back to December 29, 2003, when deputies responded to a report from two landscapers who discovered human skeletal remains in the 4700 block of Taylor Creek Rd. in Christmas, Florida. Detectives determined that the victim was likely killed elsewhere and then dumped at the location where the remains were found.

Despite speaking with individuals who were present at the time, investigators were unable to ascertain the victim’s identity. The sheriff’s office released a Crimeline bulletin featuring a forensic sketch of the victim and photographs of jewelry found with the remains, but she remained unidentified for two decades.

In 2022, the sheriff’s office received a grant from the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) to conduct forensic genetic genealogy testing on the remains. The testing, carried out by Othram Inc., utilized cutting-edge technology unavailable in 2003 to develop a genetic profile from the remains.

The breakthrough came in 2023 when genealogists successfully matched the genetic profile to a living relative, leading to the positive identification of the victim as Holly Garcia by the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office in March of this year.

Garcia, a 22-year-old wife and mother at the time of her death, resided on the east side of Orlando in 2003. She lived in the Palm Bay apartments off Semoran Blvd. in 2002 and at the Hollowbrook Apartments on Curry Ford Rd. in 2003. Surprisingly, Garcia was never reported missing.

Investigators are now seeking Garcia’s husband, Miguel Angel Garcia-Rivera, for questioning in connection with the case. Anyone with information on his whereabouts or his relationship with Holly Garcia is urged to come forward.

Detectives believe that individuals who knew the couple in 2003 or were part of their social circle may hold crucial information that could help solve the case. Those with relevant information are encouraged to contact Crimeline at 800-423-8477.

Crimeline callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 if their information leads to an arrest.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is determined to bring closure to this long-standing cold case and provide justice for Holly Garcia and her loved ones.