Authorities Renew Call for Information on Holly Cassano Murder

Champaign County authorities have renewed their call for the public to come forward with information on the 2009 murder of Holly Cassano. And they are revealing more information about the case that had previously been held back.

The 22-year-old Cassano was found stabbed to death at her home in the Candlewood Estates mobile home park in Mahomet, in November, 2009. But Sheriff's Lieutenant Ed Ogle said Cassano had also been sexually assaulted --- the information had been held back to help identify people who might make false confessions. Ogle said they believe the assault took place after the murder. He said that from the blood found at the crime scene, they believe the killer may have suffered cuts to his arms or hands during the attack.

"We want people to come forward with information about anyone who had cuts to their arms or hands during that period of time," Ogle said. "We're asking for people to think back to the night after Halloween, 2009, and recall any suspicious activity they may have noticed in their particular area --- that being in the Meijer's store or in the Candlewood area."

Holly Cassano worked as a cashier at the Meijer's store in Champaign, and Ogle said the killer may have known her from the store, or from Candlewood neighborhood on the northeast side of Mahomet.

Ogle said an FBI psychological profile indicates that the killer could be a young male, perhaps as young as a teen-ager, who had targeted Cassano before the attack. But he said they have no specific suspects at this time, although DNA evidence from the crime scene has helped them eliminate more than 100 people as suspects. Ogle and Sheriff's investigator David Sherrick emphasize that no scrap of information is too small or trivial, if it is related to the case.

Champaign County CrimeStoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of a suspect in the Cassano murder. But Holly Cassano's mother, Toni Cassano, has been raising additional reward money, through the sale of bumper stickers asking for information into the crime. It was Toni Cassano who discovered Holly Cassano's body, after she had been babysitting Holly's daughter, who was then 17 months old. Nearly 16 months after the murder, Toni says she has not yet told her granddaughter what happened to her mother.

"And when it gets to the point that I have to tell her," she said. "I'm hoping that we have the name of the person who did this, and he is being held responsible, because I want to be able to tell her that there is justice."

If you have information relating to the murder of Holly Cassano, you should contact the Champaign County Sheriff's Department Investigative Unit at 384-1213, or call anonymously to Champaign County CrimeStoppers at 217-373-TIPS.