A decades-long quest for justice found its resolution on Monday as a man was sentenced nearly 45 years after the sexual assault and murder of 21-year-old Holly Campiglia of New Jersey. According to ABC 10, the body of Campiglia was discovered by two farm workers in an unincorporated Dixon cornfield in 1980 but remained an unidentified Jane Doe for over a decade. It wasn't until 1992 that the National Missing Persons Unit was able to establish her identity.
The turning point in the cold case occurred after Holly's family pressed for the use of new technology to re-analyze the old DNA and evidence found at the scene in late 2021. The breakthrough came when the evidence was reviewed and additional DNA analysis by Serological Research Institute (SERI) found male DNA on these evidences. A subsequent database search with the San Mateo Crime Lab matched the DNA to Herman Lee Hobbs, then a 76-year-old prisoner already serving time for rape and murder. As stated by the Solano County Sheriff's Office on Facebook, Hobbs was confirmed as the perpetrator after detectives obtained a new DNA sample from him for a direct comparison.
Hobbs, who was already imprisoned for other serious offenses, was sentenced to 15 years to life in connection to Campiglia's case. The sentence finally closes a haunting chapter for the Campiglia family, who have waited over four decades for answers and justice. In Monday's statement, the Solano County Sheriff's Office expressed their hope that the sentencing brings "some peace" to Holly's family, acknowledging the deep suffering and relentless pursuit of justice endured by the victim's relatives.
The case resolution is a testament to the tireless work of the Solano County Sheriff's Office's Investigations Bureau and evidence technicians. The office praised their "dedication and persistence" in cracking the cold case, without which Holly's story might have remained unresolved. While the legal system has now spoken, the lingering impact of the tragedy on the Campiglia family, and the wrenching loss of Holly, is a somber reminder of the lasting consequences of violent crime.
