Sanford Police Investigators arrested Gary Durrance in connection with the 1999 homicide of Sherry Holtz.
On December 4, 1999, Sanford Police Department responded to a homicide in the wooded area behind the business located at 2890 South Orlando Dr. The victim was identified as 50-year-old Sherry Holtz.
Sherry was located approximately 20 feet into the wood line, laying on a concrete slab. Her neck had been cut, and she had suffered from blunt force trauma, strangulation, and sexual battery. A sexual assault kit was per- formed, and a knife was collected from the crime scene. Testing of knife in 2000 confirmed the presence of human blood on the knife and DNA on other areas of the knife; however, the samples were not sufficient in size for testing in 2000.
In May of 2023, Sanford Investigators resubmitted the samples to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for testing.
On June 18, 2024, Sanford Investigators received the report confirming the blood on the blade of the knife belonged to Sherry Holtz, and the DNA on the handle of the knife be- longed to Gary Durrance. Durrance was Sherry’s long-time boyfriend, who had denied being with Sherry on the night of the homicide.
Based on witness statements and physical evidence, an arrest warrant was issued for Gary Durrance for the homicide of Sherry Holtz. On July 18, 2024, Sanford Investigators, Volusia County Sherrif’s West Volusia Narcotics Task Force and Deltona Narcotics Enforcement Team, located Durrance in a wooded area off Veteran’s Memorial Parkway in Orange City. He was taken into custody without incident and booked into the John E. Polk Correctional Facility.
Regarding the arrest, Chief Cecil Smith stat- ed, “Twenty-four years ago, Sherry Holtz was brutally murdered and left behind in the woods as if her life had no value. This was someone’s mother, someone’s daughter. Durrance will now face justice for the horrible and despicable things that he did. I hope his arrest brings a little comfort to those that loved Sherry and have waited 24 years for this moment.”
Durrance was charged with one count of Second-Degree Homicide. Investigators are asking anyone with information on this homicide to please contact the Sanford Police Department or Crimeline at 800 423-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimeline.org.
