Herman Lee Hobbs convicted in unsolved Solano County case

DIXON, Calif. – Nearly 45 years after a New Jersey woman was found dead in a Solano County cornfield, a man was sentenced to prison Monday.

Two farm workers found Holly Campiglia’s body in the unincorporated community of Dixon in 1980. She was unidentified at the time and remained so for 10 years, according to the Solano County Sheriff’s Office. Holly was finally identified by the National Missing Persons Unit in 1992. She was only 21 when she died.

The sexual assault and murder case remained unsolved until her family asked in 2021 to use new technology to investigate the case using ancient DNA and evidence recovered from the crime scene.

The Solano County Sheriff’s Office said Herman Lee Hobbs, then 76, who was serving a prison sentence for rape and murder, was identified as a suspect in Holly’s case.

Hobbs was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison in connection with Holly’s case.

“Holly’s family has suffered tremendously over the past four decades. They have turned their grief into action and never gave up their quest for justice,” sheriff’s office officials said in a statement. “We know today’s verdict will not bring Holly back, but we hope it gives them some peace.”

No further information is known.

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