City offers $10,000 reward to help solve case
Date: 8/29/2012
By G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.comCHICOPEE — On Aug. 24, Mayor Michael Bissonnette announced the city of Chicopee is now offering a $10,000 reward for information that would lead to the conviction of the killer of Amanda Lynn Plasse.
Joined by Plasse's mother Michelle Mathieson, Acting Police Chief Thomas Charette and Hampden District Attorney Mark Mastroianni, Bissonnette said, "We're hoping this small step will loosen someone's lips . and provide new leads for this case."
Plasse was found stabbed to death in her School Street apartment on Aug. 26, 2011.
Charette said, "This is a puzzle we're trying to put together," and asked anyone with information to call the Chicopee Police Detective Department at 594-1732, 594-1733 or 594-1734.
Mastroianni said that "all information is important" and stressed that even something that doesn't seem worthy of reporting could be significant. He added that information could also be shared through his office by going to
http://hampdenda.com/unsolved_homicides.html and sending an email.
The Text-a-Tip program can also be used by texting the word "SOLVE" to 274637 followed by a message.
Any way information is conveyed by telephone, email or by text anonymity will be preserved, Mastroianni assured.
He added, "I appreciate very much the city of Chicopee taking this very significant step."
Mastroianni believes an award will keep Plasse's story in the public's view.
The announcement of the reward was made two days before an event in Plasse's name was conducted at Maximum Capacity to raise money for the improvement of Wisniowski Park on School Street, as well as for art supplies for Chicopee elementary schools.
"A crime [of this nature] doesn't happen often in Chicopee, but when it does, the people of Chicopee are outraged," Bissonnette said.
