Decades later, DNA from paper bags leads to identification of one of Colorado’s ‘most prolific serial killers’

For nearly 40 years, the person responsible for the sexual assault and murder of a 30-year-old woman along a rural highway south of Denver remained unidentified. Now, preserved evidence in the form of paper bags placed over the victims hands has yielded a DNA match to one of Colorados most notorious serial killers, authorities announced Tuesday.

Recovering a usable DNA profile from paper bags almost four decades old is extremely uncommon and highlights the critical importance of careful evidence preservation, said the Douglas County Sheriffs Office.

Rhonda Marie Fishers body was discovered on April 1, 1987, along a highway embankment near Sedalia, Colorado. She had been sexually assaulted and strangled. Fisher was last seen walking on a street in Denver, about 25 miles north of where her body was found.

Investigators followed numerous leads over the years, including acquaintances Fisher had stayed with and several serial offenders active in the Denver area from the 1970s through the 1990s. A prior DNA test in 2017 failed to identify a suspect, and the case went cold.

Earlier this year, the sheriffs Cold Case Unit conducted a comprehensive review of all evidence and chose to test two remaining items: the paper bags covering Fishers hands at the crime scene.

These bags had been untouched for 40 years, and any skin cells on her hands likely transferred to the inside of the bags, said forensic scientist Shane Williams at a news conference. DNA testing was not even a consideration in 1987, but preserving the bags allowed us to finally solve the case.

The DNA results led authorities to Vincent Darrell Groves, a convicted murderer who died in prison in 1996 and has been linked to multiple killings in the Denver area. Groves is regarded as one of Colorados most prolific serial killers. His crimes mainly targeted vulnerable women from 1978 to 1988, the sheriffs office said.

Officials do not know how Groves encountered Fisher, and there is no evidence they knew each other. Groves had long been a potential suspect, but DNA confirmation was needed for certainty, according to Michelle Kennedy, a crime analysis supervisor.

Groves is suspected of committing at least a dozen homicides, in addition to an attempted murder and a sexual assault in the Denver area. He had been convicted of murder in 1982 but served less than five years. Later, he was convicted of two additional murders in 1988 in Douglas County and a neighboring county.

While Groves cannot be prosecuted posthumously, this resolution brings long-awaited answers to Rhonda Fishers family and friends, said Sheriff Darren Weekly. Fishers parents and brother had passed away before the case was solved, but a cousin expressed relief at finally receiving closure.

Rhonda Fisher was a mother, daughter, sister, and friend. This case underscores our dedication to pursuing justice for every victim, regardless of how much time has passed, Weekly added.

Law enforcement across the U.S. have increasingly used DNA tools, including genetic genealogy and DNA phenotyping, to solve long-dormant cases. The Douglas County sheriff noted that Fishers case marks the seventh cold homicide resolved by the department in the past seven years, attributing the success to advances in DNA technology and careful reevaluation of old evidence.

As science advances, so does our ability to uncover the truth. Our dedication to these investigations, and to the families awaiting answers, will never falter, the sheriff said.

Author: Noah Whitman