DENVER (KDVR) — A nearly four-decade-old cold homicide case has been resolved, linking the murder of a 30-year-old Colorado woman to a deceased serial killer, according to authorities.
Investigators with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Case Unit have solved the 1987 murder of Rhonda Marie Fisher, 30, after evidence re-examination and advanced DNA analysis, the agency announced in a press release.
On April 1, 1987, a driver discovered Fisher’s body in Larkspur, about 40 miles south of Denver. She had last been seen the night before her murder walking on South Monaco Parkway in Denver.
The sheriff’s office said evidence later revealed Fisher had been sexually assaulted and strangled. Investigators early on considered multiple serial offenders in the Denver metro area during the 1970s through the 1990s, along with an acquaintance of Fisher’s, who was cleared.
Reexamination of evidence with advanced DNA testing
Over the decades, investigations and periods of review, including the renewed testing of DNA in 2017, did not produce a complete DNA profile that could link to a potential suspect, leaving the death of Fisher unsolved.
However, earlier this year, the sheriff’s office said DCSO Cold Case Unit investigators and forensic scientists from the Unified Forensic Lab, along with staff members from the Property and Evidence Facility, reopened the investigation.
According to the agency, additional items were resubmitted for DNA testing, and in October, investigators received a case-to-case DNA match through the Combined DNA Index System. The sheriff’s office said the match was found through DNA recovered from paper bags left on Fisher’s hands that were “used to preserve trace evidence.”
The DSCO Cold Case Unit told Kim Posey of Nexstar’s KDVR that the paper bags were the only items in the case that had not been submitted for testing.
DNA found on the bags matched biological evidence from the murders of three women in 1979, which were linked to serial killer Vincent Darrell Groves.
“Those paper bags were saved and had not been touched for 40 years. So, the thought is whatever skin cells were on her hands also transferred to the inside of those brown paper bags, and so it was a combination of Rhonda’s DNA and Vincent’s DNA,” said Shane Williams, a DCSO Crime Lab forensic analyst.
According to the agency, Groves had long been considered a suspect, but the DNA match was the link investigators needed.
“Obtaining a DNA profile from paper bags nearly 40 years old is exceptionally rare, highlighting how critical a careful case and evidence review is,” said Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly.
Vincent Darrell Groves
Between 1978 and 1988, the law enforcement agency said Groves had primarily targeted women in the Denver metro area and had “documented” his involvement in sex trafficking and drug distribution.
Groves was convicted of murder in 1982, but served less than five years before being released and later committed “additional violent crimes.” Groves died in 1996 at a Colorado prison while he was serving time for the murders of a Douglas County victim and an Adams County victim that occurred in 1988.
Law enforcement believes Groves is responsible for at least 12 homicides, attempted murder and sexual assault in the metro area. He’s “considered one of Colorado’s most prolific serial killers,” according to the sheriff’s office.
“While Vincent Groves cannot be held accountable in a court of law, we hope this long-awaited resolution brings answers and a measure of peace to Rhonda Fisher’s family and friends. This case is a testament to our commitment to pursue justice for every victim — no matter how much time has passed,” said the sheriff’s office in a press release.
Groves was also linked in 2012 to the unsolved murders of four other Colorado women.
7 years with 7 cold cases solved
The Douglas County law enforcement agency said it has resolved seven cold cases within the past seven years, including the 1985 homicide of Rodger Dean.
“We will continue to prioritize cold cases,” said Weekly in a press release.” As science evolves, so does our ability to uncover the truth. Our commitment to these investigations — and to the families who await answers — will never waver.”
The law enforcement agency said it would work to revisit evidence “with fresh perspectives,” and create strong collaborations with forensic agencies to “ensure no victim is forgotten.”
Michele Kennedy, the DCSO Crime Analyst Supervisor, said Fisher’s mother, father and brother all died without knowing who killed her. Kennedy told KDVR that they were able to share the news with one of Fisher’s cousins, who expressed relief.