"I think this is a much more long term observing of this particular victim. I don't think he saw her for the first time that day and then victimized her that day. I think for days and days, if not longer, he has been cognizant of her presence, monitoring the activity and the apartment and then either impulsively doing something or taking advantage of what he perceived to be a golden opportunity to access her." — Profiler (quoted by Ashley Flowers)
"You lost consciousness again, dead people don't breathe. She said he told her when she woke up. I said, 'I'm not dead.' and he hit me again." — Survivor of a later assault (quoted by Ashley Flowers)
"According to the Tempe Police Department investigators, using the services of Parabond Nanolabs, a company that specializes in DNA phenotyping, were able to predict the suspects ancestry, eye color, hair color, skin color, freckling, and face shape." — 12 News article (quoted by Ashley Flowers)
This episode meticulously revisits the unsolved 1997 murder of Fiona U in Tempe, Arizona. The narrative begins with the discovery of Fiona's body by her roommate, Kazoo Ito, detailing the immediate aftermath and the initial police investigation. Key aspects explored include the challenging timeline of Fiona's last known movements, the absence of forced entry, and the initial theory of a burglary being quickly dismissed due to inconsistencies. The discussion highlights the "gift of fear" concept, suggesting the attacker may have been present in the apartment when Kazoo arrived home.
The investigation into Fiona's death involved exploring several potential leads, including her ex-boyfriend, acquaintances, and a maintenance worker who provided a description of a potential suspect. DNA evidence played a crucial role in ruling out early suspects, including Fiona's ex-boyfriend, Mark, and later, two high school students, Lee Comey Jr. and Derek Wood, who were linked to similar assaults in the area. However, their DNA did not match the evidence found at Fiona's crime scene, leaving the case open and emphasizing the difficulty in connecting seemingly similar crimes.
The podcast further examines subsequent assaults in the Tempe and Phoenix areas during 1997 and 1998, noting similarities such as strangulation and assault, but also key differences like robbery being a motive in some of these later cases. The introduction of DNA phenotyping technology by Parabond Nanolabs in 2017 provided a potential profile of the suspect, described as a Hispanic male, approximately 45 years old at the time of the investigation, with specific physical characteristics. Despite these advancements, the lack of a definitive match and the persistent mystery surrounding Fiona's attacker underscore the ongoing efforts and the hope for future breakthroughs in solving this cold case.