DNA From Paper Bags Cracks 1987 Murder Case
Rhonda Marie Fisher. (Douglas County Sheriff)
Colorado investigators have identified the man responsible for the 1987 killing of Rhonda Marie Fisher, solving a case that remained cold for nearly four decades. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office announced that DNA recovered from paper bags placed over Fisher’s hands at the original crime scene has been matched to Vincent Darrell Groves, one of the Denver area’s most prolific serial killers.
Fisher, 30, was sexually assaulted and strangled. Her body was discovered on April 1, 1987, along a rural highway south of Denver. She had last been seen alive in the city the night before. Early leads faded, and the case eventually went cold.
Groves had been convicted of murder in 1982 but served less than five years before being released. Afterward, he continued killing and was eventually sentenced to life in prison for a 1988 murder. He died in custody in 1996. Authorities believe he may have been responsible for more than a dozen homicides, and possibly over 20.
When the Fisher case was reopened this year, preserved evidence was submitted for new forensic testing. DNA from the decades-old paper bags matched biological material from three murders Groves committed in 1979. Investigators called the discovery extremely rare and credited careful preservation of evidence for making the connection possible.
Although Groves can no longer be prosecuted, Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly said he hopes the resolution brings some peace to Fisher’s loved ones. He emphasized that the case highlights the persistence of investigators, forensic teams, and cold-case specialists dedicated to delivering justice regardless of how much time has passed.
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