Nearly 40 years after the brutal killing of 30-year-old Rhonda Marie Fisher along a rural highway south of Denver, authorities have finally identified her murderer. Preserved evidence a pair of paper bags placed over Fisher’s hands at the crime scene provided a DNA match to one of Colorado’s most notorious serial killers, officials announced Tuesday.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office described the breakthrough as “exceptionally rare,” highlighting the importance of careful evidence preservation. Fisher’s body was discovered on April 1, 1987, near Sedalia, Colorado. She had been sexually assaulted and strangled, having last been seen walking in Denver, about 25 miles north.
Over the years, investigators pursued numerous leads, including acquaintances Fisher had stayed with and known serial offenders active in the Denver metro area from the 1970s through the 1990s. Despite a 2017 round of DNA testing, the case went cold until the sheriff’s Cold Case Unit decided earlier this year to examine the decades-old paper bags.
“For 40 years, those bags remained untouched. Any skin cells on her hands could have transferred to them,” explained forensic scientist Shane Williams. He noted that DNA testing was not a consideration in 1987, but the foresight of preserving the bags allowed investigators to finally solve the case.
The DNA results identified Vincent Darrell Groves, a convicted killer who died in prison in 1996 and has been linked to multiple murders in the Denver area. The sheriff’s office described Groves as one of Colorado’s most prolific serial killers, primarily targeting vulnerable women between 1978 and 1988.
While it remains unclear how Groves encountered Fisher or whether they knew each other, authorities confirmed that Groves had long been a potential suspect in the case. He is believed to be responsible for at least a dozen murders, as well as an attempted murder and sexual assault. Groves had previously been convicted of murder in 1982, serving less than five years, before being convicted again in 1988 for two additional killings.
Sheriff Darren Weekly emphasized the importance of closure for Fisher’s family: “While Vincent Groves cannot be held accountable in court, we hope this resolution brings answers and some measure of peace to Rhonda Fisher’s family and friends.” Although Fisher’s parents and brother passed away before the case was solved, a cousin expressed relief at finally having answers.
Fisher’s case exemplifies how modern DNA techniques including genetic genealogy and DNA phenotyping can revive long-dormant investigations. It also marks the seventh cold homicide solved by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in the past seven years, underscoring the evolving power of forensic science.
“As science evolves, so does our ability to uncover the truth,” Sheriff Weekly said. “Our commitment to these investigations and to the families who await answers will never waver.”
