A quarter-century after a south Scottsdale house exploded and firefighters found the bodies of Mary Fisher and her two children, the man police quickly labeled their prime suspect is still nowhere to be found. Detectives say the case file remains open, and they continue to chase down leads as they arrive, even as time and age work against them. The 25th anniversary has kicked up a new wave of media attention and pushed investigators to take another hard look at old tips.
Speaking with FOX 10 Phoenix, Scottsdale lead detective John Heintzelman said investigators "work it as if he is" still alive, noting that the department fields one to two tips a week. Heintzelman told the station that the passage of time, and the fact Fisher would now be in his mid-60s, makes confirming sightings tougher but does not change how detectives approach the investigation. He acknowledged the work is getting harder, yet stressed that officers remain committed to finding answers.
The Last Confirmed Trace
The final documented sighting of Fisher came the night before the blast, when surveillance cameras captured him withdrawing $280 from an ATM while driving Mary Fisher’s Toyota 4Runner. Investigators later found the SUV about 100 miles away in the Tonto National Forest near Young, with the family dog, Blue, discovered curled up under the vehicle and suffering from porcupine quills in its nose, according to ABC15. Extensive searches of nearby caves and surrounding wilderness turned up no confirmed trace of Fisher.
What Evidence Police Still Have
Scottsdale investigators say they recovered an Oakland Raiders baseball cap and a coffee cup from the abandoned 4Runner and were able to develop a partial DNA profile from those items, but they still do not have a confirmed DNA sample from Fisher himself to make a direct comparison, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. That missing piece keeps a potentially game-changing forensic clue from becoming conclusive, and detectives say they continue to send along new forensic tips for testing when they come in.
Legal Status And The Reward
State authorities charged Fisher with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of arson, and federal officials later filed an unlawful-flight-to-avoid-prosecution case. The FBI and Scottsdale police warn he should be considered armed and dangerous. A release from the FBI notes a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to his arrest. Fisher was once on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list before being replaced on that roster in 2021.
How You Can Help
Scottsdale police say tip activity tends to spike around anniversaries and fresh media coverage, and they are again urging anyone with information to contact investigators. Members of the public can call the Scottsdale Police Department’s non-emergency line at 480-312-5000 or submit information through federal channels, including the FBI’s online tip portal, as outlined by investigators and in local coverage from ABC15.
