DNA links suspect to 1990 Cape Coral double murder

CAPE CORAL, Fla. — An unsolved double homicide from 1990 was cracked open by a DNA match, ending one of the city’s most notorious cold cases in an arrest on Tuesday.

Joseph Zieler, 54, of North Fort Myers, is accused of brutally raping and murdering Robin Cornell, 11, and Lisa Story, 32, in their Cape Coral apartment 26 years ago. He is facing two counts for sexual battery, two counts for murder and a charge for burglary with assault, according to an arrest report, in what was one of the oldest unsolved homicide cases in Cape Coral history.

On May 10, 1990, Jan Cornell returned to her home on the 600 block of 12th Avenue where she found both her daughter, Robin, and new roommate, Story, dead. They were strangled to death in a robbery plot carried out by Zieler, according to police. Before taking off with stolen items, he pillaged through the home, then left an arrangement of Robin’s photos on an ironing board, police said. It was those gruesome details that captured the nation’s attention on “America’s Most Wanted.” The murder case appeared on the show three times — most recently in 2010.

Cape Coral police officers said they were able to link Zieler’s DNA to the murder case after arresting him for the battery of his own son on Aug. 27. They’ve had his DNA profile since the late 1990s when new evidence technology became available, but it was his recent arrest that allowed them to pin him to the gruesome murder of Robin and Story, police said.

Jan Cornell has been an advocate for justice in Robin and Story’s case for the past 26 years. Billboards featured the double-homicide back in May when Jan Cornell spoke of the promise she made.

“I loved her with all my heart and soul and someone hurt her,” Jan Cornell said, speaking of her daughter. “They terrified her to her death and I made her a promise when I had to say goodbye: As long as I’m alive, I’ll keep looking.”

On Wednesday, she was able to announce that she had fulfilled her promise to Robin. Police said Jan Cornell’s memory of people and events was critical to their investigation. When she spoke at a press conference she thanked officers for their diligence.

“We all know that miracles exist,” Cornell said. “I thank every one of these men for listening to me.”

Her decades-long search for her daughter’s killer was over, Cornell said, expressing the joy Zieler’s arrest brought her.

“I can not be more grateful today. I cannot be more happy,” Cornell said. “I want my daughter and my friend to finally rest in peace, because their day for justice is right here.”

State Attorney Steve Russell believes people like Zieler will always get caught.

“I hope this case sends a message,” said Russell. “Don’t rest, don’t sleep. You never know when someone is going to knock on your door and put the cuffs on you.”

Despite the breakout in the case, investigators like Bennet Walker want to know more about Zieler.

“We want to know from anyone who knew Joseph Zieler, especially in the early 1990s, to contact the Cape Coral Police Department and let us know everything you know about him.”

If anyone has any information on Zieler, call (239)-242-3319.

Investigators spoke about their involvement in the case.