Cracked cold case results in global recognition for Cape Coral police

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Cape Coral Police officer experiences a dramatic stop
Photo by WINK News.

CAPE CORAL, Fla. Cracking one of the city’s oldest cold cases has earned Cape Coral police a finalist spot for “DNA Hit of the Year.”

It was DNA evidence that led detectives to charge Joseph Zieler, 54, in November 2016 with killing Robin Cornell, 11, and Lisa Story, 32, inside their Cape Coral apartment in 1990.

Both victims were strangled to death inside their apartment.

The case drew national attention over the years, including being featured three times on “America’s Most Wanted.”

Cape Coral police were nominated by Florida Department of Law Enforcement Administrator Vicki Bellino.

“To be one of only five cases featured worldwide is an honor and a testament to the incredible work our detectives did, working tirelessly over a quarter century to bring closure to the families and to obtain justice for the victims,” Cape Coral Police spokesperson Cpl. Phil Mullen said.

The department will be honored during the Human IDentification Solutions conference in Vienna, Austria in May.

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