Idaho
Marin investigators link 1973 murder to Idaho man
Investigators have arrested an Idaho resident on suspicion of murdering a San Rafael woman in 1973, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday.
Michael Eugene Mullen, 75, was linked by DNA evidence to the case of Nina Fischer, who was slain at her home on Point San Pedro Road. Fischer was 31 years old.
Authorities booked Mullen into the Lemhi County jail in Idaho, where he awaits court proceedings for an extradition to California.
The victim’s husband, Gunnar Fischer, found her body after coming home in the evening from his office in San Francisco, authorities reported at the time. She had been bound, gagged and shot twice.
Investigators found no sign of forced entry into the home. The Fischers’ 2-year-old daughter was found unharmed and napping in another room.
The Fischers were Swedish nationals who had lived in the Bay Area for three years. They had plans to move into a San Francisco apartment.
Gunnar was an executive for Corona Industries International Corp. He attempted to call his wife several times on the day she was found dead.
Neighbors last saw Fischer in her yard, where she spoke with a moving crew that delivered a shipment container for her.
“The case was investigated but eventually, unfortunately, went cold, due to a lack of investigative leads,” the sheriff’s office stated Thursday.
In 2021, Marin County sheriff’s detectives submitted the case to the state Department of Justice’s familial search program to help find leads. Within a few months, state authorities gave them a lead, reviving the investigation.
Investigators used DNA evidence collected from the crime scene, sheriff’s Sgt. Adam Schermerhorn said. He said investigators know of no prior connection between Mullen and the victim.
The sheriff’s office credited the Idaho State Police, the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office, the Marin County District Attorney’s Office, the California Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for assistance on the case.
Idaho
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TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —Students from across the Magic Valley visited with the Idaho Supreme Court on Wednesday to observe the judicial process during an actual appeal hearing.
The visit was part of a state and constitutional mandate requiring the court to hear appeals in different parts of the state. The session also provided an educational opportunity for local high school students and teachers.
The Idaho Judicial Branch considers education a priority when conducting these regional sessions.
“We take education as a very serious goal here in the judicial branch. We believe it’s important for people to understand why we have a court system,” said Nate Poppino, Court Communications Manager for the Idaho Judicial Branch.
Students sat through the appeal hearing and had the opportunity to ask the justices questions afterward.
Ian Knudson, a senior at Castleford High School who is considering a career in law, said the experience helped him understand both the court system and citizens’ rights.
“I’ve always been curious what it’s like. Because I know it’s not like the shows, like the suits, I love that show. But I know it’s not the same, and I just was really curious how judges act, how they talk,” Knudson said.
Knudson said the experience reinforced the importance of understanding the legal system.
“It’s important to understand somewhere that you might have to end up in. Say you make a mistake, or you’re at the wrong place, wrong time, or you get a ticket. It’s important to understand your rights and the rights of other people,” he said.
The judicial branch encourages public attendance at court proceedings as part of its educational mission.
“You know, court, by and large, is open to the public and you could just go down to your local courthouse and sit in on a hearing and get a sense of how these things work,” Poppino said.
The courthouse visit strengthened Knudson’s interest in pursuing a legal career.
“I think I’d show a lot of sympathy for people. And that way I could be a lawyer and show sympathy for the person that I’m defending,” he said.
Copyright 2025 KMVT. All rights reserved.
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