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Arrest made in 26-year-old Cornell/Story homicides

By Staff | Sep 28, 2016

Authorities have made an arrest in a 26-year-old double homicide that included a young girl.

On Wednesday, the Cape Coral Police Department announced that Joseph Adam Zieler, 54, of 314 Byron Ave., North Fort Myers, had been arrested and charged in the 1990 murder and sexual assault of Robin Cornell, 11, and Lisa Story, 32. Their bodies were found in their home, at 631 S.E. 12th Ave.

“Over the last 26 years, this case has never been without an assigned investigator,” Cape Police Chief David Newlan said during a news conference. “This arrest is a culmination of 26 years of work.”

On May 10, 1990, the bodies of the victims were found in their apartment by Robin’s mother, Jan Cornell. Both Robin and Story had been suffocated and sexually assaulted, officials reported.

The night before, Story had agreed to watch Robin while Cornell visited with her boyfriend. Cornell returned home the next morning to find her daughter’s naked body on the floor of her bedroom.

Story’s body was discovered in her bed.

Newlan reported that last week, Cape detectives were notified of a recent arrestee in the Lee County Jail who matched the DNA sample recovered from the crime scene. Zieler was interviewed and a body sample was taken. Within days, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirmed the matches.

“We know we have what we feel is a prosecutable case,” State Attorney Stephen Russell said.

Zieler has been charged with two counts of homicide murder while engaged in certain felony offense, two counts of sexual assault and one count of burglary with assault or battery, according to records.

Over the years the case has been featured multiple times on “America’s Most Wanted.”