On the morning of April 10, 2001, Scottsdale resident Mary Fisher and her two children were brutally murdered just hours before their home exploded.
The story of Robert Fisher may be a little unnerving for those who remember this tragic event. As the only suspect of the case, Fisher is still on the loose has been placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted criminals, where he will remain until captured.
However, for filmmaker Charlie Minn, rehashing the events of that fateful day is his chance to make his mark on the film industry.
“I’m very victim driven," Minn said. "True crime is my fascination. I often study and wonder why these things happen … and this particular crime needs closure and justice."
Not only is “Where is Robert Fisher?” Minn’s chance to make his mark on moviegoers, it is a chance to spread awareness and more information on the man behind the crime.
“He’s got a sort of Jekyll and Hyde personality," Minn said. "He’s been described as arrogant and controlling. Law enforcement, his neighbor, just talking to anyone I could about him, that would always be one constant. In the public sphere he was looked at as this devoted churchgoer and husband, but intimately, he was this entirely different person."
In addition to getting to know the mind of Fisher, it is also the director’s goal to remind people of the extreme circumstances that may have been forgotten in the public eye.
“After 10 years, anything will fade," he said. "This film is meant to educate and inform those who have forgotten about it and it’s to remind people what happened. If more people go see the film, there’s more of a chance that law enforcement will get hotter leads.
You just hope that after 10 years, someone has had a change of heart — a change of loyalty. The movie business is a powerful media."
Due to the location and proximity of these events to ASU, Minn offered the notion that there might be current students that were friends of Robert Jr. and Brittney, the children murdered in the crime.
“The kids were ages 10 and 12 at the time, so most of their friends would likely be 19 to 23 by now — right in the heart of college," Minn said. "They know more than just the crime … they knew them personally. A strong guess would be that a lot of them go to ASU."
Understanding that the public perception will be different for everyone, Minn hopes that his film will act as a medium for good.
“Everyone has their own way of dealing with a tragedy," he said. "Maybe back then they didn’t want to talk about it, but now they’re ready to open up."
“Where is Robert Fisher?” will be showing at seven theaters around Arizona on Friday, including a theater close to Tempe campus in Harkins Theatres Arizona Mills. The film will also be shown as a sneak preview at the UltraLuxe Scottsdale Cinemas at Scottsdale Pavilions, where the first 50 people to show up for the 7:45 p.m. showing will receive a free pass for two.
More information on the movie and the story of Robert Fisher can be found at www.whereisfisher.com.
Reach the reporter at tpaxton@asu.edu
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