CAMBRIDGE, Illinois (KWQC) – New court documents state that witnesses are expected to testify that the man accused of killing Trudy Appleby abducted her and murdered her near the train bridge close to the Kershaw mobile home park in Colona.
Online records show Fisher lived at an address in that mobile home park in August 1996. According to documents filed by prosecutors Thursday, Jamison Fisher abducted Appleby because her father, Dennis Appleby, owed him a drug debt.
Prosecutors told the judge that a witness will testify he personally saw Dennis Appleby buy methamphetamine from Fisher before Trudy disappeared. This is the first time officials have revealed a motive and what they believe led to Trudy’s death in August 1996.
A witness told prosecutors that Dennis Appleby was searching for a large quantity of methamphetamine two to three weeks before Trudy disappeared. That witness introduced Dennis Appleby to Fisher.
Prosecutors say witnesses will also testify that Fisher owned a silver Chevy Cavalier, which matches a witness’s description of the car Trudy was last seen in. A separate witness said Fisher told him at the time that he was “in a fix, because I’ve just kidnapped a girl for a drug debt.”
Another witness is expected to testify that she saw Fisher carry a lifeless little girl off a boat about a half mile from the trailer park where prosecutors say the killing occurred. She did not tell police until 2016 because she feared Fisher would harm her, according to the documents.
Another witness said Fisher once told her, “No one would ever find Trudy’s body.” One witness told prosecutors that Appleby was strangled and that Fisher confessed to moving the body “a couple of times.”
A different witness said Fisher bragged in 2017 about killing Trudy, saying he choked her to death and hid her body. Trudy’s remains have never been found. Prosecutors told the judge that none of the witnesses are receiving deals for their testimony.
Fisher pleaded not guilty to the murder charges earlier this month.
Police and prosecutors announced his indictment in August. It came just days after he reached a plea deal in a Scott County drug case that will send him to prison for 25 years, meaning he will still serve time in Iowa even if he is acquitted in Trudy’s case.
Fisher is being represented by a public defender. His next court appearance is a pretrial hearing set for Dec. 19.
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