Nearly three decades after 11-year-old Trudy Appleby vanished from her Moline, Illinois, home, a major breakthrough has brought a long-awaited development to the case that has haunted the Quad Cities community. On Thursday, law enforcement officials announced that 50-year-old Jamison Albert Fisher of East Moline has been indicted for her murder.
The announcement came just a week before the 29th anniversary of Trudy’s disappearance on August 21, 1996. According to officials, a Henry County grand jury handed up an indictment on Wednesday, August 13, charging Fisher with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of concealment of a homicidal death. Henry County State’s Attorney Catherine Runty stated that Fisher is accused of strangling Trudy.
The case will be prosecuted in Henry County, as authorities believe the homicide occurred within that jurisdiction. “The arrest of Fisher marks a turning point in this mystery that has spanned nearly three decades,” Moline Police Chief Darren Gault said in a statement. “While nothing can bring back young Trudy to her family, the relentless pursuit of justice honors her memory and the unwavering support of her loved ones and our community.”
Trudy’s body has never been recovered, a fact that presents a significant challenge for the prosecution. However, officials are prepared to move forward with a “no-body homicide” case. “Nationally, there have been hundreds of no-body homicides over the years,” Runty explained at a press conference. “That by no means makes it common as you would imagine. But the law allows for it, and we intend to utilize those aspects of the law to continue to advocate for Trudy.”
Fisher, who was previously named a person of interest in 2020, is currently being held in the Scott County Jail on unrelated charges stemming from a probation violation in July. He will remain there pending further court proceedings. Rock Island County State’s Attorney Dora Villarreal noted that while there is evidence pointing to a kidnapping, the statute of limitations for that charge has expired.
A Decades-Long Search for Answers
Trudy Appleby was last seen on the morning of August 21, 1996, near her home in Moline. Reports from the time indicated she got into a gray, box-style car, possibly a Chevrolet Cavalier, with an unknown white male described as being in his 20s. She had asked her father for permission to go swimming with a friend on Campbell’s Island, but he had refused. Phone records later suggested she may have decided to go anyway.
Over the years, the investigation has seen numerous leads and persons of interest. In 2017, police identified William “Ed” Smith, who died in 2014, as a suspect. A witness reported seeing Trudy in a similar vehicle with Smith on Campbell’s Island on the day she disappeared. In 2020, authorities named both Fisher and another man, David Whipple (who died in 2022), as persons of interest. The investigation included numerous searches, including digging up Fisher’s backyard in Colona in 2023, which yielded no results at the time.
Throughout the decades, Trudy’s family has remained steadfast in their quest for justice, holding a candlelight vigil every year on the anniversary of her disappearance. At the 28th anniversary vigil in 2024, Moline Police Detective Michael Griffin noted the investigation was hampered by a lack of cooperation. “Those with knowledge of the case, they’re not coming forward. We’re getting half-truths from some, stonewalled by others,” he said.
The arrest is the result of a collaborative effort between the Moline Police Department, the Henry County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Rock Island County State’s Attorney’s Office. Chief Gault acknowledged that the legal proceedings ahead may be lengthy but affirmed law enforcement’s commitment. “We hope that at some point we’ll be back in front of you to give you better answers,” he said, adding that the investigation remains active, particularly in the search for Trudy’s remains.
