CAPE CORAL, FLORIDA: Joseph Zieler, 61, was sentenced to death on Monday, June 26, for the brutal rape and murder of 11-year-old Robin Cornell and 32-year-old Lisa Story in 1990.
During the trial, Zieler taunted the grieving mother of one of the victims, even making outrageous claims of a sexual encounter with her. The case remained unsolved for nearly three decades until Zieler's arrest in 2016, when his DNA was matched with the crime scene.
Cold case breakthrough
Zieler sneaked into a Cape Coral condominium where Cornell and Story were sleeping, and he subjected them to a brutal assault, ultimately killing them. Jan, Cornell's mother, had left her daughter in the care of Story while she went to her boyfriend's house that night. When she returned the next day, she discovered the tragic scene of their murders. The case went cold for almost 30 years until Zieler's arrest in 2016, triggered by an unrelated matter that required him to provide a DNA sample, which was then linked to the crime scene.
During the trial, Zieler took the stand and testified that his DNA was present at the crime scene because he had engaged in sexual relations with Jan several months before the murders. However, when prosecutors pointed out the inconsistency of his claim, Zieler insulted Jan, calling her a "pig" who never washed her sheets. The embattled mother vehemently denied ever meeting her daughter's killer before the slayings and expressed her disgust at his baseless allegations. “He is remorseless. He is evil. There are no feelings there. He’s just blank,” she told the New York Post on Tuesday, June 27.
Sick stunt and threats
Jan revealed that she and others present at the trial were shocked when Zieler appeared on the eve of the trial with an ill-fitting veneer over his teeth, on which he had scrawled "KILLER" using a permanent marker. This stunt, which came to light when Zieler opened his mouth, was particularly unsettling as his teeth were visibly decayed throughout the rest of the trial. Following his arrest, Zieler sent Jan three threatening letters, attempting to hinder the murder investigation. He is currently facing a tampering with a witness charge in connection with those letters.
During the sentencing hearing, as Jan looked on from the gallery, Zieler unexpectedly struck his attorney with an elbow and had to be subdued on the ground. This violent outburst shocked Jan, who described Zieler as capable of anything and expressed disbelief at his actions.
Throughout the trial, Zieler displayed his arrogance, often locking eyes with Jan from the defense table and while testifying on the stand. “I would look right back. I was there for everything in court, every step of the way,” Jan recalled.
Robin Cornell can finally rest
Despite nearly three decades, Jan never lost hope that the perpetrator, who killed her daughter and close friend, would one day be brought to justice. When detectives finally arrived at her door after 26 years with the news of a DNA match, Cornell expressed overwhelming relief. “I always told the detectives. I know he’s alive and I know he lives nearby. I could just feel it. When they came to my door after 26 years and said they had a DNA match, I just said 'Oh my God' over and over again for 45 minutes. I knew justice would come,” she revealed.
After Cornell's death, Jan initially considered cremating her to remain physically close to her daughter. However, she was advised to keep the body intact for potential forensic needs, and she opted for a crypt instead. In 2010, when investigators informed her that the body would no longer serve any investigatory purpose, Jan finally had Cornell cremated. After Zieler's death sentence, Cornell returned home and approached the urn containing her daughter's ashes. "I told Robin that it’s over. You can rest now," Jan said, with a sense of closure.
