Man Arrested for 1973 Marin County Murder

Michael Eugene Mullen, 75, has been arrested in Idaho for the 1973 sexual assault and murder of Nina Fischer in Marin County, California, after being linked by DNA evidence. Fischer was found bound, gagged, and shot in her home by her husband while their 2-year-old daughter was unharmed. The case went cold for decades due to a lack of leads but was reopened in 2021 with assistance from California’s Familial Search Program, ultimately identifying Mullen as the suspect. Following a three-year investigation, Mullen was identified through DNA evidence collected from the crime scene. He is currently held in Lemhi County Jail awaiting extradition to California. The case highlights the ongoing efforts to solve cold cases using modern forensic techniques.