Elisa Gano (Queen of Diamonds, Arizona)

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Deck – Episode: Elisa Gano (Queen of Diamonds, Arizona)

Introduction

In the October 23, 2024 episode of The Deck, host audiochuck delves into the tragic and unresolved case of Elisa Gano, known as the "Queen of Diamonds" from Arizona. This episode meticulously unpacks the circumstances surrounding Elisa's untimely death, the subsequent investigation, and the profound impact her loss had on her family. Through interviews with Detective Dominic Rostenberg and insights from a Crime Expert, the episode sheds light on the complexities of cold case investigations and the relentless pursuit of justice.

Discovery of Elisa Gano

The episode opens with Detective Rostenberg setting the scene of October 3, 2000, when Elisa Gano's body was discovered in the early morning hours by a paving crew in an industrial area along West Lower Buckeye Road in Phoenix, Arizona.

"It was the early morning hours on October 3, 2000, when a paving crew arrived at their job site along West Lower Buckeye Road in Phoenix, Arizona. They were in the process of laying asphalt at a large parking lot. But that morning, all work was halted because the crew made a startling discovery." – Detective Rostenberg [00:32]

Upon discovering Elisa's body, the crew immediately contacted law enforcement, recognizing the probable foul play.

"They were kind of shocked, obviously, to see a nude woman on the side of the roadway. They immediately recognized that she was more than likely deceased, so they immediately called the police department." – Crime Expert [03:18]

Initial Investigation

Detective Rostenberg recounts the initial confusion over jurisdiction, as the first officer on scene was from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office rather than the Phoenix Police Department.

"No sign of life... more than that, he most likely knew she'd been dead for at least a few hours by the time she was found, because he also noticed discoloration in the left arm from where blood had started to settle." – Detective Rostenberg [04:37]

The victim, Elisa, was found completely nude except for a brown hiking boot on her left foot and two socks. Her shirt and bra were pulled over her head, tangled in her hair, and she showed signs of a struggle with contusions and abrasions.

"The cause of death was determined to be strangulation in the manner of death of homicide. She also had numerous abrasions and contusions throughout her body, so she had recent injuries that would have been consistent with her being physically attacked..." – Crime Expert [10:45]

Challenges in the Investigation

The secluded location and lack of eyewitnesses posed significant challenges. Physical evidence such as a condom, a soda can, and a cigarette butt were collected but initially did not lead to a suspect.

"Timothy clearly had some violent tendencies, and that DNA appears to have put him at the scene. Detective Rostenberg is 99% certain he was there." – Detective Rostenberg [29:40]

Despite entering Elisa's DNA profile into CODIS, no immediate matches were found, leaving detectives without a clear lead.

Impact on Elisa's Family

Elisa's family, especially her five children and her mother, Lydia, were left in turmoil following her death. The episode poignantly captures their grief and the ongoing quest for answers.

"I remember we were getting off the bus... then they're like, are you Freddie? Like, my nana's like crying and we're like, what's going on?" – Freddie [12:08]

Her eldest son, Freddie, describes the heartbreak of losing his mother and the enduring hope that she would overcome her struggles.

"Freddie: Us having kids. I think she would have at least tried to change her life around, and I think she would have been a great grandma. She was an awesome mom." – Freddie [31:06]

Breakthrough with Familial DNA

Years later, Detective Rostenberg revisits the case with new technology—familial DNA analysis—which leads to a breakthrough in identifying a potential suspect.

"A hit on someone who had been previously arrested on drug charges." – Detective Rostenberg [25:14]

The familial DNA pointed to Janessa Edwards, the daughter of Timothy Edwards, establishing a probable link to Elisa's murder.

"So when we ran into Ernesto, we were optimistic at first. He agreed to be interviewed... but he wasn't someone who was acting like a guilty man." – Crime Expert [19:12]

Identification of Timothy Edwards

Further investigation revealed Timothy Edwards, Janessa's father, as the likely perpetrator. Although he had an extensive criminal background, his death in 2008 precluded the possibility of legal prosecution.

"Timothy clearly had some violent tendencies... what exactly happened between Elisa and Timothy or how they even came into each other's orbit?" – Detective Rostenberg [29:40]

His obituary confirmed his residence in Iron River, Michigan, and a history of violent crimes, aligning with the DNA evidence linking him to Elisa's murder.

Unanswered Questions and Continuing Search for Justice

Despite identifying Timothy Edwards as the probable killer, many questions remain unanswered, including his motive and whether he had other victims. The DNA evidence did not connect him to any additional cases, but the possibility remains.

"Freddie: It's bittersweet because now we know, but we don't have answers. We don't know what his motive was, or was it just a random thing, or did he do it to other people?" – Freddie [30:48]

Detective Rostenberg emphasizes the ongoing search for justice and urges anyone with information to come forward.

"If you know anything about the murder of Elisa Gano... please contact Silent Witness at 480-948-6377 or toll-free at 1-800-343-TIPS." – Detective Rostenberg [32:31]

Conclusion

The episode concludes with a reflection on the enduring pain of Elisa's family and the elusive nature of justice when critical evidence remains unanswered. The Deck underscores the importance of continued advocacy and investigation in cold cases, hoping that listeners might hold the key to unlocking these long-standing mysteries.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "It was the early morning hours on October 3, 2000, when a paving crew arrived at their job site..." – Detective Rostenberg [01:28]

• "They were kind of shocked, obviously, to see a nude woman on the side of the roadway..." – Crime Expert [03:18]

• "Freddie: It's bittersweet because now we know, but we don't have answers." – Freddie [30:48]

• "If you know anything about the murder of Elisa Gano... please contact Silent Witness..." – Detective Rostenberg [32:31]

Final Thoughts

This episode of The Deck masterfully combines detailed investigative narration with heartfelt family testimonies, painting a comprehensive picture of Elisa Gano's life, struggles, and tragic death. It serves as a poignant reminder of the human stories behind cold cases and the ongoing pursuit of justice for victims and their loved ones.

Transcript

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[Detective Rostenberg]

State Farm helps you win by helping you create an affordable price just for you. Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can bundle and save with the personal price plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer availability, amount of discounts, and savings and eligibility vary by State Farm. Our card this week is Elisa Gano, the Queen of Diamonds from Arizona. At just 30 years old, Elisa had already lived a lifetime full of ups and downs. She often found herself experiencing homelessness while battling her own personal demons, and all of that while struggling to be a mother to five children. Despite her difficulties, though, Elisa's family felt like she would come out the other side. The problem is, she never got that chance. I'm Ashley Flowers and this is the deck. It was the early morning hours on October 3, 2000, when a paving crew arrived at their job site along West Lower Buckeye Road in Phoenix, Arizona. They were in the process of laying asphalt at a Large parking lot. But that morning, all work was halted because the crew made a startling discovery.

[Crime Expert]

They were kind of shocked, obviously, to see a nude woman on the side of the roadway. They immediately recognized that she was more than likely deceased, so they immediately called the police department.

[Detective Rostenberg]

That's homicide Detective Dominic Rostenberg of the Phoenix Police Department. He told us that because of the location, there was some confusion at first with who was dispatched. And the first officer to arrive on the scene that day was actually from the Maricopa County Sheriff's office, not Phoenix.

[Crime Expert]

So it's very uninhabited. It's an industrial area. Not a lot of houses nearby. It's like a commercial industrial area is probably the best way to describe it. You know, you wouldn't see a lot of cars. You wouldn't see a lot of foot traffic there. There's not a lot of stores like super close.

[Detective Rostenberg]

The sheriff's deputy approached the body and confirmed what the paving crew had suspected. No sign of life. More than that, he most likely knew she'd been dead for at least a few hours by the time she was found, because he also noticed discoloration in the left arm from where blood had started to settle. Once he was actually boots on the ground, he knew this case wasn't his. The location fell within the Phoenix police jurisdiction, so they were called out to secure the scene and begin an investigation, which started with their victim.

[Crime Expert]

The best way I could describe it, she's supine so that she's laying upward. She's completely nude. She's wearing a brown hiking boot on her left foot and two socks, and that's it.

[Detective Rostenberg]

Her shirt and bra had been pulled over her head and were sort of like tangled in her hair. And both her arms and legs had been spread out by someone who left dusty handprints on the victim's inner thighs.

[Crime Expert]

They observed that she had some contusions and abrasions throughout her face and her body, and that she didn't appear, based on the rigor. And the lividity was consistent with the body positioning, so it didn't look like she had been moved.

[Detective Rostenberg]

That told detectives that whatever happened most likely happened where they were standing. And it couldn't have happened that long.

[Crime Expert]

Ago with the Arizona heat. It didn't look like she had been out there for several days. There wasn't. She was in an early state of decomposition, very early state. So maybe a day, maybe less, maybe hours.

[Detective Rostenberg]

It's not just the body that told them a story. That dirt landscape offered up its own clues. Footprints and tire impressions that were Collected and compared against known workers, investigators, and all their vehicles. What they were left with painted a fairly detailed picture. It was likely some type of smaller vehicle that pulled up to the construction site, and the victim likely exited the vehicle from the passenger's side, Where a crushed cigarette was found. The suspect exited the driver's side, and the pair appeared to have met towards the back of the vehicle. And then they believe things started to take a turn for the worse.

[Crime Expert]

Just based on the disruptions in the dirt and the soil. There was a struggle. She feels like this person's either going to hurt her or kill her, and she's going to fight, and she's going to do everything she can to separate herself from this potentially hostile, violent situation.

[Detective Rostenberg]

At least for a moment. The fight seemed to have moved away from the car because nearby, other items like shorts, underwear, and a right boot were found. And based on the condition of those items, Detective rostenberg surmises that her clothing was violently stripped from her body.

[Crime Expert]

The force it takes to actually remove a boot from somebody else's foot. It can be challenging taking off your own boots sometimes. And to take somebody's hiking boot, I mean, it's an ankle hiking boot off your foot, it's going to take some degree of force.

[Detective Rostenberg]

Eventually, she was dragged back toward where the front of the car would have been. It's here. Where they believed she was most likely sexually assaulted and murdered. It appeared the suspect then got back into the car, Reversed, Hit a pallet partially full of cinder blocks, and then fled the scene. Now, detectives couldn't be 100% certain what they'd theorized happened was true. It was a professional guess, but sometimes that's all you get, because the secluded location Meant that they most likely wouldn't find any witnesses to the actual crime. And there weren't any security cameras at the location either. But what they lacked in eyewitnesses Was made up for in physical evidence, Like a condom, a soda can, that cigarette butt that they had found earlier. And all that's great, but they might not even need it, because if they were looking for the killer's DNA, he left them the best and possibly most incriminating sample, because on the victim's leg, along with those dusty handprints, Was some sort of stain, and they knew exactly what they were looking at. You're probably good at a lot of things, like watching tv. And finally, that greatness is being recognized and rewarded by sling. Introducing rewards from sling with sling's watch and win sweepstakes, all you have to do is watch 30 minutes of TV daily for chances to win up to $10,000 in cash and other prizes monthly. Which is like so cute. Cause boo, I just had three days off and I watched all the TV that Sling had to offer.

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[Crime Expert]

The cause of death was determined to be strangulation in the manner of death of homicide. She also had numerous abrasions and contusions throughout her body, so she had recent injuries that would have been consistent with her being physically attacked, which was consistent with her being found out there, the positioning of her body, and also she appeared to have been sexually assaulted as well.

[Detective Rostenberg]

The semen stain on the victim's leg was going to be their best chance at IDing their killer. They knew the sample would be collected and entered into CODIS and hopefully give them a name. But in the meantime, even though they didn't have his name, they at least got their victims and that was a place to start.

[Crime Expert]

So after collecting her prints at the autopsy, we were able to take those prints to Phoenix Records and we were able to determine that it was Elisa and Gano.

[Detective Rostenberg]

30 year old Elisa was already in the system because she had some prior arrests for things like trespassing, sex work, and charges related to drugs. Using those records, detectives could track down and notify Elisa's mother, Lydia. And in doing so, they learned that Elisa had five children at the time that her mom was helping raise. So they had to break the news to some of them too. Elisa's oldest son, Freddie, was just 13 when his mother was killed.

[Freddie]

I remember we were getting off the bus, me and my brother Alex, and we saw the detectives, but we didn't think anything of it because my uncle, her brother was murdered a year prior. So we thought maybe the detectives were there talking to my grandma about that case. We walked in and they're just like, are you Freddie? Like, my nana's like crying and we're like, what's going on? And like, are you guys Freddie and Alex? We're like, yeah. And then they're like, well, we're sorry to inform you, but your mom passed away. We had seen it on the news and we didn't, we didn't know who it was.

[Detective Rostenberg]

Her. Freddie got the job of gathering some of his younger siblings up that day to bring them home so they could be told too. 10 year old Adam was one of them.

[Adam]

I was at the park playing. It was getting closer to Halloween. So I saw my brothers, my two brothers walking down the park and they were calling for us. And he's like, oh, we gotta go, we gotta go. And in my head I'm thinking, oh. Cause you know, that whole. I remember before I was talking about this Halloween costume that I wanted. I kept saying, I kept bringing it up and I was like, oh, maybe they got it for me. And I was thinking in my head, maybe that's a surprise. And then, yeah, I seen Alex and Freddie's face and I was like, something's wrong. But I didn't know. Like, I couldn't pinpoint it. And then when we got home, that's when they told me and my sister and we just, I just remember we broke down and it was like, I remember my nana being in there and they just told us and I was just like, couldn't believe it.

[Detective Rostenberg]

The Family told detectives that Elisa had hit a rough patch and at times wasn't even living at home. According to Freddie, this was a pattern. With Elisa around then, she would come.

[Freddie]

And then disappear and then come and disappear.

[Detective Rostenberg]

This wasn't just hard on the children. Freddie's grandmother, Lydia, would try searching for her daughter when she didn't come home. As Freddie just mentioned, Elisa's brother David was tragically murdered. And according to the family, the murder was solved. But you can only imagine Lydia never anticipated having to endure the heartbreak of losing another child.

[Freddie]

She knew where she hung out, so she would always, you know, come back crying because she's like, I didn't find her. I couldn't see, you know, she was always worried about her.

[Detective Rostenberg]

Lydia told police that most recently, Elisa had been out of the house for about three months, though her mom had seen her at least once within that time frame, the last time being about two weeks prior at a thrift store. According to Lydia, Elisa was in the company of a large man. She described him as black, possibly Cuban, who spoke fluent Spanish. And whoever this guy was, he appeared to have some control over Elisa because he wouldn't allow her to talk to Lydia or Elisa's own daughter, who was also there. Now, no one seemed to know who this man was, so police had their work cut out for them trying to track this guy down. But in the meantime, her family did provide police with everything they knew or had heard. An uncle of Alisa's told police that there was a rumor she'd been staying at a motel around the area of 51st and Buckeye Road, which wouldn't have been that far from where her body was eventually found. The rumor was that she'd been staying in room 11 and that the management at the motel still had some of her things. When detectives found what they thought to be the motel in early November, they were told that there was no room 11. There hadn't been for about two months, as the motel was in the middle of a remodel. The manager also said he didn't know the victim, and no property was left behind before that remodel started. So this motel offered nothing. But there was another place that the family had pointed detectives to. A truck stop. And like the motel, this truck stop also wasn't far from where Elisa's body had been found. It was also a place known to be frequented by sex workers. But if that's where Alisa might have been in the time leading up to her death, no one there was going.

[Crime Expert]

To tell them, you know, they're scared of retaliation. They're scared for their own safety. You know, I don't want to be labeled an air quote snitch. I don't want to be the one that, you know, got this guy, because now I'm in fear for my safety. I'm out on the streets myself. I'm out here working, too. Is this going to endanger me?

[Detective Rostenberg]

At least one sex worker who wouldn't give detectives her name did confirm that Elisa hung around that area in general. And another guy, who also refused to give his name but said he knew Alisa well, told detectives that there were a lot of rumors going around about her death, though what exactly those rumors were are unclear. Detective Rostenberg said investigators did a canvas for cameras in that general area, and there were none at the truck stop that he was aware of. There were cameras inside a convenience store nearby, but they were too grainy to really glean anything from them. So the truck stop ended up being a bust, too. Actually, everything was feeling like a bust. They weren't finding the mystery guy who was last with Alisa when her mom saw her. And even the more they looked into Elisa's background, nothing else was jumping out at them.

[Crime Expert]

It was so limited on what we could find out about her. It presented challenges. You know, we looked at all of her police reports. You know, did she call the police saying this guy was threatening her? Was this guy assaulting her? Did she have an estranged boyfriend that was chasing her around? Did she have an order of protection? All that was looked into, and nothing, we were able to determine nothing from that. It was very frustrating. We did media on the case. It was on the local news. We put out silent witness flyers. We distributed flyers, and very, very limited information if anything came in.

[Detective Rostenberg]

Weeks now turned into months. But In February of 2001, detectives were able to track down another associate of Alisa's named Ernesto. It's unclear how or if this guy maybe came to them, but according to detective Rostenberg, Ernesto seemed to match a pretty vague description of the guy that was last seen with Alisa in that thrift store two weeks before her death.

[Crime Expert]

So when we ran into Ernesto, we were optimistic at first. He agreed to be interviewed. I mean, he didn't have to talk to detectives. He genuinely seemed concerned about, you know, finding the perpetrator.

[Detective Rostenberg]

Now, it's unclear if police were able to pin down with certainty if Ernesto was the guy at the thrift store, though he did tell detectives that he had last seen Elisa even more recently than just that. If it was him he said he last saw her just two days before she was killed at that truck stop that they'd been pointed to. He denied having sex with her or any kind of physical contact with her at all. So he's basically telling police, like, look, I'm not your guy. But he did say he'd gotten some info from at least one of the sex workers there after she died. Though the information turned out to not be that helpful because that person had told Ernesto that they didn't see Elisa leave with anyone. Something that the girls made a habit of watching who each of them went off with. Now, if Ernesto had something to do with Elisa's murder, I mean, detectives didn't know at the time if he did or not. But according to Detective Rostenberg, he wasn't someone who was acting like a guilty man.

[Crime Expert]

He gave his buckle swab voluntarily. We didn't have enough to take one from him, certainly with a search warrant. So he voluntarily provided. He adamantly denied being involved in the homicide in any way. He said he never engaged in sexual intercourse. We were able to use that buckle later to do direct comparisons of the evidence at the scene, and it does not appear at this time that Ernesta was involved in any way.

[Detective Rostenberg]

The DNA that they'd gotten from the semen sample was a great help in ruling people out, but as far as ruling people in, bust again.

[Crime Expert]

So we were able to get a full unidentified male profile from that sample, and it was entered into a federal database, which is called codis. That database is phenomenal. As long as we have somebody in the database to match it to, it's a great resource. We have local databases, state databases, and the federal one. And it was entered into codis, and it was just an unidentified male profile, so we didn't get a match. That's frustrating. As investigators, you know, we probably have our guy, we have his profile. We're entering in the database now. It's just a matter of waiting.

[Detective Rostenberg]

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[Freddie]

My daughter looks similar to her. She smiles sometimes and I'll get teary eyed. I'm like, crap, you look just like you're Nana. You know, like your grandma.

[Detective Rostenberg]

By 2021, Detective Rostenberg, who was now assigned the case, realized it was time to think outside the box. He had just had Some recent training on something known as familial DNA.

[Crime Expert]

It's a little bit different than genealogical testing. We're able to mine through state and federal databases, arrested offenders, DNA. So it's going to be first lineage. So it's going to be limited. It's not as large as codis, but it's going to be limited to, you know, a sibling, a son, or a daughter. So I met with members of the forensic team. Our lab doesn't even do familial testing through a state lab. They wanted cases where there was a full profile that had some merit to it. When I was able to present the case to them and show them, like, listen, this is DNA on this female's leg that was found on her inner leg, and it's been in Codis for 19 years. They were very receptive on doing the analysis needed.

[Detective Rostenberg]

That sample was sent off. But that meant more waiting on a case that had already waited long enough for some kind of justice. As 2021 rolled into 2022, there was still no word from the lab. But come late summer, Detective Rostenberg finally got what he was hoping. A hit on someone who had been previously arrested on drug charges.

[Crime Expert]

On August 18, 2022, I'm alerted by the DPS lab of a female by the name of Janessa Edwards and was advised that Janessa's DNA matched through indirect familial association. So what that means is she's not at the scene. It's not obviously her DNA, but from an indirect familial association to the source of the vaginal swab. So it's telling me that this person, Janessa is a first line family member of our suspect. So I was excited at this point.

[Detective Rostenberg]

More specifically, this meant that a father, brother or son of Janessa's most likely committed this crime. But now Detective Rostenberg had to find Janessa.

[Crime Expert]

The hunt for Janessa starts, and I start looking at her driver's license, her addresses, where she was, I was able to find out she was on probation, but she had absconded. She may have left the state.

[Detective Rostenberg]

There was already a felony warrant out for Janessa's arrest for failure to appear in court on a drug charge. Her probation officer told Detective Rostenberg that he was considering issuing an additional warrant for non compliance to her probation requirements. So a lot of people were looking for her, yet somehow she remained elusive.

[Crime Expert]

So I make several attempts to locate Janessa. I'm unsuccessful. So I'm like, okay, the road's not gonna stop here. I could have you Know, gave up or just said, you know what, Let me just wait. Janessa will eventually turn up. I put what's called a file stop for any of her. And still weeks go by and I can't find Janessa. So what am I gonna do next? I don't really need Janessa. I want to find Janessa and interview her, but she's not directly involved homicide, if that makes sense. So I tell myself, what am I going to do next? And that's when I started looking for Janessa's family members. And I was lucky, and I was able to find her mother. Janessa's mother, who lives in the state of Wisconsin.

[Detective Rostenberg]

Detective Rostenberg picked up the phone and called Janessa's mother, Carmen. She also didn't know where Janessa was, although, interestingly enough, she thought she was in the Phoenix area. But what Carmen did provide was the piece of the puzzle he was looking for. Carmen told Detective Rostenberg that Janessa was an only child, so that ruled out any idea of a brother being involved in Alisa's murder. Janessa's age at the time of the murder also ruled out the possibility of some son of hers being involved, too. She would have been too young. So that only left one other option. The person who most likely murdered Elisa was Janessa's father. According to Carmen, his name was Timothy Edwards.

[Crime Expert]

She described him as being Native American. I asked her, did he mention of anything of being involved in a homicide or anything? She had no information of that. She actually said she had never seen him be violent before. But just because she hadn't personally witnessed it herself doesn't mean he wasn't a violent person.

[Detective Rostenberg]

Timothy and Carmen were never married. They weren't even together very long. And Janessa appeared to be estranged from her father. Now, way back in 2000, Timothy would have been 32 years old when Alisa's murder took place. And while Detective Rostenberg believed Timothy had some ties to the Phoenix area, which made him look even better for it, at the time of our interview, he couldn't recall what that tie was. So why Timothy was in the area is unknown. And it's a little hard to go back and ask him now. Detective Rostenberg was able to confirm that Timothy passed away in October of 2008 at the age of 40. His obituary states that he was living in Iron River, Michigan when he passed away and that he was a, quote, self employed construction worker. While Carmen told Rostenberg that she had never seen Timothy be violent, his criminal record told a different story.

[Crime Expert]

So running a nationwide criminal background check on Timothy Allen Edwards from dating back all the way to 1987 to his last known criminal record in 2007. He has an extensive criminal background for charges including assault, domestic violence, assault, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, battery, and liquor violations.

[Detective Rostenberg]

Timothy clearly had some violent tendencies, and that DNA appears to have put him at the scene. Detective Rostenberg is 99% certain he was there. But what exactly happened between Elisa and Timothy or how they even came into each other's orbit? Detective Rostenberg could only speculate.

[Crime Expert]

I think it would be, in my mind, logical to believe that he was just kind of passing through town. Their paths cross the truck stop or somewhere else they meet up. They end up down on Lower Buckeye Road where the incident occurred and this violent, horrible act took place.

[Detective Rostenberg]

Timothy's death had denied Detective Rostenberg the chance to put him in handcuffs, to look him in the eyes and ask him some tough questions. It meant he would never go to trial or sit in a prison cell where he belonged. More than anything, his death denied Elisa's family the justice that they were due. When our reporter first sat down with her family, they only had recently become aware of Timothy Edwards, who, by the way, was not someone known to them. Here's Adam and Freddie again.

[Adam]

I'm still in shock.

[Freddie]

It's bittersweet. It's bittersweet because, like, now we know, but it's like now, but we don't have answers. You know, that's the bittersweet part of it is, like, we know who it is, but we don't know why. We don't know what his motive was, or was it just a random thing, or did he do it to other people?

[Detective Rostenberg]

Elisa was only 30 years old when she died. And that's what's so heartbreaking for her family. She still had so much life to live, and her loved ones felt very strongly that the Elisa of then would not be the Elisa of today.

[Freddie]

Us having kids. I think she would have at least tried to change her life around, and I think she would have been a great grandma. She was an awesome mom. Like, when she was healthy and she was, you know, herself. Great mom. She was a great mom. I tell this to every. I told my dad, to my grandma, like, but she had her demons. I think she would have been the best grandma.

[Detective Rostenberg]

One thing Freddie had pointed out was the possibility that Timothy Edwards could have other victims out there. Even though the DNA profile from Alisa's case is still sitting in CODIS without matching to other cases, Detective Rostenberg shares Freddie's concerns he may have done this.

[Crime Expert]

To other people as well, and that's something we'd want to look into. You know, was he passing through Phoenix? Was this you know, one time deal? Or did he travel throughout the country possibly doing this to the other women? We don't know that. If some of this information either through Alisa or Timothy Edwards rings a bell with anyone I know we're going back, you know, several years to please call. We are still continuing to investigate this case, but any information could be helpful.

[Detective Rostenberg]

If you know anything about the murder of Elisa Gano in October of 2000 in Phoenix, Arizona, please contact Silent Witness at 480-948-6377 or toll free at 1-800-343. TIPS. If you have any information regarding Timothy Edwards, who before his death was described as Native American with dark hair and hazel eyes, standing between 54 and 56 and about 155 pounds. Detective Rostenberg wants to hear from you. We'll put his direct contact information in the show. Notes the Deck is an audio Chuck production with theme music by Ryan Lewis. To learn more about the Deck and our advocacy work, visit the deck podcast.com so what do you think Chuck? Do you approve so many options for toilet paper? Quintuple ply? This roll is titanium in forest. This one is made from elderly trees. Is that good? Just grab Angelsoft. It's simple, soft and strong and for any budget Angelsoft Soft and strong.

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