Podcast Summary: What It Was Like

Episode: The Hunt For A Killer Who Vanished
Host: Julian Morgans
Guest: Detective Hugh Lockerbie
Release Date: November 20, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode delves into one of the longest-running fugitive cases in U.S. history: the disappearance of Robert William Fisher. Fisher is alleged to have murdered his family in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2001 before vanishing without a trace. Host Julian Morgans speaks with Detective Hugh Lockerbie, the Scottsdale officer who has pursued the case for nearly 25 years, unpacking the chilling details of the crime, the ongoing investigation, and what it’s like to chase a man who may still be out there.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: The Crime and Aftermath

• Detective Lockerbie recounts arriving at the devastate Fisher home
  "The house is gone, practically. There's a truck in the carport that's severely burned… You could smell a home being on fire. It was different because you just knew that there were people on the inside."
  — Lockerbie (08:34)

• The family—Mary Fisher, daughter Brittney (12), and son Bobby (10)—were found inside, all with deep cuts to their necks; Mary was also shot execution-style.

• The house had been intentionally rigged to explode with gas, leaving behind a grisly and haunting crime scene.

2. The Suspect: Robert William Fisher

• Fisher immediately became the prime suspect due to his absence and a prior domestic fight.
  "We're looking for Robert. Is he at work? Where did he go?... There's a person gone, and strongly felt that it was Robert."
  — Lockerbie (13:01)

• An ATM photo captured Fisher withdrawing $260 at 10:30 PM, with Mary's car in the background, just hours before the explosion.

3. The Escape and Early Search

• Fisher’s wife’s car was later found abandoned in a remote area popular with campers and hunters, with his dog nearby; Fisher was gone.

• Large-scale search included helicopters, SWAT, and trackers, but yielded nothing—not even footprints or further clues.
  "We searched caves. We threw smoke grenades into the caves to try to flush him out... Nothing at all."
  — Lockerbie (20:57)

4. Theories on Fisher’s Disappearance

• Various possibilities were considered:

  • Fisher escaping with help
  • Having a getaway vehicle stashed
  • Vanishing into the wilderness, possibly even out of the country

• Lockerbie’s conviction remains strong:
  "There's not a shred of doubt in my mind that he is alive right now. He might even be listening to this podcast."
  — Lockerbie (22:30)

• The dog’s presence was key:
  "The dog would have followed him… So he had to have gotten out that way."
  — Lockerbie (41:57)

5. Fisher’s Psychological Profile

• Fisher was described as highly narcissistic, sociopathic, and controlling.

• He led a double life—appearing as a devoted family man to some, but seen as manipulative and absent by those closer to the family.

• "Everything was about Robert. Robert with no shirt on, showing his muscles…"
  — Lockerbie (29:09)

• Despite no outward history of violence, neighbors and church members later described him as secretive and disengaged from true community life.

6. Why Did He Do It?

• Motive remains unclear:
  • No evidence of financial stress, drug abuse, or affairs.
  • The strongest theory is a mix of narcissism and an inability to accept the breakdown of his family.
  • "Some people are just pure evil. That's bottom line."
    — Lockerbie (28:56)

7. The Investigation: Dead Ends and Frustrations

• Over 20,000 sightings reported, including tips from Mexico, Canada, the UK, and further abroad.

• Several close calls—lookalikes with matching surgeries and scars, even fingerprints checked—but all were dead ends.

• Despite no confirmed activity (no financial, digital, or forensic trace), authorities remain vigilant.

• Detective Lockerbie remains haunted:
  "I bang my head at least two to three times a week trying to figure out where did we miss something?... We just have never been able to get finality."
  — Lockerbie (33:12, 45:58)

8. Personal Toll and Lessons Learned

• Case is continually discussed in the police department; it's an ongoing obsession and a source of honor and duty.

• "Three strikes and you're not out. There's always one more thing you can do… The devil's in the details."
  — Lockerbie (49:00)

• Detective Lockerbie emphasizes the need for persistence and meticulous attention to even the smallest clue.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the horror of the crime:
  "It's not like he shot them, which is still extremely bad and evil, but to slit their throats in the manner that he did and then to his wife... I cannot to this day wrap my head as to why."
  — Lockerbie (25:23)

• On his hope for resolution:
  "We as the Scottsdale police are not going to give up on them… We have a duty and a responsibility… to ensure that this case... we will not forget about them."
  — Lockerbie (48:49)

• Public appeal:
  "Don't be afraid to come forward. He may have disclosed to you some information… We can work with you. We can work with someone that made a mistake. We're human. We all have made mistakes…"
  — Lockerbie (51:05)

Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|--------------------| | 07:08 | Detective Lockerbie describes arriving at the Fisher home after the explosion | | 13:01 | Why Robert Fisher became the prime suspect | | 18:57 | Methodical recounting of Fisher's escape and rigging the house for explosion | | 20:56 | Discovery of the abandoned car and failed search in the wilderness | | 22:25 | Lockerbie expresses belief that Fisher is still alive | | 29:09 | Discussion of Fisher’s narcissism and controlling personality | | 33:12 | Lockerbie reflects on missed opportunities and search theories | | 41:57 | Importance of the abandoned dog for understanding Fisher's escape | | 45:58 | The case’s unique level of frustration and elusiveness | | 49:00 | Lessons learned about persistence in detective work | | 51:05 | Lockerbie’s message to anyone who might know Fisher’s whereabouts |

Final Thoughts & Takeaways

This episode offers a chilling, deeply human look into a notorious unsolved case—and the toll it takes on those determined to solve it. Through Detective Lockerbie’s perspective, listeners are given both a procedural breakdown and an emotional journey, showing why the Robert Fisher case continues to haunt law enforcement and the Scottsdale community decades later.

If you know anything about Robert Fisher’s whereabouts, you are urged to contact authorities. A substantial reward remains in place.