Summer timeline set for witness evidence in Jamison Fisher murder trial

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]This is one of the most high-profile cold cases in the region. And now the witnesses who could reveal what prosecutors say really happened to 11-year-old Trudy Appleby are at the center of a courtroom fight. James and Fisher is on trial for her murder 30 years after she vanished in Colona, Illinois. TV 6 Investigates reporter Matt Christiansen was in court today.

[00:00:20]Matt?

[00:00:22]Hi Sharon. Prosecutors say these witnesses are the key to telling the jury what happened to Trudy Appleby, but the defense wants to keep many of them entirely off the stand. In court Friday, prosecutors presented a list of potential witnesses. They include former drug associates of Fishers, his former girlfriends, and an eyewitness who says they saw Fisher with Trudy near a train bridge in Colona on the day she died or vanished in 1996. Police say Fisher killed Trudy because her father owed him money for drugs. Prosecutors say witnesses will testify that Fisher and other men sexually assaulted her on that train bridge near a mobile home park in Colona before before she was killed.

[00:01:02]Now, her remains have never been found.

[00:01:05]The jury is entitled to hear that this was what was happening to Trudy Appleby at the train bridge, which in turn supports the defendant's multiple confessions. Evidence of the circumstances around TA's death are highly probative of defendant's motive for concealing Trudy Appleby's body, as well as the narrative of events surrounding TA's death and concealment.

[00:01:28]Fisher's defense team argues much of the witness testimony is hearsay, not relevant, or overly prejudicial. They're asking the judge to block some of the witnesses entirely and limit what others can say. This is a >> [clears throat] >> a witness here who's going to testify she saw him.

[00:01:48]But again, has a massive reason to say why she saw him. Has a massive reason to uh fabricate a story, especially at the moment that this happened because uh he had just mashed her windows out.

[00:02:03]So, I don't believe that any of this evidence should come in. I don't believe The judge did not rule Friday uh saying she wants to carefully review each of the potential witnesses before making any decisions. Prosecutors said they want to call up to 30 witnesses. Cheryn?

[00:02:20]All right, thank you, Matt. Now, the judge's ruling on those witnesses will be a critical step in determining how this trial unfolds and what the jury ultimately gets to hear about Trudy Appleby's final hour.