The murder of Cathy Zimmer
San Jose, Santa Clara County, California · March 8, 1989
A woman was found strangled on the back-seat floor of her car at the San Jose airport, covered by a homemade quilt no one could identify, and 25 years later the murder case against her husband and brother-in-law collapsed when the lead prosecutor's undisclosed relationship with the DNA criminalist came out.
Overview
Cathy Zimmer, 38, a mother of two who worked part-time at a real estate office and took business classes at San Jose State University, drove her children to school on March 8, 1989, had lunch with a friend, attended two classes and then missed an eye doctor's appointment. Two days later, on March 10, police found her car in the short-term lot at San Jose International Airport; she lay strangled on the floor of the back seat, covered by a colorful patchwork quilt that no one in her family recognized. The case went cold for 25 years. In January 2014 the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Cold Case Unit reopened it and released photographs of the quilt. In February and March 2014 prosecutors charged her estranged husband and his brother with murder, citing money the husband collected after her death and DNA found on her clothing. On September 30, 2014 the district attorney dropped the charges after disclosing that the prosecutor who led the cold case unit had an undisclosed relationship with the criminalist who testified about the DNA. The office said it could refile. No one has been convicted, and reporting in 2022 still described the case as unsolved.
Where it stands
The case is officially unsolved. No one has been convicted of killing Cathy Zimmer, and the charges brought in 2014 against her estranged husband, David Zimmer, and his brother, Robert Zimmer, were dismissed on September 30, 2014 at the district attorney's request. District Attorney Jeff Rosen said the prosecutor who brought the case, Deputy District Attorney Ted Kajani, had an undisclosed and improper relationship with the criminalist who testified about DNA evidence, and that evidence had not been given to the defense in a timely fashion. Rosen apologized to Zimmer's family and said the case needed to be re-examined and that charges could be refiled. An assistant district attorney said there was no evidence that the DNA or other evidence was compromised by the relationship. Prosecutors had argued that David Zimmer profited from his wife's death, selling the couple's home and collecting life insurance within a month, and that DNA on the zipper and button of her pants was consistent with Robert Zimmer. David Zimmer's lawyer said the evidence was weak, and that the DNA could have been transferred; he said his client was innocent. Robert Zimmer's lawyer did not comment in the coverage found for this file. Reporting found for this file shows no refiled charges or new arrests. In 2022, on the 33rd anniversary of Zimmer's death, KRON described the dismissal as a major roadblock and reported that the district attorney's office remained dedicated to seeing the perpetrators brought to justice. Coverage found for this file does not say that the quilt, which police did not reveal publicly for 25 years and which no family member recognized, has been traced to its maker. What keeps the case within reach is the district attorney's own position: in 2014 his office said the relationship did not undermine the DNA results, which had been reviewed by two other crime lab analysts, and said charges could be refiled; in 2022 it said it was still dedicated to bringing the perpetrators to justice. It has not said whether it will present the case again.
Persons of interest
The theories below are reported strictly as attributed to the cited sources. Naming a person here is not an accusation. Individuals are named only where they are deceased, were formally charged, were officially named by authorities, or have been publicly cleared.
- David Zimmer
Prosecutors charged Zimmer, Cathy Zimmer's estranged husband, with her murder in 2014, saying the couple were separating and that he collected about $225,000 from the sale of their home and $183,000 in life insurance within a month of her death. His lawyer said the evidence was weak and that he was innocent. The charge was dismissed on September 30, 2014; the district attorney said it could be refiled.[4]
- Robert Zimmer
Prosecutors charged Zimmer, David Zimmer's brother, in 2014, citing a court affidavit that said DNA found in an intimate area of an item of Cathy Zimmer's clothing matched his profile and describing statements he made to his daughter and to investigators. David Zimmer's lawyer said the DNA could have been transferred. The charge was dismissed on September 30, 2014; the district attorney said it could be refiled.[5]
Sources
- Quilt Revives Hopes of Solving SJSU Student Cold Case
“She was last seen at San Jose State University on March 8, 1989. The 38-year-old mother of two was taking business courses, hoping to better her life. She almost always parked at the 10th Street garage, but that’s not where she was found.”
- Mystery quilt may help solve 25-year-old cold case murder of California mother
“detectives initially wanted to hold back some information only the killer would know about, such as the method of strangulation.”
- Daughter Of San Jose Woman Killed In 1989 Hopes Quilt Will Lead To Justice
“San Jose police found her fully clothed body on the floor of the backseat wrapped in the quilt, Deputy District Attorney Ted Kajani said.”
- Two Arrested For San Jose Cold Case Murder Unsolved For 25 Years
“David Zimmer profited from his wife's death, collecting $225,000 from the sale of their home and $183,000 from two life insurance policies, according to Rosen's office.”
- Husband arrested in 1989 'quilt cold case' murder of California mother
“Yet evidence also linked Robert Zimmer to the case, according to court documents. Evidence found "in an intimate area" of an item of Cathy Zimmer's clothing matched Robert Zimmer's DNA profile, investigators wrote in a court affidavit.”
- Husband arrested in connection with the murder of a San Jose woman in 1989
“On March 8, 1989, the mother of two drove her children to school, had lunch with a friend and attended two classes at San Jose State University, but then missed an optometry appointment.”
- David Zimmer pleads not guilty in estranged wife's 1989 murder
“Cathy Zimmer's murder case went cold for 25 years until the district attorney's office reopened the case in January.”
- San Jose murder case tossed over prosecutor's affair
“Rosen said his office could refile murder charges against the brothers.”
- DA Dismisses Brothers in 1989 Cold Case, Citing Improper Relationship
“Rosen kept open the possibility that he may refile the charges, saying prosecutors are now going to "reassess" the case.”
- Citing prosecutor's affair with lab technician, DA drops murder charges in 1989 slaying
“Rosen said the case needed to be re-examined and charges could be refiled.”
- San Jose 1989 ‘quilt’ cold-case remains unsolved
“The case remains unsolved 33 years later.”