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A man murders his son and his friend after a family argument.  Wanted: William Peter Fischer Suspect: Gender: Male CASE DETAILS In 1986, 21-year old Nancy Hyer and 19-year old Billy Fischer met by chance in South Hampton, New York. Their friendship began when Nancy became hopelessly lost on a train and was on the verge of tears. Billy stepped forward and offered to help, escorting Nancy home to Hicksville, Long Island. Debra McCabe remembered her sister’s friendship with Billy:
 Nancy Hyer and Billy Fischer On a stormy night three weeks after they met, Nancy received a call from Billy. Nancy told her sister, Debra, that Billy needed a ride home from his father’s house in South Hampton, about 65 miles away:
Nancy’s mother, Joan Hyer, was also concerned:
When Nancy met Billy, he was deeply in debt and seriously ill with cystic fibrosis. Billy hadn’t spoken with his father in over a year, but he decided to ask him for help. According to New York State Police senior investigator Stephen J. Oates, Billy’s father, William Fischer, made a good living:
 Nancy and Billy were found in the trunk Billy’s father invited his son to visit for the weekend to discuss his money problems. The day after Billy arrived, he called Nancy and asked for a ride home. That night, Nancy’s mother waited anxiously for her return:
The next morning, when Nancy still had not come home, Joan and Debra began to panic. But the police couldn’t help because, technically, Nancy had not been gone long enough to be officially declared missing. They searched Nancy’s bedroom and found William Fischer’s phone number. Fischer told Joan that he had dinner with Nancy and his son, and that afterwards, the two left in Nancy’s car. Nancy’s sister, Debra initially believed him:
 Bullets were found in Fischer’s wall The next morning, when there was still no word from Nancy, Joan filed a missing person’s report. But with no proof of foul play, police were unable to help. Joan had nowhere to turn. So she called the last person who saw her daughter alive, William Fischer. Her suspicions grew when he became confrontational during the call:
Ten days after Nancy disappeared, police responded to a report of an abandoned car in a parking lot less than two miles from Fischer’s house. Investigator Stephen Oates was first on the scene:
Around that same time, police received reports from neighbors that Fischer had been re-modeling his master bedroom in the middle of the night. Police secured a search warrant. Slight indentations were observed on a section of the wall and it was removed. Two .22 caliber bullets were recovered. A single strand of hair was fused to one of the bullets. It was identified as Billy Fischer’s. Investigator Oates:
The evidence pointed directly to William Fischer. What could have driven him to shoot his son eighteen times and then murder a complete stranger? Before a murder warrant could be issued, Fischer collected more than one hundred thousand dollars by mortgaging his house, and then disappeared. His car was found at JFK airport. Fischer has been on New York’s “most wanted” list for more than 30 years. Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season eleven with Robert Stack and in season six with Dennis Farina. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. Various seasons available now on Hulu. SUBMIT A TIP |
nope
alive in garland texas on burlingame, drives old tan isuzu pickup does odd jobs goes by Jack
jerry
please reach out to me. I have been looking for this guy for years. I looked into your info, I don’t think this is him.
Geneva
If you’re certain on this, contact the police.
Richard
I was just thinking , what happened to him, he was a suspect in the murder of it Poughkeepsie. He worked as a mechanic at Mid Hudson Chevrolet on Main Street,
In Poughkeepsie. Left to work at Ford Motors on So. Road Poughkeepsie.
someone who was murdered and he was Questioned.. he left the area soon
after. The next, I heard was he killed his son on Long Island, and disappeared.
I worked at Chevrolet at this time.
OJ
Wow, he was questioned about a different murder? Which one was that?
Ellen
I always wondered why he shot his sin and stabbed Nancy. I wonder if someone else was involved. Just a thought. Very sad case.
MARK
Hey Ellen. Robert stack mentions that he shot his son 18 times. I’m thinking he probably had 2 – 10round magazines and ejected the first loaded round on each magazine. More than likely he didn’t know that when you load the magazine and send the bolt forward, that thing is ready to fire. Unfortunately many people don’t comprehend this and wind up with a negligent discharge. I think that’s what happened with the young guy in the Tiger King documentary who accidentally shot himself. Nancy probably was hiding somewhere in the house and he was all out of ammo and didn’t have the time to reload his magazines and risk her getting away to call the cops. She must have been so shocked and scared. That man was a coward.
gus
i know wher he is hes still alive
Unsolved Mysteries Post author
Hi Gus – please send us more information at unsolved@unsolved.com, through our tip form (https://unsolved.com/tips/) or through our app. Thank you.
Allyson Mcguire
I dated billy and he didn’t talk much about his dad, but always would state things that he was not a good guy and they had an estranged relationship. I still can’t believe he was never gound
Deborah
I sent an email to unsolved@unsolved.com with information
jml
It is important to keep sharing this, he is probably under everyone’s nose. He is probably alive. For her sister closure would be nice. It never removes it. Just knowing your in jail.
RC
Does anyone know who William Peter Fischer’s wife was? Her name?
annonymous
His new wife’s name was Joan, went by Joannie. She was not Billy’s mother. I’m pretty sure they were legally married. Where did his wife go? Did she disappear too? Who sold the house and where did those proceeds go? What about their cars? What about their place in Manhattan? Because I see a lot of incorrect reports saying they were estranged, but they were not. They were together in the months leading up to this. I’ve always suspected he got away with it because he had connections because of timing of the search. Police had information that it was him since the day the bodies were found and gave him 2 months to skip town before they charged him. He was gone already when they searched the house. Why else would they find bullets and blood and not arrest him at that time? They took a section of his wall down, found bullets and hair and blood and then they just thanked him for his hospitality and left?
Billy had retained a lawyer and was suing his father for support for his doctor bills and this isn’t included in any of the stories, but its a big part of the picture. His father invited him over with the lure of settling to keep it out of court, because he didn’t want to draw attention to his “income sources”. His lawyer probably also knows a lot more than he’s said.
Tracee
Int said in the Unsolved Mysteries episode he took a second mortgage out on his home after repainting the master bedroom and fleeing. So the bank took the house. They would have also owned all contents left on the property.
Tracee
They didnt find the blood and bullets in the house till after he was gone. They had to have reasonable cause to have a search warrant signed. Remember initially they were not investigating till they found the bodies. Then they questioned people. That’s when neighbors said he had been up at 3am painting. Then police filed for the search warrant. He fled before they found the stuff in the bedroom. You must also remember the evidence they found in the master bedroom wall had to be sent off for a lab analysis to come back as blood and hair from bobby. This would have taken weeks or months in itself.
GG
What no article says is that the dinner mentioned was Thanksgiving Dinner. I remember this because the girl was the neighbor of a close friend, Yeah can’t believe this dirt bag hasn’t been capture yet. However, they let him escape so…. that should tell you something.
Jml
Back then it was hard to admit if a family member killed another, but with the Defeos’s in 1974 this should have been the first choice. Back then they didn’t freeze assets today’s the do. This guy took all the cash.all I can say is alot of cold cases were solved in 2016. In 1974 my classmate and friend was murdered her name was Karen Degenarro of Ronkonkoma,n.y. Her death was hardly covered because of defeo and Amityville but they got him convicted and he died in 2006. I will like the justice for all involved. This stays with you forever.
Jerry
I am looking for William Peter Fischer. If you have info please send to me. Thanks.
Missy
There was no advantage of social media back then compared to now…surely! social media “today in the 21st century” by now he should have been found by now whether he is out of the country or not, or else he is dead, I saw U.M. this evening Saturday 10-15-2016, that maniac is pure evil!!!!
If he easily killed like that, he may have killed others to keep anonymous.
ralph
That s wierd I saw this episode today, and just yesterday I saw someone in Mahwah, NJ and he had the same kind of description,except he had all grey hair and wasn t bald. I remember he looked at me very angry ,and I couldn t understand why , because I didn t do anything. It seemed as if he wanted to really kill me, I got very scared and looked away quickly. He seemed older .like hunched over a bit.
unsolved
Hi Ralph – please send us more information at unsolved@unsolved.com, through our tip form (https://unsolved.com/content/tips) or through our app. Thank you.
Anomonous
I knew Nancy from school she was always smiling very quiet minded her own business very pretty girl and such a love she deserves justice
Gg
I hope they find him
rose andrews
I HOPE AND PRAY 2 GOD .
Rhonda
I saw this case profiled today on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries…obviously the UM episode was a old re-run…but I searched online thinking surely this man, Billy’s father, had been caught by now…but he hasn’t.
What in the heck are the police doing?? This happened in 1996!!!
With all of the new technology we have available today…I’m convinced this double-murderer could be caught!!
On the UM episode they said Fischers vehicle was located at the JFK Airport…but they never mentioned where he went…if he boarded a plane there has to be record of where he was going…even in 1986 this info should have been available…right??
If they have that info, was the FBI ever involved?
After all these years, if this guy is still alive, he is probably comfortable in his life and isn’t as careful as he once was…I bet if they put new eyes on this case he could be located.
My heart breaks for Nancy’s mom…I don’t know if she’s still alive or not…but I’m a mother, and I can’t imagine how this poor lady feels 30+ years after losing her daughter & all along knowing the man that killed her baby girl was somewhere living the high-life never having to pay for killing these 2 young people!!
This mother deserves JUSTICE!!!
Where are the cops…the FBI….??
If they don’t know where to start…they should bring in a “Psychic”!!!
I mean, what could it hurt…?? It might even actually give them the lead they need.
Somebody…somewhere…knows something!
Whether it’s a family member or friend of Mr. Fischer – somebody knows something…
Whoever they are…wherever they are…they should do the right thing, come forward & tell what they know.
OR if they’re scared…send a letter to the police department, call the departments
“Crime Stoppers” tip line from a pay phone & leave a message…just do the right thing…
One tip could be the piece of the puzzle cops need to find this murderer, so they can FINALLY give the victims mother a sense of Justice and Peace that she absolutely deserves!!
I bet Mrs. Hyer thinks they don’t care about her daughters case…that’s just NOT fair…
I’m sure the police department that handled this case has a “Cold Case Unit” or an investigator that handles cold cases…if they don’t, they need one!!
PS: If anyone reads this and knows where I can find more info about this case (I’m talking about the stuff that was left out of the ‘UM’ episode) please let me know. I would really appreciate it!!!
🙂
ihetu ramsey
he probably fled to europe
RN
Hi Rhonda. With regard to your question that there should be airline records of Mr Fisher’s travel itinerary. Back in 1986 ( i worked for the airlines back then) identification was not required for domestic travel, so Mr Fisher most likely booked his ticket using a ficticous name..
Jk
Her mom passes away last year, her sister still lives with a broken heart…
Harrison
Has any of you seen this man who is over 70 or 71? If you have seen him before, you need to contact the police before he goes on the run, again.