Suvechha Sarkar
Allison Michelle Feldman had built a beautiful life for herself in Scottsdale, Arizona. However, the life of the 31-year-old was tragically cut short in February 2015 when she was killed inside her home. What followed was an investigation that went cold until familial DNA provided the authorities with a lead. The episode titled ‘Home Alone’ of ABC’s ’20/20′ examines the circumstances of the case and the pieces of evidence that helped bring the killer to justice. Moreover, the episode features in-depth interviews with her loved ones, acquaintances, and law enforcement officials.
Allison Feldman’s Remains Were Found by Her Boyfriend in Her Home
Elayne and Harley Feldman welcomed their daughter, Allison Michelle Feldman, into the world on June 14, 1983. She was raised in a tight-knit family in Minnesota, surrounded by the immense love and support of her parents. She and her sister, Kelly Weinblatt, shared a special bond and made countless memories together. Allison’s family and friends often described her as a compassionate and driven individual who always had a smile on her face. She attended Minnetonka High School, where she participated in cheerleading and dance. After graduating from high school in 2001, Allison relocated to Arizona to pursue a degree in Communications, with a minor in Spanish at the University of Arizona.
During her time at the university, Allison studied in Spain during her junior year. She graduated in 2005 before beginning her career as a Medical Sales Representative at Mölnlycke Health Care. At the organization, she also served as a burn and trauma specialist. She eventually settled into a home in Scottsdale, Arizona. Every summer, Allison diligently volunteered to care for severely burned children at the Arizona Burn Camp. In 2014, she crossed paths with Alex Sukhodolov, and their connection soon blossomed into something deeper. By February 2015, they had been dating for 10 months. Furthermore, Allison achieved a milestone when she received a promotion at work.
On February 18, 2015, Alex went to Allison’s home to check on her and found her unresponsive, prompting him to call 911. When officials rushed to the scene, they found her dead and noticed blood spatter, smears, and drops on the floor. Forensic experts detected a strong smell of bleach, which investigators noted indicated a suspect’s attempt to destroy forensic evidence. Although they didn’t find any signs of forced entry, they discovered that Allison’s bracelet, credit cards, and phone were missing. They further observed that she was unclothed, suggesting sexual assault. Detectives also deduced that she had been beaten as they found injuries to her arms. The autopsy determined her cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head and asphyxiation.
Use of Familial DNA Brought a Breakthrough in Allison’s Murder Case
After collecting the evidence, the forensic experts found partial DNA at the scene. When experts entered it into the national database, they found no direct matches. Reports state that upon questioning Alex, they learned that on the night of February 17, 2015, Allison had sent him home. He went on to say that he later came to check on her on February 18, as he failed to get in contact with her. It is essential to note that Alex was interviewed by investigators and officially cleared of any involvement in the crime. According to police records, Harley told officials that he last spoke to his daughter on the night of February 17.
As the weeks passed, detectives interrogated multiple individuals but found no leads. The case gradually went cold until 2017, when they decided to conduct a familial DNA search. When the test was conducted, it led officials to the brother of an incarcerated man, who was closely related to the DNA. They soon discovered that the incarcerated individual had a brother named Ian L. Mitcham, who lived in Phoenix, Arizona. Court documents indicate that the officials already had Ian’s blood in the evidence after it was collected during his unrelated DUI arrest in January 2015, for which he was later convicted.
In April 2018, when Ian’s blood sample was compared with the forensic evidence recovered at the scene, it was determined to be a match. On April 10, he was finally taken into custody and held at the Scottsdale City Jail. Following that, he was charged with first-degree murder and second-degree burglary. He was later also indicted on the charge of sexual assault. As per reports, authorities were unable to find any connection between Ian and Allison or determine any motive behind the crime.
Ian Mitcham is Seemingly Held at a County Jail in Arizona Today
After Ian’s arrest, the admissibility of the DNA evidence became a legal issue because he was told that the vial of blood taken from him during his 2015 DUI arrest would be destroyed if he didn’t claim it within 90 days. However, the experts used that blood to develop a DNA profile that matched the one collected at Allison’s home. In January 2023, a judge suppressed the DNA evidence, noting the analysis of that blood without a warrant violated Ian’s rights. When prosecutors appealed, the Arizona Court of Appeals reversed the ruling in August 2023. On December 17, 2024, the Arizona Supreme Court agreed that the DNA analysis without a warrant was an unconstitutional search.
However, the court noted that the DNA profile was admissible under the “inevitable discovery exception,” as law enforcement would have inevitably obtained it through statutory requirements. His jury trial began in November 2025, during which the prosecution argued that he entered Allison’s home, sexually assaulted and attacked her before killing the 31-year-old. They also presented several pieces of evidence, including DNA results and bank records. The prosecution claimed it was a crime of opportunity, citing the missing items from her home. On the other hand, the defense contended that the authorities had not pursued other leads. They pointed out the lack of connection between Ian and Allison and insisted that he had no connection to the crime.
On April 9, 2026, Ian was convicted of all charges. During the penalty phase, the jury deadlocked over whether Ian should receive life imprisonment or the death penalty for murder. Although the judge declared a mistrial for that phase, the convictions were not overturned. On May 28, 2026, Ian was sentenced to a 7-year prison term for sexual assault and 3.5 years for burglary, to be served consecutively. Public reports state that prosecutors later announced that he is scheduled to be sentenced for the murder charge at a later date after they would retry the murder sentencing phase. It currently appears that Ian is in custody at the Maricopa County Jail in Phoenix, Arizona, while awaiting the retrial of the murder sentencing phase.
