Suvechha Sarkar
From 1985 to around 2009, multiple serial sexual assaults left the community completely shocked in Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Joylynn Martinez (or Joy Lynn) became a central figure in the case after she suspected her husband, Robert Howard Bruce, also known as Ether Man, was the offender. Investigation Discovery’s ‘Married With Secrets: Fear the Ether Man’ dives deeper into several cases of the survivors, among whom was Mandra Ryan. Ultimately, authorities identified Robert as the person they were looking for through DNA matches. It also features interviews with Joylynn, Mandra, and officials closely involved in the investigation.
Joylynn Martinez Considers Her Children the Biggest Source of Strength
Joylynn Martinez was 27 years old, recently divorced in June 2001, and a single mother of two sons when she met Robert Howard Bruce at a club in Albuquerque, New Mexico. During that time, Robert was also a divorced dad of three children and moved to Pueblo, Colorado, in 2002. Soon, the relationship between Joylynn and Robert flourished, and they tied the knot in September 2003. According to Joylynn, things were blissful until everything changed in 2009, when she allegedly came across a videotape made by Robert. In her statements, Joylynn claimed that she was unconscious in the tape, alleging she was raped. By October 2009, she moved back with her kids to Albuquerque and was contemplating divorce when she reportedly came across a composite sketch and an article on a serial rapist in a newspaper.
Joylynn recalled that she suspected it was the same person because the assaults happened in locations where Robert visited around the same time. Her worst fears were confirmed when he was arrested in Colorado for an attempted murder charge on October 6, 2009. Reports state that he was tied to 11 of the sexual assault cases through a DNA match. Following that, Joylynn filed for divorce from Robert, and by February 2012, she was looking forward to the divorce being finalized. Despite the ordeal, Joylynn moved forward in her life with resilience and focused on building a unique professional trajectory. Before moving to Pueblo, Colorado, to stay with Robert, she was dedicated to managing her sister’s towing business and auctioning repossessed cars.
By February 2012, Joylynn began working for a construction supplier in Albuquerque. It also seems that in July 2015, she pursued a Technical and Professional Writing course at the University of New Mexico. As of writing, Joylynn has chosen to keep further details of her professional life out of the limelight. After things had settled down regarding Robert, Joylynn revealed that she had once again begun dating but wasn’t yet ready to fully trust someone. It appears that she continues to reside in Albuquerque and is completely devoted to raising her children. It is important to note that although she sometimes shares pictures with a young child, she hasn’t publicly spoken about the nature of their relationship, although they seem quite close. Joylynn is also someone who never misses a chance to spend meaningful time with her friends.
Mandra Ryan is Flourishing as an Entrepreneur With Her Family by Her Side
In May 2000, Mandra Ryan was a junior at the University of New Mexico. On May 9, 2000, the 20-year-old was reportedly home alone while everyone went out. On the show, Mandra said that she felt someone watching her, so she pulled back the window blinds. Reports state that she then saw a man lurking in her backyard. Reports state that she said the man fell to the ground after she yelled at him, telling him to leave the premises. According to reports, Mandra immediately called 911. Upon arrival, authorities discovered that the man had allegedly unscrewed the sensor lights to enter the backyard. They reportedly also found a cinder block placed outside her window, along with shoe impressions. Reports state that detectives believed the man who was at Mandra’s window was Robert, but he was never charged with the crime.
As Mandra focused on moving forward, she graduated from the university and started her career at Vaughn Wedeen Creative as an Account Executive from June 2002 to June 2005. She then joined as Director of Marketing and Public Relations at The Ginn Company, before leaving in June 2006. Following that, Mandra worked at Expoships as a Marketing and Events Manager for a year before becoming the Director of Marketing and Public Relations at S&P Destination Properties in July 2007. She eventually left the role in December 2008 and began freelancing as an independent Marketing, Public Relations, and Event Consultant for Mbolden in January 2009. While working in that position, Mandra also joined Kiewit in November 2010 as a Marketing, Business Development, and Proposal Manager.
Over the year, Mandra climbed through the ranks there to become HR/Recruiting Manager and Public Information Manager, and stayed there until February 2020. Ultimately, she became attuned to her entrepreneurial spirit, leading her to open her own venture, Three Dog Bakery, in Denver, Colorado, where she is also the President. Mandra often dedicates her time to noble causes, which was highlighted by her November 2019 fundraiser for National Adoption Day. In her personal life, she maintains a strong bond not only with her parents but also with her siblings. Another big part of her heart belongs to her pup, Bella, but she was left heartbroken when Bella passed away in June 2021. In the moments of grief, Mandra seeks solace in her travels, such as her visit to Ireland and Croatia in February 2018.
Robert Bruce is Incarcerated at a United States Penitentiary in Tucson
Robert Howard Bruce, AKA the Ether Man, was living in Pueblo, Colorado, when he became a suspect in a peeping Tom case. On October 6, 2009, he was finally arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder when he tried to blow up an officer’s house, who was set to testify against him in court. When officials took his DNA swab, they discovered that it matched the evidence from multiple sexual assaults, including rapes in Albuquerque, New Mexico, dating back to the early 1990s, and a 2006 rape in Austin, Texas. Reports state that in all of those cases, Robert broke into homes and rendered the women unconscious with a chemical-soaked rag before committing the crime. According to court records, Robert later confessed to the details in front of the officials and cooperated with them.
Robert’s jury trial for the attempted murder charge finally began in 2011. He was convicted of two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of an incendiary device in August 2011 and was ultimately sentenced to 64 years in prison. In Pueblo, Colorado, he was also charged, and it was resolved in court, where he was convicted of attempted sexual assault and burglary. On January 20, 2012, Robert received a 6-year prison term for the first charge and a 24-year term for burglary, to run concurrently with his earlier 64-year prison sentence. In 2000, officials in New Mexico had indicted Robert as “John Doe” due to his unknown identity, with 44 counts of sexual assault-related charges.
On November 6, 2012, Robert avoided a trial by pleading guilty to nine counts of rape and no contest to one additional charge for the ones related to New Mexico. Right after, he was sentenced to 156 years in prison, including terms that would run consecutively. In February 2012, Robert faced 19 felony charges regarding the sexual assault cases in Oklahoma. Some of those charges were rape, sexual battery, sodomy, and burglary, among other related offenses. In May 2013, he avoided a potential trial by pleading guilty to 18 counts and was sentenced to 177 years in prison. As of writing, Robert is serving his sentence at the United States Penitentiary in Tucson, Arizona.
Read More: What Happened to Esther Estepa? Where is José Jurado Montilla AKA El Dinamita Now?
