Shivangi Sinha
In 1996, police discovered the remains of Debbie Dorian in her Fresno, California, apartment. She had been bound with duct tape, and DNA evidence confirmed she had been sexually assaulted. Although investigators collected substantial evidence, there were few immediate leads. Over the following years, several sexual assault cases were reported in the area, but the connection remained unclear. It was only decades later, through advances in DNA technology, that authorities identified Nickey Duane Stane as a suspect. ABC’s ’20/20: I’m Going to Get You’ recounts the case in detail, outlining the investigation, the evidence, and how the perpetrator was finally brought to justice.
Nickey Duane Stane Was Arrested in the Town Where He Committed His Crimes
Nickey Duane Stane was living in Fresno, California, in 1996. On August 20 of that year, he broke into Debbie Dorian’s northeast Fresno apartment, where he sexually assaulted her and proceeded to suffocate her to death. Two days later, on August 22, her father discovered her remains; Debbie’s hands, feet, and even her face had been bound with duct tape. Although police couldn’t identify a suspect at the time, they collected DNA evidence, hoping future advances would eventually reveal the perpetrator. From 1999 to 2002, multiple sexual assault reports surfaced in the same area, but investigators were still unable to pinpoint who was responsible.
DNA evidence from these assaults was also preserved, and all the cases were traced to the Visalia region of California. In many incidents, the victims reported being threatened on the street by an armed man who coerced them into accompanying him. These cases remained unsolved until 2019, when forensic genealogy linked DNA from one previously unidentified victim, known publicly as Jane Doe, to Stane. By then, he was living in Visalia and working as a security guard at a local business. The nature of his job allowed him to move around frequently, which likely helped him avoid detection for years.
Police officers placed Stane under surveillance and eventually collected a discarded DNA sample from his trash. The results matched the DNA from one of the assault cases, allowing investigators to obtain a warrant for his arrest in October 2019, and he was apprehended quickly. Though he initially denied any involvement, a formal DNA sample later confirmed his connection to Dorian’s murder as well as multiple other assaults from that period. During a search of his home in Visalia, investigators also recovered a Smith & Wesson M&P 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, consistent with the weapon described by several victims. While in custody, a recorded conversation with his mother captured Stane admitting he had committed the crimes, struggled with “demons,” and had hurt people. It was one of the most significant pieces of evidence used against him.
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Nickey Duane Stane is in a California Medical Facility Today
Nickey Stane was initially scheduled to stand trial in early 2020, but the proceedings were repeatedly delayed. His defense filed multiple petitions, particularly objecting to the consolidation of the cases, arguing that combining them would compromise his right to a fair trial. These challenges were ultimately dismissed. In May 2025, Stane pleaded guilty to 12 felony charges, including Debbie Dorian’s murder and numerous sexual assaults. The following month, he received a sentence of 32 years and four months, followed by 46 years to life, and then life without parole. Now 58, he is incarcerated at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, where he is receiving treatment, though details remain undisclosed.
