Sartaj Singh
With Stanley M. Brooks at the helm, ‘Nobody Dumps My Daughter’ narrates the story of a mother who takes drastic measures when her daughter is dumped by her boyfriend. Theresa’s (Jasmine Vega) mother, Mary (Ana Ortiz), becomes fixated on her daughter’s love life when she begins dating Jimmy, a handsome peer. Consulting a fortune teller, she learns that the two are perfect for marriage and is especially delighted when Jimmy gifts Theresa a ring. However, when they eventually break up, the overbearing mother consults the fortune teller once more and refuses to accept Jimmy’s decision. The Lifetime thriller weaves a startling plot of obsession, delusion, and revenge that becomes even more striking when it is revealed to be ripped from the headlines.
Nobody Dumps My Daughter is Almost Certainly Inspired by the Murder of Joey Fischer
Written by Richard Blaney and Gregory Small, ‘Nobody Dumps My Daughter’ is a fictional and original story that is very likely inspired by the 1993 murder of Joey Fischer. The Lifetime movie’s plot points match the circumstances surrounding the killing, down to even minute details of the case, which received national attention. At Saint Joseph Academy in Brownsville, Texas, Albert Joseph “Joey” Fischer Jr. began dating Cristina in his junior year. Cristina, from the same school, was a year younger than him, and Joey gifted her his ring. Dora Cisneros, Cristina’s mother, approved of their relationship and considered Joey a good candidate for marriage as he was a high-achieving student and from a good family.
After almost a year of dating, Joey broke up with Cristina, reportedly feeling that their relationship was more physical than emotional. He asked for his ring to be returned, which Cristina initially refused to do. The seemingly heartbroken girl’s mother reached out to Joey and his father directly, asking him why he had dumped her. They gave polite replies, saying that Cristina was a very kind girl but that they were young and possibly not very well-suited. Cisneros consulted her fortune teller, María Mercedes Martínez de Sánchez, and she asked her to look into their future and feelings. With a card reading, Martínez informed her that Joey was not in love with Cristina anymore. The angered mother later asked the fortune teller to cast a spell on the boy, and when she said that wasn’t something she did, Cisneros offered to pay $3,000 to have him killed.
Martínez contacted one of her clients, Garza, a suspected drug dealer, who in turn connected her with two hitmen from Mexico. The money was transferred, and on the morning of March 3, 1993, as he was hosing down his mother’s car, Joey Fischer was fatally shot in front of his house. Both hitmen fled to Mexico following the shooting. The police initially believed that the teen was mistaken for someone else and killed by members of a drug gang. However, Garza stepped forward with a troubled conscience and confessed, revealing the disturbing truth behind the incident. Garza and Cisneros were sentenced to life in prison in 1994, and Martínez was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty. The two hitmen, Israel Olivarez Cepeda and Heriberto Puentes Pizaña, were not extradited and faced a 15-year prison sentence in Mexico.
Parallels Between Nobody Dumps My Daughter and the Joey Fischer Case
There are several similarities between the plot of ‘Nobody Dumps My Daughter’ and the real-life murder of Joey Fischer. Both Mary and Cisneros became fixated on their daughter’s relationship and consulted a fortune teller who read cards. The exchange of a ring and its subsequent return are also similar. Both Joey in real life and Jimmy in the movie move on after the breakup to date another girl. Finally, the murder sequence in the movie is also reminiscent of the tragic real-life event. Therefore, while ‘Nobody Dumps My Daughter’ is an original work, it is very likely inspired by the murder of Joey Fischer and the events surrounding it.
Read More: Her Fatal Fling: Is the Lifetime Movie Based on a True Story?
