Naman Shrestha
The episode titled ‘I Want to Watch His Last Breath’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Evil Lives Here’ chronicles the horrific rapes and murders committed by Robert “Bob” Walden through the perspective of his ex-wife, Catherine “Cathy” Mills. During their marriage, he attacked various women in the Tucson, Arizona, area without raising enough suspicion in Cathy’s mind. She finally connected the dots when she found a composite sketch resembling him and alerted the authorities. The documentary also sheds light on Bob’s arrest and the consequences he had to face for his crimes.
Robert “Bob” Walden is Alleged to Have Been Abusive Towards Cathy
On November 15, 1966, Robert “Bob” Lee Walden Jr. was born as the second of his parents’ four children in Chicago, Illinois. While growing up, his father was an alleged alcoholic with an unstable job and allegedly used to belittle Bob and his siblings. According to Bob, he was also sexually abused in his childhood. Not only did he claim to have been academically bright and a part of the student council in college, but he also claimed that he turned down a baseball scholarship offer because of a knee injury. After his college graduation, he enrolled in the US Air Force in 1985. However, within a year or so, he was discharged because of his heavy drinking and writing bad checks. Not long after, Bob relocated to Tucson, Arizona, where he lived with his parents.
In the same neighborhood, a 16-year-old single mother named Catherine “Cathy” Mills also resided with her mother, siblings, and a son named Andrew. One day, 21-year-old Bob bumped into Cathy on the street and got to talking. One thing led to another, and they began dating secretly against her mother’s wishes. Six months later, the couple made their relationship official by tying the knot. Just a few days or weeks into the marriage, it is alleged that Bob began displaying signs of physical and verbal abuse against Cathy. As per Cathy’s accounts, he also attacked her while she was pregnant with their child. Soon, the couple welcomed their daughter, Brittany, into the world. Meanwhile, Bob allegedly forced his wife to indulge in sexual acts with him.
Cathy Played a Crucial Role in Getting Bob Arrested For the Rapes and Murders
Eventually, Bob landed a job with a pest control company, for which he had to go door-to-door for termite inspections. Later, Cathy also got a job at the same pest control company, where she worked in the office and had access to the timecard machine. Around the late 1980s, Bob began returning home from work with suspicious injuries on his neck, back, and hands. He also had Cathy clock him in at work when he was away, claiming that he was stuck in traffic or running some errands. It turned out that he was making an alibi for himself while he was committing horrific crimes against women in Tucson. Between 1989 and 1992, Bob reportedly committed a series of rapes and murders, terrorizing the entire city. His rape and murder victims were Nola Jean Knight, Denene Brevaire-Domet, and Miguela “Lida” Burhans.
Upon investigating the cases, the authorities found fingerprint evidence on the crime scenes, with the help of which they formed a composite sketch of the supposed perpetrator. When Cathy came across the sketch at a laundromat, she noticed that it resembled his husband, Robert “Bob” Walden. Without wasting any time, she informed the authorities and told them that she believed the offender they had been looking for was her husband. The police entered Bob and Cathy’s house the following day and placed him under arrest. Upon searching the property, the detectives found several pieces of evidence hidden in the pouch of his reclining chair, such as knives, phone cords, and women’s underwear. During his interview, Bob denied having anything to do with the rapes and murders.
Robert “Bob” Walden is Currently on Death Row
Soon, in 1992, Robert “Bob” Walden stood trial for his gruesome crimes in Arizona. The prosecution accused him of being a manipulative psychopath who enjoyed tormenting his victims. On the other hand, his defense argued that he was arrested based on circumstantial evidence and had been a model inmate. Eventually, the jury found him guilty of killing Nola Jean Knight and Miguela “Lida” Burhans and four counts of rape. He received the death penalty for the latter’s murder and an additional five life terms for the rest of the crimes. A few months later, he ended up confessing to killing Denene Brevaire-Domet. However, the prosecution decided not to charge him for that as he was already on death row. As of today, Robert “Bob” Walden is on death row while being held at the Rincon Unit in Arizona State Prison Complex in Tucson, Arizona.
