When Heather Fraser’s body was found in the Columbia River near Astoria, Oregon, police thought she killed herself.
But once evidence pointed to a horrifying rape and murder, the case quickly changed and a thorough murder investigation was launched. The Investigation Discovery show The Case With Paula Zahn: Spreadsheet Of Terror discusses the murder at length.
It also shows that it took more than 20 years to find the killer. People now want to know more about this situation, which has also shocked everyone in the family.
Who Killed Heather Fraser? Where is the person who did it now?
Martin was found guilty of rape and murder when he first went to trial. He received the death penalty. After several years, the Oregon Court of Appeals overturned the conviction.
In 2017, the Oregon Supreme Court upheld the appeals court’s decision.
Martin pleaded not guilty, but the jury found him guilty of murder and sentenced him to life in prison without parole on his second court appearance in 2019.
Martin is still in prison at Snake River Correctional Institution in Ontario, Oregon. He can’t be let out, so he has to stay there.
Heather Fraser was killed when she was only 15 years old. She resided with her family in Washington County, Oregon.
People who knew the young woman said she was a vivacious teenager who loved life and had big plans for the future. She did well at school and was very popular with her friends.
What happened to Heather Fraser, the teenager?
Heather Fraser was only 15 when she was killed. She and her family lived in Washington County, Oregon at the time. People who knew the young woman said she was a healthy teenager who loved life and had big goals for the future.
She also did well in school and was liked by her friends. Heather led a normal teenage life, so her sudden and violent death shook her family to the core.
Heather’s body was found floating in the Columbia River near Astoria, Oregon on February 24, 1998. Police quickly found that she had left her home in Washington County, Oregon the night before.
Friends of the 15-year-old girl say she did not come home from her boyfriend Marty’s house on the evening of February 23.
But based on what happened when the body was found, authorities thought it was suicide and acted accordingly.
But a quick medical examination revealed signs of rape, and when an autopsy revealed strangulation was the cause of death, authorities knew they were dealing with homicide.
Who Killed Heather Fraser?
The initial investigation into Heather’s death was difficult because there were no leads or witnesses.
Because the victim’s body was thrown into the river, much of the evidence that could have helped in the search for the killer was also washed away by the water.
Although it didn’t match anyone in the system, they were still able to extract a sample of male DNA from Heather’s body.
During the investigation, officers discovered that Heather had Martin Johnson’s cell phone number. That was an interesting thing to learn.
Police asked about him because they thought he was the Marty Heather she visited the night before she disappeared. They discovered that Martin was a much older man than Heather, but that he had said he liked her physically.
Martin was questioned by the police, but when they found they couldn’t connect him to the crime, they had to let him go.
biography
Heather has been an occupational therapist for 18 years, spending most of her time in mental health services. Heather has worked for several years in both a clinical setting and as a placement coordinator in mental health services. This sparked her interest and passion for teaching and learning in higher education. She received her MSc in Advancing Practice in 2012 and is now working on her PhD. For her doctorate she is investigating how different factors influence problem-based learning.
Her main professional interests are mental health, working with older people, leadership and learning theory.
When the body of teenage girl Heather Fraser was found in the Columbia River near Astoria, Oregon, authorities thought she had killed herself. But the case quickly changed when evidence pointed to a brutal rape and murder, leading to a full murder investigation. “On the Case with Paula Zahn: Spreadsheet of Terror” on Investigation Discovery tells the story of the horrifying murder and how it took more than 20 years to find the perpetrator. Let’s get into the details of the murder and find out where Heather’s killer is right now, shall we?
How did Heather Fraser die?
Heather Fraser was only 15 when she was killed. She was then living with her family in Washington County, Oregon. People who knew the young girl said that she was a lively girl who loved life and had big plans for the future. She was also a pretty good student at school and her friends liked her a lot.
Heather was a normal teenager and when she died suddenly and horribly, everyone was shocked. Heather’s body was found on February 24, 1998 in the Columbia River near Astoria, Oregon. Police soon found out that she had disappeared from her Washington County home the night before. People who knew the 15-year-old girl said she disappeared after going to her friend Marty’s house on the evening of February 23.
However, based on the way the body was found, the police thought it was a suicide and continued their investigation. But soon after, a doctor found signs of rape. When the autopsy report stated strangulation as the cause of death, police knew they were dealing with homicide.
Who Killed Heather Fraser?
At first it was difficult to find out who killed Heather Fraser because there were few leads or witnesses. Since the victim’s body was dumped in the river, the water also washed away a lot of evidence that could help determine who did it. Still, investigators were able to extract a DNA sample from Heather’s body from a strange man. But it wasn’t the same as someone who was already in the system.
During the investigation, detectives found something interesting: Heather had a phone number that belonged to a person named Martin Johnson. The police made inquiries because they thought this Marty was the one she went to see the night she didn’t come home. They found that Martin was a much older man than Heather. There was a big age difference between them, but Martin was reportedly interested in Heather’s sexuality. When the police finally spoke to Martin, they found nothing connecting him to the crime, so they had to let him go.
Surprisingly, Martin decided to leave town soon after the interrogation and went on the run. This made the police even more suspicious, and when they carefully searched Martin’s car, they found a bloodstain containing the victim’s DNA. Martin’s DNA also matched the sample found on Heather’s body. Knowing he had something to do with the murder, they eventually caught him in Florida and charged him with the crime.
What’s going on with Martin Johnson?
Martin was tried for the first time in 2001. He was found guilty of murder and rape and sentenced to death. But a few years later, the Oregon Court of Appeals overturned the conviction. In 2017, the Oregon Supreme Court upheld the appeals court’s decision. Martin went to court for the second time in 2019. Although he said he was not guilty, the jury found him guilty of the murder and sentenced him to life in prison without a chance of parole. Martin is still incarcerated at Snake River Correctional Institution in Ontario, Oregon due to his ineligibility for parole.
Who Killed Heather Fraser?
The initial investigation into Heather’s death was difficult because there were no leads or witnesses.
Because the victim’s body was thrown into the river, much of the evidence that could have helped in the search for the killer was also washed away by the water.
Although it didn’t match anyone in the system, they were still able to extract a sample of male DNA from Heather’s body.
During the investigation, officers discovered that Heather had Martin Johnson’s cell phone number. That was an interesting thing to learn.
Police asked about him because they thought he was the Marty Heather she visited the night before she disappeared. They found that Martin was a much older man than Heather, but that he had said he liked her physically.
Martin was questioned by the police, but when they found they couldn’t connect him to the crime, they had to let him go.