FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HOLLYWOOD PARK MURDERER’S CONVICTION AFFIRMED

San Antonio, Texas: June 10, 2009:

District Attorney Susan D. Reed announced that the Fourth Court of Appeals affirmed the murder conviction of Robert Walter Fischer. Fischer was convicted of the May 2003 murder of his 69-year-old Aunt, Edith Camp, in her home in Hollywood Park. Ms. Camp was shot in the back of the head by Fishcer, then age 34. Fischer then took a valuable ring from her hand by cutting her finger off and also burglarized the home.

The Fourth Court of Appeals initially reversed the conviction and ordered a new trial based on its finding that the trial court improperly admitted evidence of a stolen gun from Wal-Mart based on an allegedly insufficient proffer of evidence. The State filed a petition for discretionary review with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals which was granted. The state’s highest criminal court reversed the Fourth Court of Appeal's ruling by holding that the proffer was sufficient and the evidence was admissible. The Court of Criminal Appeals remanded the case to the Fourth Court of Appeals for consideration of the remaining issues. Today, the Fourth Court of Appeals issued its opinion that considered those issues and rejected them and affirmed the original conviction.

The trial began on August 16, 2005 in the 226th District Court before the honorable Judge Sid Harle.

For more information, contact Cliff Herberg, First Assistant District Attorney, at 335-2342.