Debbie Dorian case on 20/20 - A complete timeline of events

20/20 turns its focus to the Debbie Dorian case, tracing how a 1996 Fresno murder moved from a cold file to a closed one. The broadcast outlines the key beats and centers on the voices that lived through the case.

The new two-hour report previews new survivor accounts and the final courtroom outcome. It also explains the DNA work that tied separate crimes together, then led to a guilty plea and a life term.

---

Case Background for 20/20

Debbie Dorian, 22, was found in her northeast Fresno apartment in late August 1996. She had been bound and gagged and died by asphyxiation. Her father discovered her when she did not meet him for a planned trip. Years passed without an arrest as local detectives kept the file active.

Detectives kept the case open for years while DNA was preserved (Image via Pexels)

A break came when DNA from the Fresno scene matched a series of assaults in Visalia tied to an unknown offender. Genetic genealogy later pointed investigators to Nickey Duane Stane of Visalia, whose profile reportedly aligned with both the 1996 homicide and the South Valley assaults. ABC News reported that this approach mirrored techniques used in other cold cases and led prosecutors to file consolidated charges in Fresno County.

“He will pay for his evil actions,” Debbie’s mother, Sara Loven, told the court, after the plea and before sentencing, according to The Fresno Bee.

---

Timeline of events on 20/20

August 22, 1996: The homicide that anchors 20/20

Fresno police opened a murder and sexual assault investigation after Dorian was found in her apartment. Binding at the wrists and ankles, plus tape over her face, were key early details recorded by the coroner. Investigators collected DNA and preserved it while other leads ran dry. ABC News reported these facts at the time the case resurfaced.

---

2002: DNA link to Visalia assaults

The unknown DNA profile from Fresno reportedly matched DNA from a Visalia assault. A named suspect still did not exist, so the file remained open. The link kept both cities’ detectives sharing notes and evidence.

In 2002, Fresno DNA reportedly matched a Visalia assault case (Image via Unsplash)

---

2009: “John Doe” filing

Tulare County prosecutors filed a “John Doe” complaint that charged the unknown DNA profile in several Visalia cases. That move preserved charges while work continued. The filing set the stage for a later ID once technology caught up.

---

Late 2018 to late 2019: Genetic genealogy breakthrough

Investigators turned to genetic genealogy, which reportedly led to the identification of Stane as a suspect. He was arrested in 2019 after further testing. ABC News reported the technique and the arrest that followed.

---

January 2020: Cases consolidated

The Visalia assaults and the Fresno homicide moved under one venue in Fresno County. That allowed one jury to hear the evidence together if the case reached trial.

---

November 28, 2023: Key hearing

At a preliminary hearing, a Visalia survivor described the 1999 attack, allegedly at gunpoint, by a man with his face covered. The account echoed details in other incidents from 1999 to 2002.

---

May 2025: Guilty plea before trial

Stane pleaded guilty to all counts, including Debbie Dorian’s murder and multiple sexual assaults. The Fresno Bee reported that the plea removed the death penalty from consideration and moved the case straight to sentencing.

---

June 12–13, 2025: Life without parole sentence

A judge imposed life in prison without the possibility of parole. Impact statements from Debbie’s mother and a Visalia survivor closed the court phase. ABC30 reported the sentence and noted that Stane gave up appeal rights.

---

The new 20/20 episode I’m Going to Get You airs on ABC at 9:00 pm on November 14th, then streams on Disney+ and Hulu. Past seasons of 20/20 are also available on Disney+, Hulu, and fuboTV, with select episodes on Spectrum On Demand, and digital purchase on Amazon Video.

The program features a survivor stepping forward and walks through the hunt and the resolution.

---

Also read: Is there a new episode of 20/20 this week (November 14, 2025)? Explained

Edited by Preethika Vijayakumar