Two Family Killers 25 Years Apart: The Haunting Cases of Bradford Bishop and Robert William Fisher [Concise Version - Simple English]

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This is a parallel case, 25 years apart, involving two fathers who broke the unwritten vow to protect and serve their families. The eerie similarities in these cases, the absence of red flags, and the enduring tragedy and pain they caused continue to haunt us. This is the story of two fathers and the decisions they made, leaving behind a trail of destruction. This is the tragedy of family annihilators - a term used to describe fathers who commit familicide.

Bradford Bishop - The Vanishing Act

Bradford worked as a diplomat for the US Foreign Service. He was an accomplished man with an Ivy League education and two master’s degrees. He was a successful and enviable figure.

Brad Bishop was highly intelligent, spoke six languages, married his high school sweetheart, and embodied the "All-American" image.

Bradford married Annette Weis in 1959 and served in the US Army before transitioning to the Foreign Service. He had extensive international experience, including missions in Botswana.

Despite his promising career, Bradford's life took a dark turn in 1976 when he killed his mother, wife, and three children on March 1st, before vanishing. This act marked the beginning of his life on the run.

His children were aged 5, 10, and 14. The FBI issued an arrest warrant, suspecting premeditation in the murders. Many sightings in Europe were reported, some by people who knew Bradford.

Robert William Fisher - A Family Destroyed

Robert Fisher's story is one of brimstone and fire. He killed his entire family and then blew up their house.

Known as "Bobby" to friends and family, he was born in Brooklyn, New York, and served in the US Navy. Fisher had a background in the medical industry but was turned down as a Navy SEAL.

He was an avid outdoorsman and a man of nature. However, his marriage to Mary Cooper was tumultuous, marked by financial arguments and described as emotionally cold and distant.

Fisher's disappointment in his children for not sharing his outdoor interests led to stories of harsh discipline, including throwing them into lakes to teach them to swim.

At face value, Fisher appeared religious and pious, with a seemingly loving family and a caring mother.

The Killings 

Both murders seem to have stemmed from intense disappointments in their lives. Bishop faced career setbacks, financial issues, and marital problems, while Fisher grappled with a traumatic childhood marked by his parent's divorce and the fear of his own divorce.

Bradford was also on anti-depressants and seeking therapy with his wife before the murders. Fisher's downward spiral included extra-marital affairs and a fear of abandonment, making him suicidal before the killings.

Sightings

Bishop has been sighted in various European countries, projecting an international man of mystery image. He was even discovered to be the biological father of an adopted woman through DNA testing.

Fisher was allegedly sighted in Vancouver, and a man was arrested, but his fingerprints didn't match. He could be surviving in the wilderness due to his outdoor skills.

Both Bishop and Fisher were removed from the FBI's Most Wanted List after 2020, but the interest in catching them should not wane. They're still out there, somewhere.

References:

- [FBI - Robert William Fisher](https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/murders/william-bradford-bishop-jr)

- [Unsolved - William Bradford Bishop Jr.](https://unsolved.com/gallery/william-bishop/)

- [Reddit - Bradford Bishop](https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/usd1w1/til_about_bradford_bishop_who_allegedly_killed/)

- [AZ Central - Robert Fisher](https://eu.azcentral.com/story/news/local/scottsdale/2021/11/03/arizona-fugitive-robert-fisher-removed-fbi-10-most-wanted-list/6270056001/)

- [Wikipedia - Robert William Fisher](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_William_Fisher)

- [YouTube - The Case of Bradford Bishop](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQNOiv1oQ4Q)