After nearly four decades, justice has been served for two best friends who were brutally murdered in 1986. A jury has found 63-year-old David Misch guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Jennifer Duey, 20, and Michelle Xavier, 18.
The victims’ bodies were discovered by a motorcyclist on Mill Creek Road in Fremont in the early morning hours of February 2, 1986. Both women had been shot and stabbed. Their deaths remained a mystery for decades, despite the efforts of Fremont Police investigators.
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The case went cold until 2001 when DNA found under Duey’s fingernails was matched to Misch. At the time, Misch was already serving a life sentence for a 1989 murder. In a bizarre twist, Misch contacted police in 2003, claiming he had witnessed the two women being kidnapped and had tried to intervene, explaining the presence of his DNA.
However, prosecutors argued that Misch’s story was a fabrication to cover up his involvement in the murders. After a lengthy trial, the jury ultimately found Misch guilty.
Misch is scheduled to be sentenced on January 21, 2025, and faces a sentence of 50 years to life in prison.
This conviction brings some closure to the families of Jennifer Duey and Michelle Xavier, who have waited nearly 40 years for justice. However, Misch’s alleged crimes don’t end there. He is also awaiting trial for the 1989 kidnapping and murder of 9-year-old Michaela Garecht, a case that has haunted the Bay Area for decades.
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