Nightmare In Nevada: The disappearance Of Brianna Denison
There is huge news tonight in the case of Brianna Denison, the 19-year-old college coed who vanished January 20th in the middle of the night during a slumber party in Reno, Nevada. We already told you that police said Brianna’s kidnapper was linked to one sexual assault in the same Reno area.
Now police say he’s linked to two, and tonight they are investigating a third assault and whether or not that is linked. These are the sexual assaults that are linked to Brianna’s kidnapper. December 16th in the middle of the night, November 13th in the evening, and now an October 22nd sexual attack might be linked. Todd Renwick, assistant chief of the University of Nevada Reno police, joins us live in Reno.
“Todd, what are the similarities or what makes you think that this could possibly be linked, this October 22nd sexual assault to Brianna?”
“Well, Greta, I think the timing has a lot to play in this investigation. Um you know, we have some physical descriptors to go by, but we don’t have any forensic evidence to link anything to the Brianna Denison case at this point.”
“What kind of a sexual—not the details of the sexual assault, but was this a car pulling up on a young woman walking? I mean, what are the details of the October 22nd?”
“No, we didn’t get a vehicle descriptor. We got clothing. We got a partial um facial description. Enough for a composite. Our concern with composites is they’re renderings. They’re not accurate, so we want to be careful with the public viewing those to let them know that these can um misrepresent the actual description of a suspect.”
“Now the one that has been linked by DNA, the December one I think it was, was rather… it’s peculiar that he grabbed a woman, brought her in a truck, sexually assaulted, but eventually drove her home or something peculiar like that. There was a baby shoe inside the truck. Anything like that in the October 22nd assault?”
“No, nothing to link it in that sense, other than some similar clothing description with some nylon sweatpants. That’s about all we have.”
“How far away is the where the assault occurred October 22nd to where Brianna was last known to be that night where she spent the night?”
“Well, if you take the parking garage in perspective to the sexual assault that happened in December, we’re probably looking at 200 to 300 yards.”
“So, it’s extremely close.”
“Yeah, fairly close.”
“And were the three women essentially assaulted the same way or were there different details?”
“There’s a few different details.”
“Well, but essentially—”
“And essentially the same. Anyway, um Assistant Chief, thank you very much and anything we can do to help to put out any information about it, we’ll be glad to do it and everyone needs to be on guard and catch this person. Thank you, sir.”
“Greta, we appreciate it. Thank you.”
In 2008, the city of Reno, Nevada became the somber backdrop to the disappearance of 19-year-old Brianna Denison. Brianna, whose father had passed away when she was just six, shared an exceptionally close bond with her mother, Bridget. Bridget often described their relationship as one of deep mutual protection, noting, “I am all she has left.” Friends, like Danielle, who had known Brianna since kindergarten, echoed this sentiment, remarking on the mother-daughter duo’s close friendship and Brianna’s inherently kind nature. Brianna was known for her thoughtful gestures, always remembering birthdays and reaching out to everyone she knew. After 2 years since graduating high school, Brianna decided to pursue higher education with California calling to her.
Though difficult for her mother, this new chapter in Brianna’s life was eagerly embraced. She majored in psychology at Santa Barbara City College, aspiring to work with children after graduation. With a loving boyfriend and a supportive circle of friends, Brianna’s life was thriving.
Despite the distance, she consistently kept her mother updated with photos and messages. Though, her mother’s maternal instincts often led to worried calls if she had a bad dream. As winter break approached, Brianna planned her return home to Reno. In January of that year, she and her friends were excited for a weekend filled with skiing and parties.
On Friday, January 18th, Brianna went to her long-time friend Katie’s house, located near the University of Nevada, Reno campus. The friends anticipated a fun-filled escape from school and work. According to another friend, Jessica, Friday night was excellent with dancing and shared laughter. They all ended up sleeping in Katie’s bed, looking forward to the next day’s activities.
On Saturday, the 19th, Brianna visited her mother to do laundry and then went with her to see the movie 27 Dresses. Later that evening, Brianna considered attending another concert, but felt unwell due to a cold. Her mother recalled her saying she might skip it. At 9:00 that night, she hugged her mother goodbye.
Brianna then messaged her mother, asking if she wanted her to check on the house upon her return. Her mother reassured her not to worry, knowing Katie would be home. After the concert, Brianna, Katie, and Jessica took a shuttle to the Sands Regency Casino Hotel for another party. Around 3:30 in the morning, Jessica, feeling tired, decided to leave.
She asked a stranger driving an SUV in the parking lot for a ride home, a decision she later regretted, noting it was a bad idea to hitchhike. Katie and Brianna also hitched a ride home with a friend, arriving around 3:30 in the morning. Brianna opted to sleep on the living room sofa, positioned by unlocked glass doors.
The house was known for its casual atmosphere, with people frequently coming and going. Brianna and Katie said goodnight at 4:00 in the morning. Brianna sent a text message to her boyfriend in Oregon at 4:23 in the morning. And then silence fell over the house. Katie and Jessica woke up around 9:00 the next morning. Jessica recounted going to the kitchen, which overlooks the living room sofa, and noticing Brianna was no longer there.
Katie asked, “Where’s Brianna?” They initially assumed she was in an empty upstairs room. By 9:45 in the morning, after attempts to rouse her were met with silence, Katie realized Brianna was not in the house. Brianna’s cell phone, shoes, tank top which she slept in, and purse were all still there. Given the freezing temperatures and snowfall in Reno during winter, it was highly unlikely she would have left on her own.
Katie then called Brianna’s mother. While waiting for Bridget to arrive, Katie made a chilling discovery. Brianna’s pillow had two small blood spots and a small streak. She immediately called Bridget back, sobbing, to report the blood. Bridget instructed her to call the police, and she would arrive as quickly as possible.
“If he’s found guilty, I would like to know that he’s behind bars like for a long time. I think it would make a lot of us young women feel safe at home knowing that he’s not out and about, you know, like can’t go into our homes. I would like something big for it to happen to him, you know, it—”
“I think it will um it’s an example. It’ll definitely put a stamp on what we expect here in this community.”
“There’s something mentally wrong with him, and my personal feeling would be that he would have become a serial killer if he could have because his crimes kept getting progressively worse.”
Soon after, Brianna’s mother, aunt, and the police arrived. There were no signs of a struggle, but the blanket Brianna had been sleeping with was found in the kitchen. A brown teddy bear, which Brianna often used as an extra pillow, was missing. For everyone involved, this was turning into a nightmare. Bridget expressed her despair, saying, “She wasn’t there, and I saw blood on the pillow. So, we called the police, and from then on it was just a nightmare.” Lieutenant Robert McDonald, head of the Reno Police Department’s Detective Division, was called in despite being on leave. He immediately recognized the gravity of the situation, stating, “From the beginning, it didn’t sound good at all.” Search and rescue teams were quickly deployed, and officers began door-to-door inquiries.
Everyone who lived in the house was interviewed and cleared of suspicion. For the officers, the blood on the pillow was a significant concern. Based on the evidence, they determined this was not a voluntary departure. “This is a kidnapping,” they concluded. Forensic analysis revealed that the three blood stains, measuring 1 to 3 inches, were mixed with fluff or saliva and mucus.
Mascara stains were also present. Tests confirmed the blood belonged to Brianna. An affidavit indicated that forensic examiners believed Brianna had sustained severe bleeding injuries in or near her mouth, throat, or nose, with her face pressed hard against the pillow. Due to the blanket’s location, the back door handle was swabbed for DNA, yielding an unidentified male profile.
At the time, the Sheriff’s Office faced a backlog of nearly 3,000 DNA samples needing processing. Local authorities appealed for funding to address this backlog, hoping that one of the samples might match Brianna’s kidnapper. The community rallied, raising $150,000 within days to expedite the processing of these samples, but none matched the suspect’s DNA.
A search of a national database also yielded no matches. Bridget’s home became a hub of activity, with many people desperate to help. Knowing she needed to attract widespread attention to her daughter’s case, she turned to the media. The case rapidly gained national news coverage, and people across the country wore blue ribbons, Brianna’s favorite color, in support of her family.
Electronic billboards in Reno, typically used for advertisements, now displayed Brianna’s missing face. Bridget described their daily routine, “Every day, we start the day from scratch and organize the media. We organize things, what we can do, and what resources we have. We will contact the police.” Brianna’s cousin shared that they spoke almost daily, often exchanging I love you messages.
A temporary memorial was erected where Brianna was last seen. Believing it was a kidnapping, the FBI joined the investigation, along with two investigators from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Officers and K9 units conducted extensive searches, and a reward was offered for information.
Police interviewed the man who had dropped Jessica off at home. He was questioned and cleared. Lieutenant Ron Holiday stated, “Every sign is that Brianna has been kidnapped. We sincerely hope she’ll be back soon, but the longer she waits, the less likely it is.” Sergeant Gerald Rhodes, head of the Regional Sex Crimes Notification Unit, tasked his detectives with interviewing registered sex offenders living within 1 mile of where Brianna was that night.
They also investigated the neighboring house. The man living there reported something disturbing. In the early morning, around 4:30 or 5:00, he was in his living room with the lights off when he saw a shadow outside. Someone tried to force open his back door. He said it looked like they tried to push the handle and shove the door, but he didn’t get up to see who it was. “I ignored that incident,” he said, “thinking it was a drunk kid trying to find his way home, and went to the wrong house.”
By Monday the 21st, professional dog teams and police helicopters were involved in the search. Hundreds of volunteers scoured the snowy landscape examining drainage systems, manholes, fields, rivers, and ditches for any sign of Brianna.
For the police, another realization emerged. This appeared to be a repeat offender. They believed the same individual was responsible for two sexual assaults that had occurred on campus previously. The first incident dated back to November 13th, 2007. A 21-year-old female student was assaulted in a parking lot, grabbed from behind, and pushed to the ground at gunpoint.
She screamed, causing the attacker to flee, dropping a condom wrapper in the process. On December 16th, 2007, in the early morning, a 22-year-old international student was abducted from behind just outside her home. Her nose and mouth were covered, causing her to lose consciousness. She awoke in a truck, was sexually assaulted a short distance away, and was told not to look at him.
He then drove her home, instructing her to get out and not look back. She described her attacker as a white man between 5 ft 6 in and 6 ft tall with a goatee and tanned arms. She also provided details about his truck. It had distinctive red and blue lights on the radio and a child’s shoe on the floor. Police obtained a DNA sample from this victim.
Both this victim and the previous one reported that their underwear had been taken. Investigators later confirmed that the DNA from both prior attacks matched the DNA found on the back door handle at Brianna’s friend’s house. This pattern of escalating sexual crimes, all linked by DNA, led police to believe Brianna was kidnapped by a serial rapist.
The police also suspected the same man had attempted to break into the international student’s home using such force that the back door bent outward. These attacks all occurred within four blocks of each other. The community now had a description of the man they sought: a white male, 28 to 40 years old, driving an SUV or extended cab pickup truck.
Fear gripped the community and gun sales increased. Police released a sketch of the suspect believing he was involved in all three cases. They further described him as a discreet individual who quietly stalked his victims but escalated the level of violence with each attack. Confident there would be more victims, police urged people to report any suspicious activity.
The relentless search effort, though exhausting, continued with hundreds of volunteers. One volunteer expressed their determination, “Every day we return to the command center in a heavy mood but still ready to go out the next morning and hold a positive attitude for as long as possible.” Students felt that the perpetrator would strike again.
The search for this individual was unprecedented in Reno. Over 300 volunteers searched the Truckee River alongside Nevada’s first lady, Dawn Gibbons, who vowed not to give up until Brianna was found. She noted that her son attended the same school as Brianna making the case deeply personal for many. Over 5,000 tips were submitted and more than 700 men voluntarily provided DNA samples to investigators.
After nearly a month with Brianna still missing, her mother, Bridget, and uncle, John Zunino, appeared on television. Bridget expressed confidence in the investigation despite knowing there were details she wasn’t privy to. She implored her daughter’s kidnapper, “It’s time to give her back. We remember her and love her. We knew she was hurt and it was time to give her back to us. We need her.”
On February 15th, 2008, 8 miles from where Brianna was kidnapped, Alberto Himenes was walking across an open field for lunch when something caught his attention. A strange object in a shallow ditch amidst some bushes. It was a Christmas tree lying on its side.
Then he saw socks. Approaching closer, he initially thought it was a mannequin under the tree, but then he noticed a wound on its shoulder. Realizing it was more sinister, he ran to his office to tell his manager. The two returned to the ditch and called 911. Police quickly arrived at the culvert located about 40 ft from Sandhill Road and identified the body as likely that of the missing student Brianna Denison.
The field on the edge of the University of Nevada campus was less than 10 mi from where Brianna was last seen. The following day, February 16th, a press conference was held. Deputy Sheriff Jim John announced, “Today’s autopsy results have determined that the woman’s body found in the field was Brianna Denison’s. The official cause and manner of death was strangulation. This is a sexually motivated crime.” Police now believe she was strangled in the house and her body then moved. She was found wearing only socks and under her right knee were two pairs of panties, one pink and one black. Katie confirmed the pink ones were hers and she hadn’t realized they were missing. The owner of the black pair was not immediately identified. DNA collected from Brianna’s body matched the DNA found on the door handle and from the previous attacks. The site where her body was found quickly became a memorial adorned with flowers, candles, and cards. Many people felt a deep personal connection to Brianna.
Bridget’s comment that Brianna had become America’s daughter resonated widely with many feeling she was everyone’s daughter, everyone’s older sister. The community grieved collectively. On March 6th, police revealed a disturbing detail. The offender had kept the victim’s underwear as trophies and deliberately left them at the crime scene, effectively taunting the police.
The FBI and over 40 detectives worked tirelessly, logging hundreds of hours to find Brianna’s killer. Signs that once called for Brianna’s return now demanded justice for Bree. The tragedy unified Reno, Nevada, as thousands attended memorials for the young woman whose life was cut short. Despite the passage of weeks, fear persisted in Reno as the killer remained at large.
Thousands of tips had come in, but investigators needed one crucial piece of information, and they finally got it. On November 1st, police received a significant tip. A woman told a friend she had found underwear in her ex-boyfriend’s truck. When confronted, he reacted strangely. Her ex-boyfriend had also abruptly moved out of the area after Brianna was found, despite having lived there since 2002.
He also sold his truck. His history included animal cruelty and domestic violence, such as breaking a puppy’s leg, lunging at someone with a knife, and abusing his ex-girlfriend. The 27-year-old James Michael Biela, a construction worker and former Marine with martial arts training, had previously worked on campus, making him familiar with the area.
He had been arrested on domestic violence charges, but no DNA sample had been taken at that time. Investigators began surveillance on Biela. Curiously, when first contacted by phone, Biela did not ask what the investigation was about. The next day, he met with police but refused to voluntarily provide a DNA sample.
He claimed he was with his girlfriend on the day Brianna went missing, but she refuted his alibi. She allowed police to take DNA samples from their shared child. This allowed investigators to determine with near certainty that the child’s biological father, James Biela, was the source of the DNA on the doorknob.
On November 25th, James Biela was arrested as he picked up his son from kindergarten. His DNA was then collected, and it was a match. Reno police announced the arrest of a suspect in Brianna Denison’s kidnapping and murder. A press conference was scheduled to formally announce the arrest of James Michael Biela.
Investigators stated that DNA evidence linked Biela to three other sexual assaults on or near the university campus between October and December of 2007. Biela was charged and pleaded not guilty. Media reports revealed more about James Biela. Brandon Rittman of Channel 2 News spoke with Biela’s father and neighbors.
Neighbors rarely saw Biela and his father, Joe Biela, said he hadn’t seen his son, Jimmy, in about a year. Joe, who suffered from physical and mental disabilities, expressed his anger and hurt upon seeing his son arrested on TV for Brianna’s murder. Joe stated he and his son were not close and while he knew James was a plumber, he knew little about his son’s life.
Both father and son were former Marines. Joe had an honorable discharge, but his son was reportedly kicked out for drug use. Joe admitted, “I also use drugs. You just say I did it, but I didn’t get caught.” A neighbor noted Biela had been away for several months with police confirming he was in Washington state at the time.
The neighbor had assumed he was away due to military service. During the preliminary hearing for the murder, kidnapping, and sexual assault charges, more than a dozen witnesses testified. Dr. Ellen Clark, the county medical examiner, testified that marks on Brianna’s neck matched one of the two pairs of panties found with her body, suggesting they may have been used to strangle her.
The two other women who were attacked also testified. One identified James Biela as her attacker, whom she said assaulted her in a parking lot next to the campus police station. The other victim, while not seeing his face, described his truck and gray fibers found on her clothing matched the fabric inside Biela’s vehicle.
James Biela was held without bail, and prosecutors had not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty. Biela initially wanted to testify, but changed his mind after speaking with his lawyer. The defense argued that the prosecution failed to account for significant differences between the three attacks, suggesting they might have been carried out by different individuals.
Further details emerged during the trial regarding the two rapes Biela was accused of. Chief investigator Jenkins testified about traveling to Taiwan to interview the 22-year-old December rape victim, who felt a moral obligation to cooperate. The other rape victim, whose identity was hidden, was described by detectives as very hesitant to come forward. Dr. Alan Clark, when presented with photos of Brianna’s body, could not determine how long she had been dead or how long her body had been at the location.
Prosecutors subpoenaed Biela’s former supervisor, John Lame. Lame testified that on February 15th, 2008, the morning Brianna Denison’s body was found, Biela quit his job, received his final paycheck, and moved to Washington state. That same day, Lame discussed the discovery of the body with Biela. Lame recounted asking Biela how he felt about it, to which Biela replied, “Perhaps that expletive deserves to be like that,” and then smiled. The defense asked Lame if he called the police, to which he said no, attributing Biela’s comment to his sense of humor.
The prosecutor highlighted the callousness of the remark, suggesting Biela might have believed all three of them deserved to be like that. The emotionally charged trial concluded. After 6 hours of deliberation, the jury, composed of seven women and five men, returned their verdict. They found James Michael Biela guilty of sexual assault, second-degree kidnapping, sexual assault in the third degree, first-degree murder of Brianna Zunino Denison.
The next phase involved the jury deciding between life imprisonment and the death penalty. During the sentencing phase, Biela’s siblings testified about a childhood marked by extreme abuse with their father terrorizing the family. His lawyers argued for a life sentence without parole, emphasizing his tumultuous upbringing and lack of a prior criminal record.
However, this did not sway the jury. James Biela was sentenced to death. The district attorney praised the verdict stating, “Cases like this have always strengthened my faith in the jury system.” On August 18th, 2010, a judge signed Biela’s death warrant, triggering an automatic appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court. For Bridget, the verdict was a victory.
She declared, “When James Michael Biela teased my young daughter, he was teasing the wrong family. He’s wired in the wrong woman, the wrong city, and the wrong state.” Two months after the death sentence, Judge Robert Perry sentenced Biela to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the three counts of rape and one count of abduction related to the other victims.
The judge stated he felt compelled to add these sentences to honor the surviving victims, even though Biela faced the death penalty. Prosecutor Elliot Sattler explained this was necessary in case any of Biela’s convictions were overturned on appeal. If the death sentence were to be abolished, James Biela would still be required to serve at least 36 years in prison for these crimes.
Biela’s first victim, who was pregnant at the time of her testimony, stated that despite her current happiness, her life was overshadowed by his violence. The woman attacked at gunpoint in November addressed Biela directly, though he refused to look at her, “Although he didn’t kill me, he killed people, gullible and vivacious women like me, before you turned my world upside down.”
Biela’s family and even members of her trial jury were present for the sentencing to support the surviving victims. A juror noted their continued presence was due to feeling it was important to monitor this process to the end. In 2016, James Biela returned to court. His lawyer argued he had incompetent legal representation throughout his trial.
The Nevada Supreme Court rejected his appeal for a retrial and in April it rejected a request for a new penalty phase. His lawyer contended the original counsel should have objected to inconsistent evidence regarding his history. They argued that if the jury had not heard extensive evidence of aggravating circumstances, including animal cruelty and domestic violence, Biela would not have been sentenced to death.
However, the judges concluded that even if the evidence had been excluded, there was no reasonable possibility that the outcome of the penalty hearing would have been different. The jury had faced a defendant guilty of violent and murderous behavior. From this terrible tragedy, efforts were made to create something positive.
Brianna’s Law, championed by Bridget, allows police to take DNA samples from felony arrestees and compare them with existing criminal DNA profiles. Bridget firmly believes this law will save many lives and that her daughter might still be alive today if this law had been enacted. Brianna’s Law was signed into effect in May 2013.
Now, anyone arrested for a felony in Nevada must provide a DNA sample and pay for its processing. Tragically, Brianna’s family endured another loss exactly 10 years after her abduction when her 19-year-old cousin Caitlyn also went missing. Caitlyn had informed her family she was flying to Midland, Texas with a man she had only recently met.
