Joan Marie Archer, 25, a petite blond dog trainer, found serenity in early morning bicycle rides.
She pedaled the same 12-mile route from her southwest-side home to Mission San Xavier del Bac, so when she didn't return from an early-morning ride April 27, 1986, her family knew something was wrong.
Days later, her silver 12-speed was found undamaged, hidden under bushes 20 feet off South Mission Road. Three months after Archer's disappearance, a hiker found her skeletal remains scattered near where her bike was found. An autopsy revealed she died of multiple stab wounds but could not determine whether she had been raped.
Status
The same day sheriff's officials announced they'd recovered Archer's body, Air Force Master Sgt. Stephen Elvis Skaggs kidnapped two women hiking on Mount Lemmon. He raped, stabbed and shot one of them, was convicted of the attacks and sentenced to more than 30 years in prison. He's set to be released in 2016. At the time of his sentencing Skaggs was being investigated for as many as 18 similar attacks in Alaska, where he was stationed before coming to Tucson, and he was considered a suspect in Archer's homicide even though forensic tests were inconclusive.
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Representatives from the Pima County Sheriff's Department did not provide any new information.
In their own words
"You try not to take things personally, but that was a tough case," said Doug Witte, now retired, who headed the sheriff's office homicide division at the time of Archer's slaying. "The tough thing about the case is that I'm convinced who did it ... but we were never able to get enough evidence that would allow us to get an indictment. It was one of those tough cases and frustrating, very frustrating.
"Sometimes you wonder," he said, "if there are some cases that aren't meant to be solved."
About the series
Each week the Star features a Tucson-area unsolved crime.
Anyone with information is urged to call 88-CRIME. Tips also can be submitted online at www.88crime.org; or by text message at 274637, then enter tip259 plus your text message.
Contact reporter Kimberly Matas at kmatas@azstarnet.com or at 573-4191 if you have been a victim of an unsolved crime or if you are related to a victim of an unsolved homicide.
