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Who Is Nickey Stane & Where Is He Now? 2025 Update & Background

Ryan Gill

Nickey Duane Stane was born in 1966 and lived most of his life in California’s Central Valley. He was a longtime resident of Visalia, a city about 45 miles south of Fresno, where he worked in a variety of jobs and appeared to live a relatively quiet life. He had no known high-profile criminal record prior to the crimes for which he was later convicted, and neighbors and acquaintances described him at the time of his arrest as unremarkable.

Stane remained under the radar for decades despite a series of brutal sexual assaults in Visalia between 1999 and 2002. His DNA was collected at the scenes of these assaults but remained unmatched in law enforcement databases until 2019. During that time, Stane maintained a low profile and evaded suspicion, living in the same region where his crimes had taken place.

Crimes and Modus Operandi

Stane was linked to at least five violent sexual assaults and one murder. His crimes were marked by extreme violence and a consistent pattern: he approached his victims at night, typically wearing a hood or mask, and forced them at gunpoint into secluded areas. There, he bound and sexually assaulted them. His attacks caused long-term emotional trauma for the women he targeted.

The most horrific of these crimes was the 1996 rape and murder of 22-year-old Fresno State student Debbie Dorian. Stane bound Dorian with tape and left her to die of asphyxiation in her apartment. Her father found her body after she failed to show up for a planned trip. Despite collecting DNA evidence at the scene, investigators were unable to match it to a suspect for over two decades.

The Breakthrough and Arrest

In 2019, law enforcement in Tulare and Fresno Counties identified a DNA match linking the Visalia assaults to Dorian’s unsolved murder. Investigators used advanced forensic techniques to connect the profile to Nickey Stane. He was arrested that year and charged with multiple felonies, including murder and sexual assault.

Stane was initially set to face trial in 2025, but in a surprising move, he pleaded guilty in May of that year to all charges. The plea deal spared him the death penalty but ensured a life sentence without the possibility of parole. He also agreed to waive all rights to appeal.

Sentencing and Public Reaction

Stane was sentenced on June 13, 2025, in a Fresno County courtroom. During the hearing, the court heard emotional testimony from survivors and family members of victims. One of the Visalia assault survivors, known publicly as Jane Doe, told the court how the assault had affected her for more than two decades. Debbie Dorian’s parents also addressed the court, speaking about the years spent searching for answers.

Stane himself submitted a handwritten letter acknowledging his guilt and describing programs he had completed while in custody. While the court recognized the statement, prosecutors and victims emphasized the extreme violence and long-lasting harm caused by his actions.

Where Is He Now?

Nickey Stane is currently serving a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole in the California state prison system. After his sentencing, he was transferred from the Fresno County Jail to a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) facility. Under the terms of his plea agreement, he cannot appeal his conviction or sentence. He will remain incarcerated for the rest of his life.

Stane’s case is now closed, but the impact of his crimes continues to resonate with the victims, their families, and the communities of Fresno and Visalia. Through forensic science and survivor testimony, justice was ultimately achieved in one of California’s most haunting cold cases.

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