A California tech worker who allegedly murdered his girlfriend displayed ‘erratic’ and paranoid behavior in the days before the gory crime, according to court evidence.
Scott Fisher, 30, stands accused of brutally stabbing 27-year-old Kimberly Wong to death in their Presidio Heights apartment on November 30, 2023.
The former marketing analyst pleaded not guilty to murder charges in December 2023 and appeared in court for a preliminary hearing on Monday.
Witnesses testified that Wong was terrified to be around Fisher in the weeks before she died.
They claimed the accused killer made violent attempts at Wong and was experiencing rapid ‘mental deterioration,’ the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Statements from police officer Brian Alston and Sergeant Eric Wang alleged that Wong felt unsafe around her boyfriend in the weeks before she died.
They also claimed that Ring camera footage – which was not shown in court – served as critical evidence in their investigation, as the door cam captured the last time Wong entered the apartment.
Ultimately, Judge Simon Frankel ruled that the prosecution presented sufficient evidence to make Fisher go to trial for Wong’s murder and he will be held in custody.
Kimberly Wong, 27, was found dead in her San Francisco apartment on November 30
Scott Fisher, 30, stands accused of brutally stabbing his girlfriend and is set to stand trial (pictured in court in December 2023)
People who were close with Fisher revealed to police that he seemed particularly anxious about artificial intelligence, Wang claimed.
As an example, Fisher’s friends allegedly told police the suspect changed the name of their text message group chat from ‘SF buddies’ to ‘International AI-assisted buddies.’
Aside from his apparent paranoia, Fisher was allegedly acting out against Wong, contributing to her growing discomfort about being around him.
About a week before her murder, Fisher lunged at Wong while she was showering, Wong’s friend told the sergeant.
In another unsettling incident, the victim allegedly woke up on the early morning of November 29 to Fisher aggressively shaking her while straddling her in their bed.
He then rolled back over and went back to sleep, acting as if nothing had happened, according to Wang.
That night – on the eve of her death – Wong dropped Fisher off at his father’s house and went to stay with her friend because she was scared of being with Fisher, Wang alleged.
He later sent her a puzzling text message: ‘They’re here for me, help,’ the message allegedly read, according to Wang.
Wong was found unresponsive when officers performed a welfare check at her Clay Street home (pictured) in the Presidio Heights neighborhood
The next morning, Wong had said goodbye to her friend and picked up Fisher, who she believed was in a better mental state.
The Ring camera footage reviewed by the police reportedly showed the couple entering the building on the morning the day Wong was killed.
Fisher was seen walking barefoot as he carried his shoes inside with Wong at 10:49am.
About 20 minutes later, Fisher allegedly went back outside and walked down the street.
Fisher was recorded as he left the building just after noon and promptly re-entered. Just three minutes later, he was seen leaving the apartment for the last time.
Alston, who later discovered Wong’s dead body, said he was flagged down by two panicked delivery drivers who heard the bloodcurdling screams of a woman pleading for help near Clay Street – where Wong was living.
As Alston and other cops made there way toward the area of concern at around 7:30pm, someone concerned about Wong’s safety requested a wellness check on her.
Her friend told police they had not heard from her for several hours and Wong’s iPhone location indicated she had not left her apartment since noon, according to Alston.
Fisher (center) was arrested from a psychiatric facility about a week after Wong’s death, according to court testimonies (picture credit LinkedIn/Scott Fisher)
Alston told the judge he crawled into the couple’s apartment through an open window from the fire escape.
He immediately saw blood splats on the kitchen floor and a pair of legs by the refrigerator.
The cop said when he discovered Wong, she was covered in a blanket and freezing. A large knife was on the ground nearby.
She was stabbed 12 times across her chest, breasts and abdomen.
Forensic evidence shared in court revealed Fisher’s DNA was likely found on the handle of the weapon, while Wong’s appeared to be on the blade.
Despite the kitchen’s bloodbath, the living room was spotless, according to Alston.
Fisher was arrested about a week after Wong’s body. At the time, he had committed to a psychiatric institution after his father took him to the emergency room, Wang said.
Police noticed a blood stains on the bottom of his shoe at the psych ward, likely matching DNA for both Fisher and Wong.
Wong was allegedly afraid of her boyfriend in the weeks leading up to her death
The defense did not call any witnesses to the stand on Monday, but Fisher’s lawyers Michael Gaines and Sarah Potter argued there was another door to get inside the apartment building, so the Ring camera footage may not tell the whole story.
He said: ‘There may be somebody else who entered from the side (door) and went into the premises and did the deed.
‘The fact that one of the rooms was described as pristine does not mean that there couldn’t have been a home invasion.’
Several of Wong’s friends and her father attended the hearing, and Gaines and Potter tried to convince the judge to bar at least four of them from the room because they may be called as witnesses during the trial.
The defense attorneys also requested that all members of the public be prohibited from the court room. Frankel denied both requests.
In December 2023, after Fisher’s arrest, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said: ‘I offer my condolences to the victim’s friends and family and my unwavering commitment to pursuing justice in the courtroom.
‘Although there is nothing we can do to bring her back, we will do everything we can to ensure there is accountability and justice.’
Fisher’s friends allegedly told police he was becoming paranoid of artificial intelligence
Fisher faces 26 years to life in state prison if convicted.
Wong worked as a product designer for software developer Plaid since July 2021 and before that was a user experience designer at startup Splunk.
She graduated from the University of Washington’s Human Centered Design and Engineering program in 2018.
While studying, she led the Society of Women Engineers and Women in User Experience student organizations.
Wong also created a ‘historical timeline that highlights important, formative events and experiences for women’ for Women’s History Month in 2020.
‘When I’m not pushing pixels, I love creating illustrations, doing crosswords, cooking, doing yoga, and getting outdoors for a morning cycling excursion or a hike,’ her personal website reads.
