Chasing Down the Zombie Hunter: The True Story of a Small-Town Accountant, an Elite Group of Detectives, and Arizona's Most Terrifying Cold Case

by Troy A. Hillman

The stranger-than-fiction story of the terrifying "Zombie Hunter" whose brutal crimes nearly went unsolved until an unconventional detective and his team solved the mystery of a real-life monster hiding in plain sight.

Bryan Miller aka The Zombie Hunter, was a cavalier character juxtaposed as a single parent of a teenage daughter. He sported Steampunk attire, wielded a gatling gun at Comic Con conventions, and rode around in a custom fitted police looking car with green lights on the top and the “The Zombie Hunter '' detailed on the side. While his outward appearance and interests were a bit eccentric, little did people know, he was a real-life killer and predator that had been terrorizing the Phoenix area since 1992.

Chasing Down the Zombie Hunter is the extraordinary, detailed inside story of how a small-town ex-CPA, Detective Troy Hillman, and an elite team of detectives—hounded by the press, a frustrated and frightened public, and their own doubts and exhaustion—solved a double murder that had haunted the Valley of the Sun for more than twenty years. The initial details were already chilling—the brutal murder of two women, found headless, who were assaulted while riding their bikes along a well-known canal bike path—but with his inside-perspective, Hillman reveals how the initial headlines only scratch the surface.

Besides giving the families of Angela Brosso and Melanie Bernas closure and justice, Detective Hillman's groundbreaking methods and his familial DNA case set the precedent for cold cases like The Golden State Killer. Chasing Down the Zombie Hunter reveals how evidence that was already in possession of the police turned out to be the key to catching the killer—once they new how to look at it.

From frustrations and heartbreak to bizarre twists and incredible breakthroughs, Detective Hillman takes true crime devotees through every facet of how, against all odds, the suspect was found and arrested. Chasing Down the Zombie Hunter is a testament to the fact that no matter how old the case, there is always hope for justice...if you know where to look.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime

256 pages, Hardcover

Published October 7, 2025

Reviews

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars--This is the intriguing story of the many threads that went in to solving a baffling double murder that shocked and frightened Phoenix in the early 1990s. The eccentric and narcissistic culprit had been hiding in plain sight for decades--but forensic clues finally pulled his mask.

While I think that there was a little too much unnatural expository dialogue, as well as a temptation to turn the detectives and forensic workers into "characters" in the manner of a crime TV series, overall, this was a well-written book that will draw in true crime readers.

[True Crime Bookcase · Rating 3 out of 5]

On 8 November 1992, Angela Brosso was brutally murdered. Her body was found decapitated and mutilated near the Arizona Canal in Phoenix. Her head was discovered 11 days later.

Less than a year later, in September 1993, Melanie Bernas also lost her life in horrific circumstances. Her body bore stab wounds and ritualistic markings. Both women had been sexually assaulted.

For two decades the case remained cold. Then, for three and a half years, a dedicated cold case unit worked relentlessly to uncover answers. In 2014, Colleen Fitzpatrick helped these investigators narrow the suspect pool to five men with the surname Miller. By January 2015, police matched DNA from the crime scenes to Bryan Miller — marking the first cold case solved through investigative genetic genealogy.

Still, it took another seven years after his 2015 arrest before Miller finally faced court. After an eight-month trial, Judge Cohen found him guilty on all charges and sentenced him to death.

Chasing Down the Zombie Hunter takes you directly inside the Phoenix Police Department’s cold case unit. Troy Hillman, who served as a detective sergeant in one of the most challenging homicide assignments, brings every investigator, forensic expert, and analyst to life. I genuinely felt like I was sitting inside their office, combing through clues alongside them. His writing is clean, factual, and straight to the point, while still highlighting the emotional weight behind solving a decades-old double homicide.

Angela Brosso and Melanie Bernas had no voice left, DNA was their last hope for justice. And this book shows just how much work goes into turning that hope into answers. An arrest may feel like an ending, but Hillman makes it clear it’s only the beginning.

As soon as I turned the final page, I jumped onto Spotify to listen to the Chasing Down the Zombie Hunter podcast episode on Santana True Crime. Hearing Troy discuss the case, with no ego and complete dedication to the truth, made me appreciate this book even more. His conversation with Cameron, both former officers, was the perfect follow-on.

A solid, fascinating read for any true crime lover, especially those interested in cold cases and investigative genetic genealogy.

[Catherine Oh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to know what it really takes to solve a cold case. This gives the common person great insight into what our law enforcement officers do, how much commitment they need to have, and how much they help the community by solving these cases.

[Stuart Shoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Canal Murders of the early 1990s were Phoenix’s version of Jack The Ripper. Like the Ripper case, the victims were young females. Similarly, the murders displayed a savagery, brutality, and depravity unseen in most homicides. In both cases, the murders cast a shadow of fear and disquiet over the community. Finally, like the Ripper case, police were stymied by the perpetrator and, despite years of investigation, were unable to arrest a suspect.

That was until 2015 when Phoenix Police arrested a man named Bryan Patrick Miller (who maintained a cosplay persona called the “Zombie Hunter”) for the murders of Angela Brosso and Melanie Bernas.

The man responsible for this arrest was a cold case detective sergeant named Troy Hillman. Hillman’s book, CHASING DOWN THE ZOMBIE HUNTER, which is all about this intriguing case, is now available.

For those who have an interest in cold cases and true crime (who enjoy shows like Mindhunter, Cold Case Files, and Cold Justice), this is the book for you.

Very rarely do you get to see the inside machinations of a cold case investigation as is shown in this book. Hillman details the Ocean’s 11-like assemblage of gifted detectives to work the case, each bringing a particular skill and talent to the investigation. He details years of chasing promising and strange suspects that always led to dead ends. Then he takes readers into a fascinating meeting of the elite Vidocq Society that provided key insights into the perpetrator. And the final breakthrough of the then-untested application of forensic genealogy (really the first use of this now ubiquitous technique), which helped zero in on the suspect.

What makes a serial killer? The book tries to answer this question with a deep dive into the background and psychology of Bryan Patrick Miller (along with discussion of other crimes he may have committed). It is a probing analysis of a very disturbed and frightening mind.

The book moves at a rapid clip and would easily translate into a Netflix documentary series. Perhaps renewed interest will help solve other cases that Miller was possibly involved with (missing 13-year-old Brandy Myers likely being his first murder).

Highly recommended.

[Marianne Ortega]

This book was written by Troy Hillman, who brings a deep passion and a keen understanding of what it takes to investigate a case that many believed was closed or collecting dust because the killer was thought to be dead. Was it time to revive this investigation and bring it to a conclusion? Yes, homicides operate on their own timeline. Troy Hillman recognized that it was time to pursue the killer because the murderer sensed his time was running short and, deep down, wanted to be caught.

The true resolution for the victim's would only be achieved when the killer heard the two clicks of the handcuffs fastening around his wrists. Significant effort was invested in this investigation, which required time away from family members. Troy Hillman refused to let go of any lingering myths about the case. He was told that the killer was dead and old, but Troy remained passionate and persistent in his quest to find the killer of Angela Brosso and Melanie Bernas.

[Cheri L · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so well written and has an amazing, real-life story ... I read it in under 2 days. The author's unique story (accountant turned police officer) and the dedication that the group of detectives gave to this cold case are incredible. It was almost as if you are reading a fictional story about a serial killer, and then your remind yourself that this is a true story. The author does a great job of detailing all the "old school" cold case police work that was done combined with cutting edge DNA technology that helped identify the serial killer and bring him to justice. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

[Michael Tissaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll start this off with I know the author. This was the ‘case’ for him, the one that kept him up at night until the team solved it. Writing this book was a dream of his even if it never got published. Lucky for us it did. Book was well written, story flows. And I know some may say there might have been too much character development, but it was fine for a purpose. Many obtuse people don’t figure that out. Detectives are everyday people like you and I. I love how the book brings that out. Well done Mr, Hillman!

[Art Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heard about this book on the Murder Sheet Podcast and enjoyed it. I thought it was well written and I felt like it focused on the team around the cold case squad. I liked hearing about their different personalities and how they worked together. It wasn't very long, but I liked that about the book; there were a *couple* of spots where I noticed information being repeated, but on the whole, it was tightly written.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn’t just another true crime recap. Troy Hillman takes readers inside the investigation that finally brought down Bryan Patrick Miller. It’s an insightful look at the painstaking detective work, the psychology of the killer, and the long path to conviction. This isn’t a case that could ever be fully captured in a news segment or interview. It’s a rare, singular perspective from a person who lived through it.

[Joseph Knott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book detailing how a team of investigators can overcome a litany of obstacles in Cold Case murder investigation. The cases at hand were brutal, and the murderer a sick and deranged individual seemingly hiding in plain sight. Kudos to Sergeant Hillman for re-opening the case two decades later, and to the investigative team he assembled that never gave up on finding justice for the victims.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book got off to a bit of a slow start while discussing the formation of the cold case team working on the unsolved murders of two Phoenix women in the early 90’s. However, once it got into the details of the case files and the painstaking work of revisiting hundreds of leads and suspects it definitely held my attention. Glad to see that justice was finally achieved for these victims.

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very engaging true story. It was really awesome to get to know the personalities of the Detectives involved in this case and all the different twists and turns they took to help solve it. This is a Truly heartbreaking story out of phoenix Arizona but we should all be thankful for our law enforcement officers that care so much!

[Richard Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be a great read as a true crime and cold case fan. I felt like the author did an excellent job of walking the reader through the ups and downs as well as the intricacies of the investigation. The author’s story as a CPA turned detective is fascinating. This is a wild and fast ride! Highly recommend it to all my family and friends.

[Mark Armistead · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is interesting to see the journey that these investigations take to get to a final conviction. This book takes you through the ups and downs and gives you insight into what it takes to figure it all out. Worth the time to read.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This true crime book was easy to read and very descriptive which was a pleasure to read.I hope that the Phoenix Police Department continues to support the Cold Case Unit to help solve the many other cold cases in our state.

[Kat V · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinda don’t love the writing or the author but the story is interesting. It feels like he’s trying to figure out how to write a book while writing it. He clearly has no idea how to write about people so some of it is just really weird but the crime part is good. 3.6 stars

[Kathleen Linehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

[Jessi Collier Wakefield · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way more of a memoir, but not badly written. Just a taste in storytelling preference.

[Nancy Shaffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook narrator had the wrong tone for the subject matter.

[Reba · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really fascinating look into the back end of solving cold cases. It took a while for me to get used to the writing style, but I ended up really enjoying it.

[Margaret Mawhinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done. If you're a fan of true crime add this to your list. Blended the case work along with all involved in the case so it made for a good read.

It was a long journey to solve but the book takes you through step by step until the suspect was identified. Now he is where he belongs. Makes you realize how much work and cooperation between agencies goes on behind the scene that no one knows about.

Job well done by all and well written.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hooked me from the start. As a true crime fan, I loved following Hillman and the detectives as they unraveled one of Arizona’s creepiest cold cases.

[Jennifer Clack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the true story of the roller coaster that law enforcement must ride in order to solve a cold case. From building a team of experts, to the ups and downs of thinking you found the killer - only to find the DNA doesn’t match, to thinking outside the box to ask for more help, to leaving no stone unturned, to never giving up! Thank you for making Arizona safer.