Murderous Keith Hunter Jesperson became known as the Happy Face Killer for his boasting letters to police, signed with a smiley face. Hurley's mother received a copy of the autopsy report and allowed aphysician to analyze the report. Officials did not implicate the band member in Homan's death. This led Jesperson to violently attack Martin until his father pulled him away. This victim has been identified as Cynthia Lynn (Rose) Wilcox. Patricia Skiple of Colton, Oregon, had been known only as "Blue Pacheco" for the color of her clothing until genetic genealogy was used to identify her last week, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office said. His father often punished Jesperson by hitting him with a leather belt. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department announced. On January 21, 1990, after taking her to his rental place, plans to have sex went awry and he beat her senseless, he told Phelps. [7] Jesperson continued to spend time with his children when he was in town. More than 25 years have passed since the ordeal, and in that time, both Sosnovske and Pavlinac have died. I think that she was at a bad place in her life," said her daughter Darlene Carpenter. Welzien told his friends he wanted to call it a night and go back to the hotel where they were staying. According to Gannon and Gilbertson, Homan had various injuries on his head, hands and arms, and they theorized that a mark on his forehead may have been a footprint that was the result of Homan being held down. "Pavlinac has selfishly engaged in an obsessive and persistent obstruction of justice which deflected the investigation at an early stage, causing it to focus on her boyfriend, Sosnovske, while the real killer remained free to kill again and again," Lipscomb wrote in 1995. His death was ruled an undetermined drowning. After moving to Selah, Washington, United States, he had trouble fitting in and making friends because of his large size. They had three children, two girls and a boy. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Six days after his disappearance,Hurley's body was foundin the Charles River, close to where he asked Mahoney to pick him up. But in the process, she also falsely implicated herself. Pavlinac and Sosnovske were both arrested on 5 March 1990 and both were convicted of the murder on 8 February 1991. [5] This continued as he got older. What doesn't make sense is that many of the 40 cases the investigators have looked into have puzzling evidence. By Tim Stelloh. He had been questioned by police a week before, but they had no grounds to arrest him after he refused to talk. A smiley face was paintedon a wall of the bar under a deck. [33] The episode was released on July 9, 2021. But it was all a lie. Punched her, slapped her. At some of the sites where the victims' bodies were found, smiley face graffiti had been left behind. On Monday, the Santa Clara County Sheriff . Happy Face Presents: Two Face iHeart True Crime True Crime 4.3 8.5K Ratings; What would you do if you learned you were adopted, your biological . GHB was also found in his system along with alcohol. Idaho Murders: What Led Police to Bryan Kohberger, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Birth Year: 1955, Birth date: April 6, 1955, Birth City: British Columbia, Birth Country: Canada. He had given police officers the location of the victim's purse. I'll hurt your family.'". Todd Geib was 22 years old when he went missing during the early hours of June 12, 2005, at a bonfire party in an orchard close to his home in Casnovia, Michigan. Jesperson was a middle child, with an older sister and brother and a younger sister and brother. Serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, also known as the "Happy Face Killer," brutally murdered eight women between 1990 and 1995. Her sister Michelle White said Bennett was the only one in their family who graduated from high school, someone who read a lot and loved music. "I consider this the most dangerous domestic terrorist group in the United States today," said Gannon. And she [said], 'Well, they told me I had to tell you thisbecauseif I told you then they would believe me,'" Carpenter said. The 21-year-old finance student rarely partied since he was dedicated to the university's soccer team, but he decided to have a few drinks for the new year. He could not find Welzien and reported him missing around 1 p.m. After extensive searches, Welzien's body was found 77 days later on March 17. [21], Following Bennett's murder, as all the attention was going to Pavlinac and Sosnovske, Jesperson wrote a confession on the bathroom wall of a truck stop and signed it with a smiley face. Keith grew to be a large, imposing man. [8], In November 2008, Jesperson's daughter, Melissa G. Moore, appeared on Dr. Phil to talk about her father. A month later, in Turlock, California, the body of Cynthia Lyn Rose was discovered. Keith Hunter Jesperson, The Sad Story of the Happy Face Killer Stories about . At age 35, Keith was 6'7.5" tall and weighed 240lbs. On January 21, 1990, after taking her to his rental place, plans to have sex went awry and he "beat her senseless," he told Phelps. One of Welzien's friends, Nick Young, stayed behind. But when investigators were unable to match the purse and denim piece to Bennett, they confronted Pavlinac about fabricating evidence. When that did not elicit a response, he began writing letters to the media and authorities. Daughter of the infamous 'Happy Face' serial killer, Melissa Moore, and leading female Forensic Criminologist, Dr. Laura Pettler, unearth chilling details from homicide case files in this weekly true-crime series which tells the actual stories of people who shared their lives with a killer or their victims. She threatened to call the police, and he strangled her. In September 1994, the body of a woman was found in Florida. Victim 5: California Jane Doe. His fourth victim was another sex worker, Laurie Ann Pentland of Salem, Oregon, whose body was found in November 1992. A victim of the Happy Face Killer has been identified nearly 30 years after her body was left near a California highway, authorities said Monday. Jesperson claims he killed her after she tried to double charge him for sex, according to Snapped Notorious: The Happy Face Killer.. Eight murders were eventually linked to Jesperson. Pavlinac made this false statement because she wanted to escape her abusive relationship with Sosnovske. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Daun Slagle is the sole survivor of the "Happy Face Killer." She is the only person to survive an attack by the infamous serial killer. She also said she was able to point to the location of Bennett's body based on where the brush had been cleared away. Before his arrest, he also wrote a letter to his brother that admitted, "I am sorry that I turned out this way. She also examined her father's actions in the podcast Happy Face. . Despite the distance between them, some detectives think that drownings are actually the work of a serial killer or group of serial killers. The police gave him the nickname "The Happy Face Killer" as he would leave a happy face on his confession letters to the media. According to former detective Kevin Gannon and Dr. Lee Gilbertson, Geib's head and shoulders were sticking out of the water. "I sometimes now wonder, if he was freed now, if he was released, would he kill again? The production features interviews betweenJesperson and M. William Phelps, author Dangerous Ground: My Friendship with a Serial Killer.Italso features an interview with Daun Slagel, who survived a violent encounter with Jesperson when she was 21. He would go on to share details of the crime on other restroom walls. Skiples remains were found on the side of California State Route 152 in the Gilroy area about 80 miles southeast of San Francisco in June 1993, in an area known as Pacheco Pass. The purse had not been found at the crime scene, and its location was considered information only the killer would know. Upset that he was not getting any media attention, Jesperson drew a smiley face on a bathroom wall hundreds of miles from the scene of the crime and wrote an anonymous letter confessing to Bennett's murder, providing proof. His blood-alcohol concentrationwas only 0.08 percent. When she arrived, however, he was nowhere in sight. Investigators said there wasno sign of foul play, and his death was ruled an undetermined drowning. After the murder, Jesperson remembered they'd spent days together and he'd let her use a credit card. Laverne Pavlinac convinced investigators she and John Sosnovske had killed Taunja Bennett, when they hadn't. GILROY (CBS SF/AP) A victim of the Happy Face Killer has been identified nearly 30 years after her body was left near a rural Gilroy highway . He was caught after killing his 41-year-old girlfriend, Julie Ann Winningham, in 1995. Keith Hunter Jesperson was born in 1955 in British Columbia, Canada and is a serial killer. T he Smiley Face death toll continues to climb, this time in Germany. Investigators have revealed the name of a heretofore unidentified victim of the Happy Face Killer, nearly 30 years after her murder. Soon after his injury was when Keith started to kill. . Moore recounts living with Jesperson until her parents' 1990 divorce, and noticing how her father was different when she was in elementary school. [26], In 2008, Moore published a book titled Shattered Silence: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer's Daughter. Jesperson would capture birds and stray cats and dogs around the trailer park where he lived with his family, severely beating the animals and then strangling them to death, something for which he claims his father was proud of him. According to Jesperson, Pentland attempted to double the fee she charged for the sex he had been engaged in with her. On September 29, 2006, 21-year-old Lucas Homan vanished from La Crosse, Wisconsin. However, the kicker is that these drownings happening in 11 different states. Between 1997 and 2008, authorities pulled the dead bodies of more than 40 young white men out of rivers and lakes in more than 25 cities across 11 states. Julie Winningham is seen here in this undated photo. "Now, I'm thinking, 'She's confessed she's pointed out the dump site, she's confessed to us on tape. Jesperson's first victim, 23-year-old Taunja Bennett, was killed on January 21, 1990. In these supposed "Smiley Face" serial killings, popular, high-achieving, athletic young men (i.e. When that did not create the attention he desired, he wrote letters to media outlets and police departments confessing to his murders, starting with a six-page letter to The Oregonian in which he revealed the details of his killings. Skiple was known to family and friends as Patsy, according to the sheriffs department. RUIN SMILEY'S DAY: Follow these tips to minimize the danger of vanishing into thin air one night and ending up another unsolved "drowned" statistic: 1. Pavlinac's son also died shortly after due to medical reasons. In the years following, Jesperson said he often thought about what it would be like to do the same to a human. Who is the Happy Face Killer Keith Hunter Jesperson? The body of a woman found near Gilroy, California was this week identified as Patricia Skiple, a victim of the Happy Face Killer. There, he assaulted, beat and strangled her. Jesperson had dated before her before killing her on March 3, 1995 because he believed she was after his money. . [18], Early in the investigation of Bennett's murder, Laverne Pavlinac read the news reports surrounding Bennett's death and saw it as an opportunity to force an end to the long-term abusive relationship she had been in with her live-in boyfriend, John Sosnovske. She would pop in and pop out, and over the years, She was that type of person.". Dr. Laura Pettler, along with her partner in crime-fighting, Melissa Moore, are taking a deep dive into murder cases in the upcoming podcast, "Life After Happy Face." "Life After Happy Face" is a follow-up to Moore's "The Happy Face Killer" podcast, which followed the case of Keith Jesperson, a serial killer who wreaked havoc in the Pacific Northwest during the 1990s. James' body, however, had almost no visible damage, which was highly suspicious because it had traveled through heavily trafficked river. A Canadian-born long-haul truck driver and divorced father of three, Jesperson carried out his killings over the course of five years until he turned himself in to authorities in 1995. But Pavlinac claimed she knew where she and Sosnovske had left Bennett's body in the Columbia Gorge outside of town, and took investigators to the exact remote wooded area where Bennett was found. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. The message was signed with a smiley face. Her daughters are still trying to understand why their mother did what she did, and why she didn't see another way to end the relationship. Her identity remains unknown. On January 21, 1990, after taking her to his rental place, plans to have sex went awry and he beat her senseless, he told Phelps. B. [1], At a very early ageas young as fiveJesperson would capture and torture animals. Today's episode is part 1 of our coverage of serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson. That this never happened. I'll go to death row.'". He had a relationship with his final victim and became a suspect after her body was discovered in March 1995. Jesperson, also called the "Happy Face Killer", who is serving two life sentences in Oregon in connection with guilty pleas to two murders. Mahoney drove to the address, but Hurley was not there. Taunja Bennett, 23, is seen here in this undated photo. Jesperson was born on April 6, 1955, in British Columbia, Canada. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. I just said it, this is close enough," she said. Investigators have revealed the name of a heretofore unidentified victim of the "Happy Face Killer," nearly 30 years after her murder. Pavlinac remarried, but her second husband died a few years later. Jesperson met her in a bar in January 1995 and agreed to give her a ride before eventually killing her. When investigators asked him why he decided to come forward, Jesperson listed two reasons. He introduced himself to Bennett at a bar and invited her to a house he was renting. Pavlinac's daughters said their mother "was never the same" after she divorced their father after discovering he left her for another woman. Surveillance footage captured Booth entering the bar where the celebration took place, but there is no video evidence of him leaving. Jesperson, who was born in British Columbia in 1955 and moved to the US when he was 12, kept on killing until he was caught in 1995. She had changed her story so many times that investigators said they wondered if she was telling the truth. The body of Julie Winningham, 41, of Camas, Washington, was found alongside a Washington State road in 1995. When the body of Taunja Bennett was found along the side of an Oregon highway in 1990, investigators never imagined that it would lead to the capture of a vicious serial killer. While many believe their deaths are just that accidental former NYPD detectives Kevin Gannon, Michael Donovan, Anthony Duarte and professor of criminal justice Dr. Lee Gilbertson are convinced that most of these drownings are homicides. The last known sighting of the Duquesne University graduate student was caught on asurveillance camera in the downtown area. His brother gave this letter to law enforcement. Various witnesses outside the hotel saw Welzien vomiting in the street. Laverne Pavlinac, right, touches the tear-stained face of her grandaughter, Nicole Sullivan, after being released from prison in Salem, Ore., Nov. 27, 1995. The man said "99 Nashua Street, and Hurley said his cell phone battery was going dead. Homan did not arrive for a golf outing the next day. Brown also believes that the smiley face images found in some of the cases are likely nothing more than coincidences based upon making a guess at where the body entered the water and searching a wide . ". That letter-writer turned out to be Keith Hunter Jesperson, who became known for signing the letters with a happy face symbol thus the Happy Face Killer moniker. Laverne Pavlinac, who, along with John Sosnovske, was convicted for the killing of Taunja Bennett, waits at the Oregon Women's Correctional Center in Salem, Ore., Oct. 27, 1995, for word on her release. Because of their relationship, authorities connected her death to him. The day of his disappearance, Homan had been celebrating Oktoberfest with his friends. In April 1990, he sexually assaulted a woman who managed to escape. According to former detective Kevin Gannon and Dr. Lee Gilbertson, when Booth was found, his body was in full rigor mortis, which normallydissipates within 24 to 36 hours after death. Laverne Pavlinac and John Sosnovske are seen here in this 1985 family photo. All drowned after getting intoxicated. Authorities came to believe they had convicted the wrong people. Victim 7: Angela Subrize, 21. The last known sighting of the Duquesne University graduate student was caught on asurveillance camera in the downtown area. Article Title: Keith Hunter Jesperson Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/keith-hunter-jesperson, Publisher: A&E Television Networks, Last Updated: March 3, 2021, Original Published Date: February 2, 2021. Jesperson worked as a truck driver to support the family. More than a dozen of these cases have been outlined in Gannon and Gilbertson's book "Case Studies in Drowning Forensics," but there are six deaths in particular that stand out as potential Smiley Face murders: Dakota James was 23 years old when he went missing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. . When an Oregon newspaper ran a five-part series called The Happy Face Serial Killer in 1994, an anonymous author took credit for the five murders. Jesperson claimed this still-unidentified woman as his fifth victim but told Phelps that he cant recall anything about her. A victim of the "Happy Face Killer" has been identified nearly 30 years after her body was left near a California highway, authorities said Monday. She was a previously-unidentified woman named Patricia Skiple,[12] who, he claimed, was named "Carla" or "Cindy". Police saidthere were no signs of foul play, and his death was ruled an undetermined drowning. He split from his wife in 1990 after 15 years of . In June 2021, a trailer appeared on iTunes for a new true crime podcast called Life After Happy Face, to be hosted by Melissa Moore and forensic criminologist Laura Pettler. A stealth serial killer who wants to trick everyone against him will change-up his playbook with small tweaks to put a wrench in the profiler's and forensic scientist's game. Melissa G. Moore, Jesperson's older daughter, wrote Shattered Silence: The Untold Story of a Serial Killers Daughter (2009). He was known as the "Happy Face Killer" because he drew smiley faces on his many letters to the media and authorities. All calls are toll-free and confidential. Potential "Smiley Face Killers" victim Todd Geib. Patricia Skiple of Colton, Oregon, had been . He left her remains in Nebraska, though Subrize was likely killed in Wyoming. Following the discovery of Bennett's body in January 1990, Laverne Pavlinac lied to police that she'd aided her boyfriend John Sosnovske in committing the crime. of Victims 8-185 killed 5 attempted Span of crimes 1995/1966-March 10, 1995 (confirmed) Criminal Charges His friend told him to get out of the car while he parked. ABC News/YouTube By Jean Mendoza / June 8, 2021 9:24 am EST Keith Hunter Jesperson is a serial killer who claimed the lives of eight women between 1990 and 1995. "I said 'Why is she dead?'" Jesperson met 21-year-old Bennett in a bar in Portland, Oregon. Often Keith would dream of becoming an RCMP officer, the power of a position like that appealed to him, but his dream was dashed in 1990 after an injury prevented him from qualifying. She'sgiveher the shirt off her back," McAlpine said. She was a mother and approximately 45 years old at the time she was killed. 'Happy Face Killer' Bay Area murder victim finally identified Andrew Chamings , SFGATE April 18, 2022 Patricia Skiple of Colton, Oregon, was 45 at the time of her death in 1993. Jesperson's father denied being an abusive parent; however, while investigating for his book on the killer, author Jack Olsen was able to confirm much of the claimed abuse with other family members. Jesperson claims that her name was Susanne. What Is the Smiley Face Killers Theory? Some time later, at a public pool, Jesperson attempted to drown the boy by holding his head under the water until a lifeguard pulled him away.[6]. While in custody, Jesperson shared details of his eight murders. Victim 1: Taunja Bennett. The Insane Details of the Smiley Face Killers Theory; The Most Recent Alleged Smiley Face Killers' Victims Highlight How Long This Theory Has . He is now 66 years old, according to his prison records. He duct-taped her mouth and hands before raping and strangling her. Between 1990-1995, a series of murders were discovered over several states, all with a very similar MO. Jesperson met 21-year-old Bennett in a bar in Portland, Oregon. "The greatest human tragedy is that Laverne Pavlinac derailed the investigation in 1990, and in four years, Keith Jesperson killed more women," said Jim McIntyre, the Multnomah County, Oregon, prosecutor who handled the cases. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Hundreds of college-aged men have died in accidental or undetermined drownings. [20], On 7 January 1996, more than five years after their conviction, Pavlinac and Sosnovske were released from prison after Jesperson and his attorney offered his confession with convincing evidence of his guilt. Police have not saidif a smiley face was present near the death site. Jespersons fifth victim was known only as Susanne, whom he met in Crestview, Florida. According to police reports, one dog later hit on an an SUV owned by a local band member, who had played a show at the bar the night of Homan's disappearance, but the K9 alert was inconclusive. While in custody, Jesperson began revealing details of his killings and making claims of many others, most of which he later recanted.
