California 'Happy Face Killer' victim ID'd after 29 years Jesperson has said that he took 166 lives, but only the above eight murders have been attributed to him. His brothers did not help him, instead they nicknamed him "Igor" or "Ig", a name that stuck throughout his school years. 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. Hurley walked outside while Mahoney drove to the stadium to pick him up. He was caught after killing his 41-year-old girlfriend, Julie Ann Winningham, in 1995. If you need help or need help supporting someone else, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. The Santa Clara County Sheriffs Department. [10][14], Jesperson was arrested on 30 March 1995 for the murder of Julie Winningham. . At the time, Pavlinac said she was able to dupe authorities because she had learned details of the crime from newspaper articles and from reading the search warrant without police noticing. "She slapped him. 'Happy Face Killer' victim identified after 29 years as Oregon woman That triggered him. Pieces of his artwork have been seen on "murderabilia" sites. Courtesy of Kathy 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. 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. [5] This continued as he got older. [8], In November 2008, Jesperson's daughter, Melissa G. Moore, appeared on Dr. Phil to talk about her father. 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. The Insane Details of the Smiley Face Killers Theory; The Most Recent Alleged Smiley Face Killers' Victims Highlight How Long This Theory Has . Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. He strapped the woman beneath his big rig,. His last known victim was a woman he dated, which led to his capture and incarceration for life. Watch the full story on "20/20" THIS FRIDAY at 9 p.m. While he has claimed to have killed many more people, officials can only confirm that Jesperson killed eight women between 1990 and 1995 in California, Washington, Oregon, Florida, Nebraska and Wyoming. [26], In 2008, Moore published a book titled Shattered Silence: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer's Daughter. Her body was discovered behind the Blueberry Hill Cafe in Turlock, California. Various witnesses outside the hotel saw Welzien vomiting in the street. In addition to murder, Jesperson's criminal history included animal cruelty, arson and sexual assault. CONSPIRACY: The Smiley Face Killer | Crime Junkie Podcast Detectives first became aware of Pavlinac when she anonymously called them to report that she overheard Sosnovske at a bar bragging about killing Bennett. Homan did not arrive for a golf outing the next day. This victim has been identified as Cynthia Lynn (Rose) Wilcox. Judge Paul Lipscomb of the Circuit Court of Oregon agreed to vacate Sosnovske's sentence after ruling his no-contest plea violated his constitutional rights because it had not been voluntary since he was facing the death penalty. Victim 8: Julia Ann Winningham, 41. Taunja Bennett was the first to die. "He says, 'Because I choked her' I said, 'I think weneed to take her to a hospital. He told investigatorshe could not remember anythingthat happened that night. Investigators had been trying to nail down a suspect for weeks when Pavlinac brought Sosnovske to their attention. How "Happy Face Killer" Keith Jesperson's Daughter Discovered His Now 66, Jesperson is serving five non-consecutive life sentences in Oregon's state penitentiary. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Others say there is no killer. Director Rick Bota Writer Richard Christian Matheson Stars David Arquette Gloria Reuben Daryl Shuttleworth See production, box office & company info At school, Jesperson was bigger than his classmates and was taunted with names like "Monster Man" and "Igor." Jesperson attempted suicide but ended up confessing to Winningham's murder. Keith Hunter Jesperson was born in 1955 in British Columbia, Canada and is a serial killer. [8][16] This led Phil Stanford, the journalist working the story for The Oregonian, to dub Jesperson "The Happy Face Killer". His death was ruleda probable drowning, and there wereno signs of trauma. Jesperson described murdering her, like other women he killed, as putting her out of her misery.. Police saidthere were no signs of foul play, and his death was ruled an undetermined drowning. "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. Possible Smiley Face killers victim Mason Cox. Best Known For: Serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, also known as the "Happy Face Killer," brutally murdered eight women between 1990 and 1995. Jespersons heinous crimes as well as shocking twists in the case including a, couple who took the blame for one of his homicides. After getting in an argument with Bennett, he strangled her to death with his hands and disposed of her body. Keith Hunter Jesperson, also known as "The Happy Face Killer ," is serving a life sentence in prison today. Or 'I will cause trouble for your family. [1], At a very early ageas young as fiveJesperson would capture and torture animals. [He said,] 'No, no. [22] She was also featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show,[23] the Lifetime Movies network series Monster in My Family,[24][25] and a 20/20 special on ABC. His victims, who were often raped and strangled, included short-term acquaintances, sex workers and a girlfriend. In September 1994, the body of a woman was found in Florida. The couple divorced in 1990.[8]. . 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. Published: Apr. "Now, I'm thinking, 'She's confessed she's pointed out the dump site, she's confessed to us on tape. Oddly,Geib's head and shoulders were sticking out of the wateras if he had gone for a swim. A smiley face was paintedon a wall of the bar under a deck. Jesperson claims she was a sex worker who climbed into his truck, even though he told her he wasnt interested in her services, according to the two-hour Oxygen special. The Lonely Hearts Killer, was a truly frightening and twisted serial murderer in the late 1950s. She also examined her father's actions in the podcast Happy Face. I had been worried about this for a long time. On April 23 in Hamburg and the following weekend in Dusseldorf, the bodies of young men were retrieved from waterways. , who survived a violent encounter with Jesperson when she was 21. Her sister Michelle White said Bennett was a compassionate person who loved everyone.. While he has claimed to have killed as many as 160 people, only eight murders have been confirmed. Melissa Moore's father, known as the Happy Face Killer, murdered eight or more women. Angela Surbrize was the name of Jesperson's second-to-last victim. Director Carl Hindmarch Stars Doug Bates Janine Brugnone Beghtol Rick Buckner See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist 1 User review Oregon mom identified as victim of 'Happy Face Killer' nearly 4 decades This led Jesperson to violently attack Martin until his father pulled him away. Their house bordered an apple orchard, and Jesperson killed stray cats and gophers that wandered nearby. Notorious serial killer Keith Jesperson, better known by the "Happy Face Killer" nickname he was given in the '90s, has spent decades behind bars but his daughter believes he would kill again if released from prison today. Pavlinac made this false statement because she wanted to escape her abusive relationship with Sosnovske. Killer: Keith Hunter Jesperson - Happy Face Killer profiled on Killer.Cloud [19] To avoid the possibility of facing the death penalty, Sosnovske pleaded no contest. The day of his disappearance, Homan had been celebrating Oktoberfest with his friends. '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. She was a previously-unidentified woman named Patricia Skiple,[12] who, he claimed, was named "Carla" or "Cindy". For now it remains only a theory that has yet to be proved. The 'smiley face' murder theory: They didn't - Mysteriesrunsolved She was a mother and approximately 45 years old at the time she was killed. One day, she watched, horrified, as he hung stray kittens from the family's clothesline. He tries to paint the victim as someone who needed to be killed, Phelps, whose nearly decade-long relationship with the killer gives him insight into Jespersons mind, told producers. He duct-taped her mouth and hands before raping and strangling her. After Jesperson was in custody, he provided the location of Bennett's purse, which only the killer would know. She had changed her story so many times that investigators said they wondered if she was telling the truth. that, using genetic genealogy, they were able to identify a body found in 1993 as Patricia Skiple of Colton, Oregon. ", This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 19:00. Punched her, slapped her. 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. "I consider this the most dangerous domestic terrorist group in the United States today," said Gannon. Local police theorized the men simply got too drunk, fell into the water and drowned, but Gannon, Donovan, Duarte and Gilbertson investigated their deaths as the work of an organized group of serial killers dubbed "The Smiley Face Killers." Happy Face stands out because of Moore 's intimate tie to the criminal in question. Laverne Pavlinac and John Sosnovske are seen here in this 1985 family photo. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. However, the kicker is that these drownings happening in 11 different states. Jesperson's last victim was Julie Winningham, who'd been his girlfriend. After the murder, Jesperson remembered they'd spent days together and he'd let her use a credit card. The Happy Face Killer: Mind of a Monster - IMDb Tommy Booth, 24, disappeared on January 19, 2008 from a bar in Woodlyn, Pennsylvania. [7] She was a correspondent for Crime Watch Daily. [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. April 18, 2022, at 9:19 p.m. California 'Happy Face Killer' Victim ID'd After 29 Years. Pavlinac's son also died shortly after due to medical reasons. NR Jul 18th, 2021 Documentary. The Smiley Face Killer - Serialkillercalendar.com , 24, disappeared on January 19, 2008 from a bar in Woodlyn, Pennsylvania. When she arrived, however, he was nowhere in sight. But it was all a lie. The term "smiley face" became connected to their theory when the team . After a night of barhopping, Homan headed home at around 10 p.m. with a friend. A smiley face had been spray-painted on a tree near where Geib's body was found, and a smiley face sticker was later placed on his gravesite. At the time, he was being investigated for the murder of 41-year-old Julie Winningham, who some described as his girlfriend. Jesperson met 21-year-old Bennett in a bar in Portland, Oregon. And just like his British counterpart, the police denied . [13] Police originally considered her death a drug overdose. These convictions meant Jesperson was unlikely to ever face charges for his crime. Jespersons heinous crimes as well as shocking twists in the case including a couple who took the blame for one of his homicides are covered in bracing detail in the Oxygen special Snapped Notorious: The Happy Face Killer, now streaming. Pavlinac seemed to know intimate details about the case. Based on Pavlinac's statements, and that Sosnovke failed a polygraph test, authorities arrested Sosnovke on murder charges. Hurley walked outside while Mahoney drove to the stadium to pick him up. The footage captured James entering a dark alley, and that was the last time he was seen alive. Pentlands body was found in November 1992 after being discarded in Salem, Oregon. 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. Victim 2: California Jane Doe. . [6] Approximately one year later, Jesperson was swimming in a lake when another boy held him underwater until he blacked out. Pavlinac then confessed to her. 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. She found out that her son had reportedly suffered blunt force trauma to the head, his eye socket and behind his left leg. went missing from Chicago, Illinois, after a night of celebrating Y2K with his friends. Because Jesperson allowed her to use his credit card to make a phone call, he devised a depraved way to conceal her identity. In 1990, Taunja Bennett was found dead near a scenic overlook at the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. 10 Creepiest Photos Of Victims Taken By Serial Killers - Listverse She'sgiveher the shirt off her back," McAlpine said. Investigators have confirmed that he killed at least 8 people, including the woman now known to be Skiple. 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. That this never happened. 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. They were able to identify her as Skiple on April 13. Pavlinac remarried, but her second husband died a few years later. The production features interviews between, Dangerous Ground: My Friendship with a Serial Killer.. Soon after Angela Subrize ran into Jesperson at a bar in Spokane, Washington in January 1995, she traveled east with him in his truck. Her actual identity is unknown, but "Susanna" which Jesperson has stated may have been her name was confirmed to be one of his victims because he knew about the tie wraps found around her throat. Criminal profiler Pat Brown calls the serial killer theory "ludicrous", arguing that the evidence does not fit what is known about serial killers. When she arrived, however, he was nowhere in sight. He strangled her and left her corpse in Oregon. Today, we're finishing our look at Keith Jesperson, the twisted murderer otherwise known as the Happy Face Killer. Victim 7: Angela Subrize, 21. Jesperson eventually settled in Selah, Washington with his wife and three children. His friend told him to get out of the car while he parked. Before he was identified as a serial killer, he anonymously confessed to his crimes in messages that contained smiley faces, leading to his being nicknamed the "Happy Face Killer." He was reported missing later that day by his mother, and a massive manhunt ensued. April 19, 2022, 7:31 PM PDT. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 'Happy Face Killer's' daughter believes he would kill again if released Smiley Face Killer Theory: The Evidence For And Against A smiley face was found spray-painted near where Homans body was found. "I sometimes now wonder, if he was freed now, if he was released, would he kill again? Surveillance footage captured Booth entering the bar where the celebration took place, but there is no video evidence of him leaving. Smiley Face Murders: More Victims, A Mother's Torment and Strange The only difference was that the American version, operating in the Midwest throughout the 1990s, spray painted a smiley face on his victims. While police didn't get any hard evidence, the recordings demonstrate how Pavlinac attempted to convince her boyfriend he played a role in Bennett's death. PHOTO: Justice for Mason/Facebook. Keith Hunter Jesperson (born 6 April 1955) is a Canadian-American serial killer who murdered at least eight women in the United States during the early 1990s. Today's episode is part 1 of our coverage of serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson. The DNA Doe Project identified Skiple's body in partnership with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office after it was found near westbound State Route 152. You can find episodes of Serial Killers and all other Spotify originals from podcast for free on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Jesperson reported that he was raped at age 14. . 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. Smiley face murder theory - Wikipedia He enjoyed watching animals kill each other as well as the feeling he got from taking their lives. 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. [33] The episode was released on July 9, 2021. The Smiley Face Killers. 'Happy Face Killer' Victim Identified 30 years After Body Found Near An Oregon mother was identified Tuesday as a victim of "the Happy Face Killer" nearly four decades after her body was found on the side of a . Rather than fall victim to the trauma surrounding her father's crimes and arrest, she processed the events. Despite the distance between them, some detectives think that drownings are actually the work of a serial killer or group of serial killers. California 'Happy Face Killer' victim ID'd after 29 years We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Melissa G. Moore, Jesperson's older daughter, wrote Shattered Silence: The Untold Story of a Serial Killers Daughter (2009). He strapped the woman beneath his big rig, the New York Post reported. His brother gave this letter to law enforcement. At the time of the incident, the females body was dressed in blue clothing and her identity was unknown, they wrote. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! "She was that kind of woman. You could tell where people had been in and out, the vehicles and everything else, limbs broke. Between 1990 and 1995, eight women died at the hands of Keith Hunter Jesperson, also known as the Happy Face Killer. Cloud State University. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. "He went off into the woods with her," Pavlinac told investigators. "Then it becameserious,a seriousargument. 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. Victims of the Smiley Face Killer | Photo Credits: Oxygen The Team of Men that Came Up With the Theory. According to former detective Kevin Gannon and Dr. Lee Gilbertson, Geib's head and shoulders were sticking out of the water. Bennett was found strangled to death near a scenic overlook at the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. 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. They divorced in 1989. 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. The area had been searched repeatedly in the weeks before his body was discovered, but no one had seen Booth. He left bodies in Oregon, California, Florida, Nebraska and Washington while working as a long-haul truck driver. Join Melissa Moore, host of Happy Face Season 1, as she helps Becky unravel the strange tale of her family, searching for answers to decades-old mysteries that remain unanswered in the modern day. In later years, Jesperson also sent anonymous letters to The Oregonian newspaper about what had become his multiple murders. 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. Pavlinac and Sosnovske were both arrested on 5 March 1990 and both were convicted of the murder on 8 February 1991. Homan and his friend somehow got separated during their walk home, and his friend ended up at the ER detox with a head injury after being picked up by police. In the majority of the cases, the victims were successful students and athletes who disappeared after a night out drinking with friends, and they were ultimately found dead in a body of water. He split from his wife in 1990 after 15 years of . [6] He graduated from high school in 1973, but did not attend college because his father did not believe he could do it. This finding is inconsistent with the belief that Booth drowned the night he disappeared. The victims were predominately white, male, athletic ("3.5 and above star athletes," according to Gannon), and young from 17 to early 20s. 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. Surveillance footage captured Booth entering the bar where the celebration took place, but there is no video evidence of him leaving. When investigators asked him why he decided to come forward, Jesperson listed two reasons. Jesperson met 21-year-old Bennett in a bar in Portland, Oregon. She told investigators she drove them to a scenic overlook at the Columbia Gorge, where Sosnovske told her to pull over. On October 8, 2009, Hurley went to the game with two friends. 45 colleged-aged males across a 20-year span. The "Smiley Face Killer" may or may not be a killer or group of killers who've murdered at least three dozen drunken white college-aged males, dumped their bodies in waterways, and taunted police by drawing a smiley face near the crime scene. Keith Hunter Jesperson | Criminal Minds Wiki | Fandom In the summer of 1992, Jesperson met "Claudia" at a truck checkpoint in California. On January 1, 2000, Northern Illinois University junior. Updated: Mar 3, 2021 (1955-) Who Is Keith Hunter. In the days following, Jesperson decided that he was certainly going to be arrested, and after two suicide attempts turned himself in hoping it would result in leniency during his sentencing. She changed her story again, this time to say she too was involved in Bennett's death. 'Happy Face Killer' Bay Area murder victim identified - SFGATE The Happy Face Killer: Mind of a Monster (2021) - Movie During the drive, Welzien started throwing up. However, a part of him wanted to claim credit, so he wrote about murdering Bennett in a bus terminal bathroom. According to Jesperson, after he killed his fifth victim in 1993 he managed to stave off murderous urges for more than a year by committing arson while on the road as a trucker. At some of the sites where the victims' bodies were found, smiley face graffiti had been left behind. He was known as the "Happy Face Killer" because he drew smiley faces on his many letters to the media and prosecutors. Jesperson claims she was a sex worker who climbed into his truck, even though he told her he wasnt interested in her services, according to the two-hour, , 26. After a series of letters are sent to the press, the killer earned the moniker, the Happy Face Killer. [7] Jesperson continued to spend time with his children when he was in town.