Many of his victims were sex workers and transients who had no connection to him. Dubbed the Long Island Serial Killer or the Craigslist Ripper, the extent of these unsolved crimes is still unknown. Jespersons second victim, known only as Claudia, was found murdered on August 30, 1992 in Blythe, California. THE HAPPY FACE K!LLER - KEITH HUNTER JESPERSON #storytelling She threatened to call the police, and he strangled her. 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. John Ingram, who worked on the case. went missing from Chicago, Illinois, after a night of celebrating Y2K with his friends. She would pop in and pop out, and over the years, She was that type of person.". She ran to get her mother, and when they returned, the kittens lay on the ground dead. In November 1995, a judge released Pavlinac and Sosnovske from prison. His victims, who were often raped and strangled, included short-term acquaintances, sex workers and a girlfriend. 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. The night of his disappearance, Geib made several calls from his cell phone. He never made it home. Various witnesses outside the hotel saw Welzien vomiting in the street. What doesn't make sense is that many of the 40 cases the investigators have looked into have puzzling evidence. The morning of October 2, Homan's body was found not far from the shore of the Mississippi River. After the murder, Jesperson remembered they'd spent days together and he'd let her use a credit card. Jesperson attempted suicide but ended up confessing to Winningham's murder. Although two different people were originally charged in Bennett's murder, the real killer turned out to be Keith Hunter Jesperson, who the media already knew as "The Happy Face Killer." Authorities came to believe they had convicted the wrong people. James' parents later hired a private investigator who organized a massive citywide search, which led tothe discovery of James' bodyin the Ohio River on March 6, 2017, 40 days after he had disappeared. 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. [7] He had watched and laughed as the kittens clawed each other to escape, then he killed them. For the 2014 film about Jesperson, see, List of serial killers in the United States, List of serial killers by number of victims, "The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)", "Serial killer receives fourth life sentence", "Dr. Phil Returns to The Oprah Show: My Father Is a Serial Killer", "ABC '20/20': Melissa Moore, Daughter Of Serial Killer, Opens Up Tonight About Life With 'Happy Face Killer' Keith Jesperson", "Meet Crime Watch Daily Correspondent Melissa Moore | Truecrimedaily.com", "My evil dad: Life as a serial killer's daughter", "Happy Face Presents: Two Face on Apple Podcasts", "Life After Happy Face on Apple Podcasts", Daughter of the 'Happy Face Killer' Talks About Growing Up With a Serial Killer Dad, Keith Hunter Jesperson: Happy Face Killer, Daughter of serial killer confronts her past, Radio Interview with Melissa Moore (daughter), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Keith_Hunter_Jesperson&oldid=1142498372, American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, Canadian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, Crimes against sex workers in the United States, People extradited within the United States, Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Oregon, Violence against women in the United States, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from November 2010, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 8 confirmed (confessed to as many as 185). are covered in bracing detail in the Oxygen special Snapped Notorious: The Happy Face Killer, now streaming. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. I just said it, this is close enough," she said. "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. Here's what the evidence says. 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. Jesperson worked as a truck driver to support the family. Jespersons heinous crimes as well as shocking twists in the case including a, couple who took the blame for one of his homicides. She called him a second time, but his cell phone seemed to be out of battery. Keith Jesperson | Photos | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers They had three children, two girls and a boy. His older daughter has described witnessing acts of animal cruelty that included Jesperson killing kittens. After Jesperson was in custody, he provided the location of Bennett's purse, which only the killer would know. Melissa G. Moore, Jesperson's older daughter, wrote Shattered Silence: The Untold Story of a Serial Killers Daughter (2009). He was found guilty of killing Bennett, Pentland, and Winningham and was sentenced to six consecutive and concurrent sentences. The Smiley Face Killer. Oddly,Geib's head and shoulders were sticking out of the wateras if he had gone for a swim. 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. 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. After he raped and strangled her, Jesperson dumped her body near the Columbia River Gorge, outside Portland. Most were strangers and some were sex workers. ". 'Happy Face Killer' case tapes reveal the lengths woman went to frame Potential "Smiley Face Killers" victim Todd Geib. Victim 6: Florida Jane Doe. Jesperson met 21-year-old Bennett in a bar in Portland, Oregon. After he raped and strangled her, Jesperson dumped her body near the Columbia River Gorge, outside Portland. Pentlands body was found in November 1992 after being discarded in Salem, Oregon. Hurley walked outside while Mahoney drove to the stadium to pick him up. Photo: Jespersons fifth victim was known only as Susanne, whom he met in Crestview, Florida. The Santa Clara County Sheriffs Department. 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 . On 30 August 1992, the currently unidentified body of a woman Jesperson had raped and strangled was found near Blythe, California, United States. She told investigators she had gone to the bar to meet Sosnovke, but Bennett was alive when she picked them up and both got in the car with her. Victim 5: California Jane Doe. Homan did not arrive for a golf outing the next day. . At the time, he was being investigated for the murder of 41-year-old Julie Winningham, who some described as his girlfriend. [00:02:05] Hi, everyone. Pieces of his artwork have been seen on "murderabilia" sites. After the body of his first victim, Taunja Bennett, was found, media attention surrounded Laverne Pavlinac, a woman who falsely confessed to having killed Bennett with the help of her abusive boyfriend, John Sosnovske. 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. The term "smiley face" became connected to their theory when the team . At age 35, Keith was 6'7.5" tall and weighed 240lbs. . The following morning, James did not show up for work. [15], Although Jesperson at one point claimed to have had as many as 160 victims,[16] only the eight women killed in Washington, Oregon, California, Florida, Nebraska, and Wyoming have been confirmed. Jesperson told Phelps they met at a truck stop and that after he agreed to give her a ride he felt like she was trying to play him. "I consider this the most dangerous domestic terrorist group in the United States today," said Gannon. I'll hurt your family.'". After a series of letters are sent to the press, the killer earned the moniker, the Happy Face Killer. She maintains a very private lifestyle, so not much is known about her. Keith Hunter Jesperson - Wikipedia 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. Mahoney said she drove around for an hour before returning home, thinking Hurley got another ride, and that when she got back, Hurley was still gone. He was known as the "Happy Face Killer" because he drew smiley faces on his many letters to the media and authorities. Jesperson reported that he was raped at age 14. 10 Twisted and Unbelievable Facts About the Happy Face Killer 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. Investigators have revealed the name of a heretofore unidentified victim of the "Happy Face Killer," nearly 30 years after her murder. Pavlinac then confessed to her. 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. Her body was discovered behind the Blueberry Hill Cafe in Turlock, California. In the summer of 1992, Jesperson met "Claudia" at a truck checkpoint in California. The renowned crime journalist and author of The Misbegotten Son turns his attention to serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, the "Happy Face Killer" from Oregon who strangled eight women in the 1990s, detailing his evolution from angry child to psychotic murderer. Surveillance footage captured Booth entering the bar where the celebration took place, but there is no video evidence of him leaving. 'Happy Face' Serial Killer Victim Identified Nearly 30 Years After Her 9 Currently Active Serial Killers: Unsolved Cases in 2020 Murderous Keith Hunter Jesperson became known as the Happy Face Killer for his boasting letters to police, signed with a smiley face. In September 2009, Jesperson was indicted in Riverside County, California, on murder charges; he was extradited in December 2009. Search dogs scoured the downtown area where Homan was last seen alive. 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. Happy Face stands out because of Moore 's intimate tie to the criminal in question. He strapped the woman beneath his big rig, the New York Post reported. Eight murders were eventually linked to Jesperson. Some of his victims, as seen in this timeline, have never been identified. [4] Because of this, Jesperson was a shy child, content to play by himself much of the time. 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. 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. 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. On September 29, 2006, 21-year-old Lucas Homan vanished from La Crosse, Wisconsin. And they were laughing," Pavlinac told investigators. That letter-writer turned out to be. 10 Creepiest Photos Of Victims Taken By Serial Killers - Listverse "Happy Face Killer" victim identified almost 30 years after her body Police saidthere were no signs of foul play, and his death was ruled an undetermined drowning. [29][30] In September 2018, podcast network HowStuffWorks began releasing a show called Happy Face[31] featuring interviews with Melissa about her childhood and her father. Kreuger, Peggy; Kendra Justice & Amy Hunt (March 2006). You can find episodes of Serial Killers and all other Spotify originals from podcast for free on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Others say there is no killer. This led Jesperson to violently attack Martin until his father pulled him away. I don't," Sosnovke is heard saying on the tape. Jesperson was a. In these supposed "Smiley Face" serial killings, popular, high-achieving, athletic young men (i.e. The Lonely Hearts Killer, was a truly frightening and twisted serial murderer in the late 1950s. California 'Happy Face Killer' Victim ID'd After 29 Years Director Carl Hindmarch Stars Doug Bates Janine Brugnone Beghtol Rick Buckner See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist 1 User review In September 1994, the body of a woman was found in Florida. But it was all a lie. "John That's the worst thing you've ever gotten yourself into," she told him. "He says, 'Because I choked her' I said, 'I think weneed to take her to a hospital. Revealed as the Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson confessed to killing eight women in Florida, California, Oregon, Wyoming, and Washington. Victim 1: Taunja Bennett. [27] In November 2014, she wrote an article about her father for the BBC.[28]. 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 . Tommy Booth, 24, disappeared on January 19, 2008 from a bar in Woodlyn, Pennsylvania. Gannon, Duarte, Donovan and Gilbertson claim an organized group of serial killers would drug unsuspecting victims at a bar or party then abduct, hold and torture the victims before finally killing and dumping the bodies in water. She was killed in Washington state on March 10, 1995, and her body was discovered the next day. Her body, which had been strangled and tied up with duct tape, was found on August 30, 1992. Her body disintegrated against the hot asphalt as he drove. Her body was found after his arrest. Jesperson met 21-year-old Bennett in a bar in Portland, Oregon. was 23 years old when he went missing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jesperson signed each letter with a smiley face. Pavlinac remarried, but her second husband died a few years later. "She was a free spirit, and she would go here, there, and she would go to work at a place, and wouldn't work for very long because she would always go out on the road. Based on Pavlinac's statements, and that Sosnovke failed a polygraph test, authorities arrested Sosnovke on murder charges. Hurley's mother received a copy of the autopsy report and allowed aphysician to analyze the report. It had been washed ashore on a beach in Gary, Indiana, 30 miles south of Chicago. 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. 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. These convictions meant Jesperson was unlikely to ever face charges for his crime. 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. 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. He was known as the "Happy Face Killer" because he drew smiley faces on his many letters to the media and prosecutors. Jesperson's first victim, 23-year-old Taunja Bennett, was killed on January 21, 1990. He received multiple life sentences for several of these crimes but was spared the death penalty. [7] Jesperson continued to spend time with his children when he was in town. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! [8][16] This led Phil Stanford, the journalist working the story for The Oregonian, to dub Jesperson "The Happy Face Killer". Remembering the first known victim of Happy Face serial killer. In both cases, and as per usual . Strangulation was Jesperson's preferred method of murdering, the same method he often used to kill animals as a child. Six days after his disappearance,Hurley's body was foundin the Charles River, close to where he asked Mahoney to pick him up. Happy Face Killer (TV Movie 2014) - IMDb There, he assaulted, beat and strangled her. She was a previously-unidentified woman named Patricia Skiple,[12] who, he claimed, was named "Carla" or "Cindy". 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. He was sentenced to life in prison while Pavlinac was sentenced to no less than ten years, much more than she had anticipated. In 1975, when Jesperson was aged 20, he married Rose Hucke, and the couple had three children: two daughters and one son. Pavlinac set up a meeting with investigators and gave a false confession, using the details she had read in the newspaper to give a detailed story of how Sosnovske forced her to help him rape, murder, and dispose of Bennett's body. Taunja Bennett, 23, is seen here in this undated photo. Keith Hunter Jesperson (born April 6, 1955) is a Canadian-American serial killer who murdered at least eight women in the United States during the early 1990s. After he strangled them, he dumped the dead bodies on the side of the road. But when investigators were unable to match the purse and denim piece to Bennett, they confronted Pavlinac about fabricating evidence. "Just so many bad things that happened in her life that I think, I don't know, it caused her to kinda snap or something," McAlpine said. , who survived a violent encounter with Jesperson when she was 21. [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. In reality, smiley face is a joyous symbol to convey happiness and joy, which is used everywhere from message chatting to letters to wall decoration in our daily lives. At the time of the incident, the females body was dressed in blue clothing and her identity was unknown, they wrote. After getting in an argument with Bennett, he strangled her to death with his hands and disposed of her body. The Smiley Face Killer - Serialkillercalendar.com Punched her, slapped her. He told investigatorshe could not remember anythingthat happened that night. She then described how she watched Sosnovske have sex with Bennett while he directed her to hold a rope around her neck, and that she believed she pulled the rope too tight, killing Bennett. In September 1994, another Jane Doe was found in Crestview, Florida. Detective Rick Buckner has to prove Keith Jesperson is the serial killer known as Happy Face Killer, guilty of murdering a woman in 1995, and has to make sure he is . That triggered him. jocks) usually after a night of drinking at a bar are kidnapped, tortured, murdered and then their . I'll go to death row.'". 'Life After Happy Face': Serial killer's daughter and expert As a child, he was cruel to animals he killed cats and snakes and, under the guise of hunting, inflicted pain on creatures like deer, rabbits, and coyotes. And that's how I remember her," said Melissa Gavin, her longtime friend. His brothers did not help him, instead they nicknamed him "Igor" or "Ig", a name that stuck throughout his school years. His fourth victim was another sex worker, Laurie Ann Pentland of Salem, Oregon, whose body was found in November 1992. Jesperson killed his next victim in June 1993 in Santa Nella, California. ET on ABC. Sometimes they even brag about it. Cloud State University. Laverne Pavlinac and John Sosnovske are seen here in this 1985 family photo. To learn more about this case, watch Snapped Notorious: The Happy Face Killer, streaming now on Oxygen. Killer: Keith Hunter Jesperson - Happy Face Killer profiled on Killer.Cloud The man said "99 Nashua Street, and Hurley said his cell phone battery was going dead. They were able to identify her as Skiple on April 13. Keith Hunter Jesperson - Crimes. Family & Letters - Biography By Tim Stelloh. Skiples remains were found on the side of. 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. He is now 66 years old, according to his prison records. My evil dad: Life as a serial killer's daughter - BBC News The Happy Face Killer: Mind of a Monster (2021) - Movie Alleged Smiley Face Killer Victims: Dakota James, Tommy Booth, Lucas All calls are toll-free and confidential.