She had changed her story so many times that investigators said they wondered if she was telling the truth. Jesperson murdered another woman in August 1992 at a Turlock, California truck stop. The couple divorced in 1990.[8]. 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]. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Idaho Murders: What Led Police to Bryan Kohberger, Adnan Syed: A Complete Timeline of His Trial, Appeal and Killing of Hae Min Lee. 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. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In 2019, investigators began utilizing genetic genealogy in an attempt to identify Blue Pacheco, partnering with the nonprofit DNA Doe Project. Sosnovske was brought in for questioning and denied any involvement. He was known as the "Happy Face Killer" because he drew smiley faces on his many letters to the media and prosecutors. Jespersons second victim, known only as Claudia, was found murdered on August 30, 1992 in Blythe, California. [2] Jesperson's father was a domineering alcoholic; according to Jesperson, his paternal grandfather was prone to violence. Revealed as the Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson confessed to killing eight women in Florida, California, Oregon, Wyoming, and Washington. Or 'I will cause trouble for your family. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! She's told her own daughter the same story, very convincingly.' Patrick McNeill is thought to be the first victim of the Smiley Face Killers. The Smiley Face Killers. In later years, Jesperson also sent anonymous letters to The Oregonian newspaper about what had become his multiple murders. Authorities came to believe they had convicted the wrong people. He strapped the woman beneath his big rig,. Her identity remains unknown. On October 8, 2009, Hurley went to the game with two friends. Sometimes they even brag about it. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The body of a woman found near Gilroy, California was this week identified as Patricia Skiple, a victim of the Happy Face Killer. Sosnovske would later plead no contest to the murder charge. "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 older daughter has described witnessing acts of animal cruelty that included Jesperson killing kittens. In September 2009, Jesperson was indicted in Riverside County, California, on murder charges; he was extradited in December 2009. When contacted by sheriffs detectives, he said he had gagged her with duct tape, raped her in the sleeping cab of his rig and strangled her, reported the Spokesman-Review. However, the kicker is that these drownings happening in 11 different states. Today's episode is part 1 of our coverage of serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson. He was sentenced to life in prison while Pavlinac was sentenced to no less than ten years, much more than she had anticipated. His last known victim was a woman he dated, which led to his capture and incarceration for life. jocks) usually after a night of drinking at a bar are kidnapped, tortured, murdered and then their . Mahoney drove to the address, but Hurley was not there. Their work has spawned an Oxygen series, Smiley Face Killers: The Hunt for Justice, which aired in January 2019. The only difference was that the American version, operating in the Midwest throughout the 1990s, spray painted a smiley face on his victims. 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. His friend told him to get out of the car while he parked. of Victims 8-185 killed 5 attempted Span of crimes 1995/1966-March 10, 1995 (confirmed) Criminal Charges The last known sighting of the Duquesne University graduate student was caught on asurveillance camera in the downtown area. Her sister Michelle White said Bennett was a compassionate person who loved everyone.. Bennett was found strangled to death near a scenic overlook at the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. Others say there is no killer. Alcohol and antidepressants were foundin Geib's toxicology screen, but it was reported thatGeib was not sufferingfrom any form of depression at the time. Strangulation was Jesperson's preferred method of murdering, the same method he often used to kill animals as a child. Pentlands body was found in November 1992 after being discarded in Salem, Oregon. The message was signed with a smiley face. 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. During his depraved spree, Jesperson taunted authorities with anonymous confessions signed with a smiley face. This victim has been identified as Cynthia Lynn (Rose) Wilcox. "To come clean get it all over, the record straight. Pavlinac and Sosnovske were both arrested on 5 March 1990 and both were convicted of the murder on 8 February 1991. Many of his victims were sex workers and transients who had no connection to him. But the judge did not overturn Pavlinac's conviction, writing he did not find a constitutional defect with her trial since she had been convicted by a jury of her peers. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Pavlinac made this false statement because she wanted to escape her abusive relationship with Sosnovske. 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. At some of the sites where the victims' bodies were found, smiley face graffiti had been left behind. Jesperson became a suspect after Winningham's was found since he was known to be her boyfriend. . 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. 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. Remains found in Merced County, California on June 3, 1993, belonged to a Jesperson victim he has said was called "Cindy." 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. And just like his British counterpart, the police denied . When investigators asked him why he decided to come forward, Jesperson listed two reasons. Her body, which had been strangled and tied up with duct tape, was found on August 30, 1992. Serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, also known as the "Happy Face Killer," brutally murdered eight women between 1990 and 1995. As she and Sosnovske started their life sentences, one of the United States' most notorious serial killers continued his murder spree. His friends went up to their room and never saw Welzien again. Oddly,Geib's head and shoulders were sticking out of the wateras if he had gone for a swim. 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. are covered in bracing detail in the Oxygen special Snapped Notorious: The Happy Face Killer, now streaming. Jesperson is serving four life sentences without possibility of parole in Oregon. Buddy up at all times. He left bodies in Oregon, California, Florida, Nebraska and Washington while working as a long-haul truck driver. She'sgiveher the shirt off her back," McAlpine said. Largely considered an urban legend, the Smiley Face Killer, like the Manchester Pusher, murdered his victims by drowning. 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. The Santa Clara County Sheriffs Department announced on Tuesday that, using genetic genealogy, they were able to identify a body found in 1993 as Patricia Skiple of Colton, Oregon. They met at a truck stop in Corning, California. I'm thinking, 'My God, she is actually involved in this,'" Ingram said. On January 25, 2017 around 11:30 p.m., James was walking back to his apartment after a night out drinking with friends and co-workers. [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. Laverne Pavlinac and John Sosnovske are seen here in this 1985 family photo. Her body was found on a roadside rock pile in Santa Nella, California. 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. In March 2018, she was featured in an episode, titled "Put on a Happy Face", of the Investigation Discovery true crime series Evil Lives Here. 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. Jesperson's first known victim was Taunja Bennett on 21 January 1990, near Portland, Oregon, United States. A "witchy" smiley face left at a murder site of the supposed "Smiley Face Serial Killer" seems to represent Charlie Manson. 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. 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. Hundreds of college-aged men have died in accidental or undetermined drownings. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Punched her, slapped her. Director Rick Bota Writer Richard Christian Matheson Stars David Arquette Gloria Reuben Daryl Shuttleworth See production, box office & company info "I don't think she was in love with him. Laverne Pavlinac is seen here showing investigators where Taunja Bennett's body was found, even though she had nothing to do with the crime. Potential "Smiley Face Killers" victim Todd Geib. 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. In both cases, and as per usual . The body of Julie Winningham, 41, of Camas, Washington, was found alongside a Washington State road in 1995. Jesperson described murdering her, like other women he killed, as putting her out of her misery.. He was reported missing later that day by his mother, and a massive manhunt ensued. Jesperson claims he killed her after she tried to double charge him for sex, according to Snapped Notorious: The Happy Face Killer.. However, Jesperson.css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;} later said he actually killed another woman and did not recognize Wilcox's photo. A jury had convicted a Portland woman named Laverne Pavlinac based on her detailed confession to police that she helped her boyfriend John Sosnovske rape and kill the 23-year-old. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Watch Happy Face Killer on Lifetime Movie Club. Safety in numbers is the name of the game, before, during and after a night out on the town. PHOTO: Justice for Mason/Facebook. Welzien's friends said he had only three or four drinks, but by the end of the night he seemed very intoxicated. Some of his victims, as seen in this timeline, have never been identified. When she arrived, however, he was nowhere in sight. Dubbed the Long Island Serial Killer or the Craigslist Ripper, the extent of these unsolved crimes is still unknown. "Madonna, that's what she listened to all day," White said. 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. Skiple was known to family and friends as Patsy, according to the sheriffs department. FILE - Accused murderer Keith Hunter Jesperson, dubbed the Happy Face Killer, right, listens to his attorney . [32] The series had 12 episodes. Serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, also known as the "Happy Face Killer," brutally murdered eight women between 1990 and 1995. That letter-writer turned out to be. In 1990, shortly after his marriage ended, Keith Jesperson, a long-haul trucker from Selah, Washington, began killing women. In the years following, Jesperson said he often thought about what it would be like to do the same to a human. His death was ruleda probable drowning, and there wereno signs of trauma. Tommy Booth, 24, disappeared on January 19, 2008 from a bar in Woodlyn, Pennsylvania. 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 . Despite the distance between them, some detectives think that drownings are actually the work of a serial killer or group of serial killers. "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. . In November 1995, a judge released Pavlinac and Sosnovske from prison. Over the past 20 years, hundreds of college-aged men across the US have died as the result of undetermined or accidental drownings. Cloud State University. Detectives first became aware of Pavlinac when she anonymously called them to report that she overheard Sosnovske at a bar bragging about killing Bennett. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department announced. 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. He had given police officers the location of the victim's purse. His father often punished Jesperson by hitting him with a leather belt. Jespersons heinous crimes as well as shocking twists in the case including a, couple who took the blame for one of his homicides. He duct-taped her mouth and hands before raping and strangling her. 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. 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. She told investigators she drove them to a scenic overlook at the Columbia Gorge, where Sosnovske told her to pull over. One day, she watched, horrified, as he hung stray kittens from the family's clothesline. She then reported Hurley missing, and various searches were conducted. Jesperson sent the photo to the Duquesne University students. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. The Pittsburgh police theorized James fell into the river while crossing a bridge near the city center and drowned. 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). I will be writing about that more in the future so stay tuned. 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. This included beatings, sometimes with a belt in front of others, and in one case he received an electric shock. 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 went off into the woods with her," Pavlinac told investigators. Happy Face stands out because of Moore 's intimate tie to the criminal in question. "She slapped him. While he has claimed to have killed as many as 160 people, only eight murders have been confirmed. 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 that kind of woman. But in the process, she also falsely implicated herself. 45 colleged-aged males across a 20-year span. . 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. He received multiple life sentences for several of these crimes but was spared the death penalty. Pavlinac soon admitted to making up her entire story, but her claims were ignored. ". His brother gave this letter to law enforcement. 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. He showed signs of psychopathic behavior from an. 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. Hurley's mother received a copy of the autopsy report and allowed aphysician to analyze the report. I don't," Sosnovke is heard saying on the tape. 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. That's when they said she implicated herself in the murder, according to Det. "Now, I'm thinking, 'She's confessed she's pointed out the dump site, she's confessed to us on tape. [7] She was a correspondent for Crime Watch Daily. 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. After getting in an argument with Bennett, he strangled her to death with his hands and disposed of her body. Investigators have confirmed that he killed at least 8 people, including the woman now known to be Skiple. She previously claimed to the FBI that he was a wanted bank robber and frequently complained to Sosnovske's probation officer that he was drinking too much. The two would often get into trouble together, and Jesperson claimed he was often punished many times for things Martin had done and shifted the blame. NR Jul 18th, 2021 Documentary. In September 1994, another Jane Doe was found in Crestview, Florida. [11] Jesperson gives the Jane Doe's name as Claudia. On Monday, the Santa Clara County Sheriff . They were able to identify her as Skiple on April 13. Pentlands body was found in November 1992 after being discarded in Salem, Oregon. She also said she was able to point to the location of Bennett's body based on where the brush had been cleared away. They had three children, two girls and a boy. Laverne Pavlinac convinced investigators she and John Sosnovske had killed Taunja Bennett, when they hadn't. That triggered him. A television movie, Happy Face Killer, starring David Arquette as Jesperson, aired in 2014. Victim 3:Cynthia Lyn Rose, 32, was found dead in September 1992. He had a relationship with his final victim and became a suspect after her body was discovered in March 1995. 18, 2022, 3:19 p.m. Patricia Skiple, who lived in Colton, Oregon, has been identified as a victim of Keith Jesperson, the "Happy Face Killer," almost 30 years after Skiple's body . And they were laughing," Pavlinac told investigators. Julie Winningham is the last known victim of Keith Hunter Jesperson. 2. "The Smiley Face Killers" movie was . Taunja Bennett, 23, is seen here in this undated photo. Soon after Angela Subrize ran into Jesperson at a bar in Spokane, Washington in January 1995, she traveled east with him in his truck. Most were strangers and some were sex workers. About two weeks after he went missing,Booth's body was foundfacedown in a creek behind the bar. Photo: Smiley faces again served as his signature, prompting a journalist to dub Jesperson the "Happy Face Killer.". [10][14], Jesperson was arrested on 30 March 1995 for the murder of Julie Winningham. 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. His brothers did not help him, instead they nicknamed him "Igor" or "Ig", a name that stuck throughout his school years. While in custody, Jesperson began revealing details of his killings and making claims of many others, most of which he later recanted. In 1990, Taunja Bennett was found dead near a scenic overlook at the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. Remembering the first known victim of Happy Face serial killer. He never made it home. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. He left her remains in Nebraska, though Subrize was likely killed in Wyoming. At age 35, standing 6feet 7inches (2.01m) and weighing approximately 255 pounds (116kg),[9] Jesperson began working toward the goal of joining the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), but an injury suffered while training ended this endeavor. Pavlinac then confessed to her. He showed signs of psychopathic behavior from an early age which included torturing animals and attacking other children. 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. These convictions meant Jesperson was unlikely to ever face charges for his crime. Jesperson met 21-year-old Bennett in a bar in Portland, Oregon. '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. He told investigatorshe could not remember anythingthat happened that night. [6] He graduated from high school in 1973, but did not attend college because his father did not believe he could do it. The Santa Clara County Sheriffs Department. He has said he strangled her because she wouldn't let him sleep. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. 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." That's whyall ofthis doesn'tmake sense. [5] This continued as he got older. He was reported missing later that day by his mother, and a massive manhunt ensued. When Young came back to the hotel around 4 a.m. and realized Welzien was not in their room, he searched the area outside the hotel. One New York serial killer has been plying his grisly trade for over twenty years now, killing at least ten victims between 1996 and 2010, and possibly more we haven't yet discovered. Victim 2: California Jane Doe. , 32, was found dead in September 1992. Jesperson grew up in Chilliwack, Canada before moving to Selah, Washington with his family when he was 12. whos serving multiple concurrent sentences in Oregon State Penitentiary. Keith Hunter Jesperson committed his first murder in 1990. Jesperson married Rose Hucke on August 2, 1975. At some of the sites where the victims' bodies were found, smiley face graffiti had been left behind. [10] Jesperson soon realized that this job afforded him the opportunity to kill without being suspected. Eight murders were eventually linked to Jesperson. At age 35, Keith was 6'7.5" tall and weighed 240lbs. Victim 4:Laurie Ann Pentland, 26. On January 25, 2017 around 11:30 p.m., James was walking back to his apartment after a night out drinking with friends and co-workers. Criminal profiler Pat Brown calls the serial killer theory "ludicrous", arguing that the evidence does not fit what is known about serial killers. The footage captured James entering a dark alley, and that was the last time he was seen alive. California investigators have identified a victim of the West Coast's notorious "Happy Face Killer" nearly 30 years after her body was discovered near a highway in 1993, officials recently . 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. 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.