But a few days later, they got another call from Pavlinac. 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 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. Victim 4:Laurie Ann Pentland, 26. He was reported missing later that day by his mother, and a massive manhunt ensued. A television movie, Happy Face Killer, starring David Arquette as Jesperson, aired in 2014. Jespersons second victim, known only as Claudia, was found murdered on August 30, 1992 in Blythe, California. 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 last known victim was a woman he dated, which led to his capture and incarceration for life. Due to the unknown identity of the female adult, Cold Case Detectives later referred to Jane Doe as Blue Pacheco.. 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. These convictions meant Jesperson was unlikely to ever face charges for his crime. Some say the Smiley Face Killer has taken 40 victims over two decades. On September 29, 2006, 21-year-old Lucas Homan vanished from La Crosse, Wisconsin. How "Happy Face Killer" Keith Jesperson's Daughter Discovered His Detectives first became aware of Pavlinac when she anonymously called them to report that she overheard Sosnovske at a bar bragging about killing Bennett. 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 . Safety in numbers is the name of the game, before, during and after a night out on the town. When she arrived, however, he was nowhere in sight. When investigators asked him why he decided to come forward, Jesperson listed two reasons. Jesperson was a. A journalist noticed the symbol and came up with the Happy Face Killer nickname. [6] He graduated from high school in 1973, but did not attend college because his father did not believe he could do it. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. Over the past 20 years, hundreds of college-aged men across the US have died as the result of undetermined or accidental drownings. 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. He then sought work again as an interstate truck driver after relocating to Cheney, Washington. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Jesperson's last victim was the crime that ultimately led to his capture. The Insane Details of the Smiley Face Killers Theory; The Most Recent Alleged Smiley Face Killers' Victims Highlight How Long This Theory Has . Victim 5: California Jane Doe. But when investigators were unable to match the purse and denim piece to Bennett, they confronted Pavlinac about fabricating evidence. But to Melissa Moore, he was more than just a serial killer . Laverne Pavlinac, right, touches the tear-stained face of her grandaughter, Nicole Sullivan, after being released from prison in Salem, Ore., Nov. 27, 1995. Jesperson was born on April 6, 1955, in British Columbia, Canada. Killing Killers: 10 tips for eluding the Smiley Face killers Welzien's friends said he had only three or four drinks, but by the end of the night he seemed very intoxicated. In later years, Jesperson also sent anonymous letters to The Oregonian newspaper about what had become his multiple murders. [8], In November 2008, Jesperson's daughter, Melissa G. Moore, appeared on Dr. Phil to talk about her father. Soon after Angela Subrize ran into Jesperson at a bar in Spokane, Washington in January 1995, she traveled east with him in his truck. Smiley faces again served as his signature, prompting a journalist to dub Jesperson the "Happy Face Killer.". 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. After the murder, Jesperson remembered they'd spent days together and he'd let her use a credit card. Police have not saidif a smiley face was present near the death site. 'Happy Face' Serial Killer Victim Identified Nearly 30 Years After Her Jesperson became a suspect after Winningham's was found since he was known to be her boyfriend. Pavlinac made this false statement because she wanted to escape her abusive relationship with Sosnovske. A journalist noticed the symbol and came up with the Happy Face Killer nickname. 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. 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 . He received multiple life sentences for several of these crimes but was spared the death penalty. 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. whos serving multiple concurrent sentences in Oregon State Penitentiary. The last known sighting of the Duquesne University graduate student was caught on asurveillance camera in the downtown area. But in the process, she also falsely implicated herself. The first victim was found in 1997. Julie Winningham is seen here in this undated photo. Jesperson signed each letter with a smiley face. Rather than fall victim to the trauma surrounding her father's crimes and arrest, she processed the events. .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. That this never happened. And that's how I remember her," said Melissa Gavin, her longtime friend. Other students hold photos of Mr. Jesperson's victims. [7] She was a correspondent for Crime Watch Daily. Investigators have revealed the name of a heretofore unidentified victim of the "Happy Face Killer," nearly 30 years after her murder. On Monday, the Santa Clara County Sheriff . All drowned after getting intoxicated. "She was very giving. April 19, 2022, 7:31 PM PDT. Hurley's mother received a copy of the autopsy report and allowed aphysician to analyze the report. I thought, 'Oh my God, it felt like I put my mother in jail.'". "I [had] seen all these tracks and all this and that. Jesperson worked as a truck driver to support the family. She called him a second time, but his cell phone seemed to be out of battery. Jesperson, also called the "Happy Face Killer", who is serving two life sentences in Oregon in connection with guilty pleas to two murders. 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. Kreuger, Peggy; Kendra Justice & Amy Hunt (March 2006). Smiley Face Murders: More Victims, A Mother's Torment and Strange Jesperson reported that he was raped at age 14. 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. B. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. 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. "Happy Face Killer" victim identified almost 30 years after her body 9 Currently Active Serial Killers: Unsolved Cases in 2022 (2023) are covered in bracing detail in the Oxygen special Snapped Notorious: The Happy Face Killer, now streaming. One of them was to a friend. The Happy Face Killer Pt. 1-Creepy Cascadia 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. After he raped and strangled her, Jesperson dumped her body near the Columbia River Gorge, outside Portland. Several years later, Hucke began to suspect Jesperson was having affairs when strange women would call. Police saidthere were no signs of foul play, and his death was ruled an undetermined drowning. The police gave him the nickname "The Happy Face Killer" as he would leave a happy face on his confession letters to the media. Happy Face stands out because of Moore 's intimate tie to the criminal in question. Per Courthouse News Service, Slagle is a registered nurse and grandmother residing in Chico, Calif. I don't," Sosnovke is heard saying on the tape. After Pavlinac confessed to investigators, her daughter said she got a call from the detectives asking her to come to her mother's house right away. His fourth victim was another sex worker, Laurie Ann Pentland of Salem, Oregon, whose body was found in November 1992. In April 1990, he sexually assaulted a woman who managed to escape. She was a mother and approximately 45 years old at the time she was killed. One of Welzien's friends, Nick Young, stayed behind. 'Life After Happy Face': Serial killer's daughter and expert The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. He left bodies in Oregon, California, Florida, Nebraska and Washington while working as a long-haul truck driver. That triggered him. I will be writing about that more in the future so stay tuned. Patrick McNeill is thought to be the first victim of the Smiley Face Killers. The smiley face murder theory (also known as the smiley face murders, smiley face killings, and smiley face gang) is a theory advanced by retired New York City detectives Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte, as well as Dr. Lee Gilbertson, a criminal justice professor and gang expert at St. Murderous Keith Hunter Jesperson became known as the Happy Face Killer for his boasting letters to police, signed with a smiley face. A smiley face was found spray painted on an underpass near where James body was discovered. Her body was found on a roadside rock pile in Santa Nella, California. [10] Jesperson soon realized that this job afforded him the opportunity to kill without being suspected. He showed signs of psychopathic behavior from an early age which included torturing animals and attacking other children. Halfway through the game, Hurley called hisfiance, ClaireMahoney, pictured above, and said he wanted to leave. 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. '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 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. He has said he strangled her because she wouldn't let him sleep. Canadian-American serial killer (born 1955), "Happy Face Killer" redirects here. His brothers did not help him, instead they nicknamed him "Igor" or "Ig", a name that stuck throughout his school years. After Jesperson came forward in March 1995, he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder charges for Bennett and Winningham of Camas, Washington, his last known victim. They met at a truck stop in Corning, California. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. 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. Pavlinac soon admitted to making up her entire story, but her claims were ignored. Buddy up at all times. [7] He had watched and laughed as the kittens clawed each other to escape, then he killed them. While he has claimed to have killed as many as 160 people, only eight murders have been confirmed. M. William Phelps penned a memoir about his interactions with Jesperson: Dangerous Ground: My Friendship with a Serial Killer (2017). "Theyhave her tell me the story and I looked at her again, and I said, 'Mom, are you sure?' Ciao ragazzi, oggi vi raccontiamo la storia di un assassino seriale che ha ucciso almeno 8 vittime in cinque anni e soprannominato "The Happy Face Killer". Pavlinac remarried, but her second husband died a few years later. She threatened to call the police, and he strangled her. Mahoney drove to the address, but Hurley was not there. 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. Transcript of "The Happy Face Killer" | Happy Scribe The Lonely Hearts Killer, was a truly frightening and twisted serial murderer in the late 1950s. 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. [1] Bennett was found strangled to death near a scenic overlook at the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. Keith Hunter Jesperson, also known as "The Happy Face Killer ," is serving a life sentence in prison today. In November 1995, a judge released Pavlinac and Sosnovske from prison. Moore recounts living with Jesperson until her parents' 1990 divorce, and noticing how her father was different when she was in elementary school. In September 1994, the body of a woman was found in Florida. Jesperson got away easily so long as he was killing women he did not know, but his impulsivity got the best of him, and eventually, he murdered someone he did knowhis own girlfriend. Happy Face Killer victim's body identified after 29 years 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. of Victims 8-185 killed 5 attempted Span of crimes 1995/1966-March 10, 1995 (confirmed) Criminal Charges Homan did not arrive for a golf outing the next day. He would go on to share details of the crime on other restroom walls. Melissa Moore's father, known as the Happy Face Killer, murdered eight or more women. By Joseph Diaz, Scott Engel, Emily Wynn, Jenner Smith, and Lauren Effron November 4, 2021, 3:32 AM 1:24 Laverne Pavlinac and John Sosnovske are seen here in this 1985 family photo. He showed signs of psychopathic behavior from an. That night, he had been celebrating a friend's 21st birthday with a group of friends. She also said she was able to point to the location of Bennett's body based on where the brush had been cleared away. Cloud State University. Tommy Booth, 24, disappeared on January 19, 2008 from a bar in Woodlyn, Pennsylvania. Potential "Smiley Face Killers" victim Todd Geib. 9 Currently Active Serial Killers: Unsolved Cases in 2020 I think that she was at a bad place in her life," said her daughter Darlene Carpenter. . Victim 3:Cynthia Lyn Rose, 32, was found dead in September 1992. The Happy Face Killer Keith Hunter Jesperson - Medium His victims, who were often raped and strangled, included short-term acquaintances, sex workers and a girlfriend. James' body, however, had almost no visible damage, which was highly suspicious because it had traveled through heavily trafficked river. I'llgo to the pen. She claimed to have found a strange purse in the trunk of her car with a piece of denim from a pair of jeans inside -- When Bennett was found, her purse was gone and her jeans were missing the fly. Smiley Face Killers - Fact or Fiction? - Positively Pittsburgh Sometimes they even brag about it. California 'Happy Face Killer' victim identified after 29 years By Associated Press 8:06am Apr 20, 2022 A victim of the Happy Face Killer has been identified nearly 30 years after her body was left near a California highway, authorities said this week. Jesperson met 21-year-old Bennett in a bar in Portland, Oregon. Jesperson met 21-year-old Bennett in a bar in Portland, Oregon. Jesperson is currently serving a sentence of life without parole at the Oregon State Penitentiary. 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. California investigators have identified a victim of the Happy Face Killer using DNA nearly 30 years after her body was left near a California highway. Who Is "Happy Face Killer" Survivor Daun Slagle and Where Is She Now? 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. 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. Because of their relationship, authorities connected her death to him. According to former detective Kevin Gannon and Dr. Lee Gilbertson, Geib's head and shoulders were sticking out of the water. At some of the sites where the victims' bodies were found, smiley face graffiti had been left behind. "Madonna, that's what she listened to all day," White said. I knew it had to be around there someplace. The night of his disappearance, Geib made several calls from his cell phone. During the drive, Welzien started throwing up. [He said,] 'No, no. The area had been searched repeatedly in the weeks before his body was discovered, but no one had seen Booth. Jesperson married Rose Hucke on August 2, 1975. Welzien's friends said he had only three or four drinks, but by the end of the night he seemed very intoxicated. The Happy Face Killer: Mind of a Monster - IMDb Tension in the marriage increased, and after fourteen years, while Jesperson was on the road, Hucke packed up her and her children's belongings and drove 200 miles away to live with her parents in Spokane, Washington. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! She would pop in and pop out, and over the years, She was that type of person.". Halfway through the game, Hurley called hisfiance, ClaireMahoney, pictured above, and said he wanted to leave. Alcohol and antidepressants were foundin Geib's toxicology screen, but it was reported thatGeib was not sufferingfrom any form of depression at the time. Alleged Smiley Face Killer Victims: Dakota James, Tommy Booth, Lucas There, he assaulted, beat and strangled her. At the time, he was being investigated for the murder of 41-year-old Julie Winningham, who some described as his girlfriend. "I said 'Why is she dead?'" All Rights Reserved. Her real name remains a mystery. 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 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. Jesperson was a middle child, with an older sister and brother and a younger sister and brother. She later rescinded her confession, but in 1991 a jury still found her guilty. 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. , 24, disappeared on January 19, 2008 from a bar in Woodlyn, Pennsylvania. The 'Smiley Face Killer' Theory That Connects 40 College Students In 1990, Taunja Bennett was found dead near a scenic overlook at the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. The daughter of a man dubbed the "Happy Face Killer" has revealed the suffering she went through after discovering her father, Keith Jesperson, was a serial rapist and murderer who preyed on what he once claimed was as many as 185 people over a five-year span. They had three children, two girls and a boy. California 'Happy Face Killer' Victim ID'd After 29 Years 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. 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. Jesperson attempted suicide but ended up confessing to Winningham's murder. He enjoyed watching animals kill each other as well as the feeling he got from taking their lives. A "witchy" smiley face left at a murder site of the supposed "Smiley Face Serial Killer" seems to represent Charlie Manson. [17] He was convicted of another murder and received a fourth life sentence in January 2010. 'Happy Face Killer' case tapes reveal the lengths woman went to frame And just like his British counterpart, the police denied . Published: Apr. 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. went missing after leaving a Bruins hockey game in Boston,Massachusetts. Authorities came to believe they had convicted the wrong people. Keith Hunter Jesperson - Crimes. Family & Letters - Biography We need to report this, John.' went missing from Chicago, Illinois, after a night of celebrating Y2K with his friends. 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. Others say there is no killer. He decided to drag her body underneath his truck to impede identification. 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. He would often get into trouble for behaving badly, sometimes violently, and would be severely punished by his father. Director Carl Hindmarch Stars Doug Bates Janine Brugnone Beghtol Rick Buckner See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist 1 User review This led Jesperson to violently attack Martin until his father pulled him away. Jesperson claims that her name was Susanne. While in custody, Jesperson began revealing details of his killings and making claims of many others, most of which he later recanted. 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. A smiley face was found painted near the river. Jesperson eventually settled in Selah, Washington with his wife and three children. 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. In both cases, and as per usual . She had changed her story so many times that investigators said they wondered if she was telling the truth. New clues in alleged 'Smiley Face Killer' murders - FOX 32 Chicago "To come clean get it all over, the record straight. His last known victim was a woman he dated, which led to his capture and, During his depraved spree, Jesperson taunted authorities with anonymous. My evil dad: Life as a serial killer's daughter - BBC News