On April 23 in Hamburg and the following weekend in Dusseldorf, the bodies of young men were retrieved from waterways. Victim 5: California Jane Doe. 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. PHOTO: Justice for Mason/Facebook. In the years following, Jesperson said he often thought about what it would be like to do the same to a human. This led police agencies in several states to reopen old cases, many of which were found to be possible victims of Jesperson. 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. Geib's remains also had very little signs of decomposition, which would have been present if he had died the day he went missing 22 days before the recovery of his body. All Rights Reserved. And that's how I remember her," said Melissa Gavin, her longtime friend. Largely considered an urban legend, the Smiley Face Killer, like the Manchester Pusher, murdered his victims by drowning. Here's what the evidence says. "John That's the worst thing you've ever gotten yourself into," she told him. A journalist noticed the symbol and came up with the Happy Face Killer nickname. Jesperson was linked to murdering six other women, some of which remain unknown to this day: an unidentified woman who Jesperson said was named "Claudia" in August 1992 near Blythe, California; Cynthia Lynn Rose in September 1992 in Turlock, California; Lori Ann Pentland in November 1992 in Salem, Oregon; an unidentified woman who Jesperson said was named "Carla" in June 1993 in Santa Nella, California; an unidentified woman who Jesperson said was named "Suzanne" in September 1994 in Crestview, Florida; and Angela Subrize in January 1995 in Laramie County, Wyoming. Jesperson is serving four life sentences without possibility of parole in Oregon. Taunja Bennett, 23, is seen here in this undated photo. Her body was found on a roadside rock pile in Santa Nella, California. Updated: Mar 3, 2021 (1955-) Who Is Keith Hunter. 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. 2. Moore recounts living with Jesperson until her parents' 1990 divorce, and noticing how her father was different when she was in elementary school. [6] Although Jesperson was not successful with girls in high school, having never even attended a school dance or his prom, he did enter into a relationship after high school. [00:02:14] According to police reports, one dog later hit on an an SUV owned by a local band member, who had played a show at the bar the night of Homan's disappearance, but the K9 alert was inconclusive. Smiley faces again served as his signature, prompting a journalist to dub Jesperson the "Happy Face Killer.". The body of Julie Winningham, 41, of Camas, Washington, was found alongside a Washington State road in 1995. Cloud State University. As she and Sosnovske started their life sentences, one of the United States' most notorious serial killers continued his murder spree. Retired New York City Police detectives Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte, joined by criminal justice professor Dr. Lee Gilbertson, believe that a group of serial killers have been murdering young men around the country and making their deaths look like accidental drownings. His brothers did not help him, instead they nicknamed him "Igor" or "Ig", a name that stuck throughout his school years. Jesperson claims he killed her after she tried to double charge him for sex, according to Snapped Notorious: The Happy Face Killer.. [5], That desire manifested in two attempted murders. Victim 1: Taunja Bennett. 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. "[Julie] was beautiful inside as well as outside. Possible Smiley Face killers victim Mason Cox. 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. One of them was to a friendwho said she heard Geib say, "I'm in a field" before the call dropped. On October 8, 2009, Hurley went to the game with two friends. All calls are toll-free and confidential. Jesperson was born on April 6, 1955, in British Columbia, Canada. . A journalist noticed the symbol and came up with the Happy Face Killer nickname. While in custody, Jesperson shared details of his eight murders. I knew it had to be around there someplace. [6] He graduated from high school in 1973, but did not attend college because his father did not believe he could do it. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. [4] Because of this, Jesperson was a shy child, content to play by himself much of the time. He later claimed his intention was to kill the boy. According to detectives Anthony Duarte and Kevin Gannon, the Smiley Face Theory came into . 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. [8][16] This led Phil Stanford, the journalist working the story for The Oregonian, to dub Jesperson "The Happy Face Killer". You can find episodes of Serial Killers and all other Spotify originals from podcast for free on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. He had been questioned by police a week before, but they had no grounds to arrest him after he refused to talk. 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. The oldest child, Melissa, was ten years old. 45 colleged-aged males across a 20-year span. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. The only difference was that the American version, operating in the Midwest throughout the 1990s, spray painted a smiley face on his victims. We need to report this, John.' Watch the full story on "20/20" THIS FRIDAY at 9 p.m. Tommy Booth, 24, disappeared on January 19, 2008 from a bar in Woodlyn, Pennsylvania. He then sought work again as an interstate truck driver after relocating to Cheney, Washington. 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 claims he killed her after she tried to double charge him for sex, according to Snapped Notorious: The Happy Face Killer., Because Jesperson allowed her to use his credit card to make a phone call, he devised a depraved way to conceal her identity. [33] The episode was released on July 9, 2021. 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. When Mahoney called Hurley to find out where he was waiting, Mahoney said he answered the phone, and she heard him ask someone where he was located. Idaho Murders: What Led Police to Bryan Kohberger, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Birth Year: 1955, Birth date: April 6, 1955, Birth City: British Columbia, Birth Country: Canada. [00:02:05] Hi, everyone. Melissa Moore's father, known as the Happy Face Killer, murdered eight or more women. He was known as the "Happy Face Killer" because he drew smiley faces on his many letters to the media and authorities. She's told her own daughter the same story, very convincingly.' Her sister Michelle White said Bennett was a compassionate person who loved everyone.. Search dogs scoured the downtown area where Homan was last seen alive. I'll hurt your family.'". He is now 66 years old, according to his prison records. Victim 8: Julia Ann Winningham, 41. Victim 2: California Jane Doe. Jesperson was dubbed the "Happy Face Killer" for the smiley face drawings he included on a letter he sent to a Portland, Oregon newspaper, in which he bragged about killing women in a spree that began in 1990. All drowned after getting intoxicated. The term "smiley face" became connected to their theory when the team . 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 . 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. A smiley face was found spray painted on an underpass near where James body was discovered. A smiley face was found spray-painted near where Homans body was found. 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. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! I had been worried about this for a long time. One of the things about my dad - which made me very uncomfortable as a young woman - was that he was very explicit about his sexual relationships. Pavlinac told investigators during her last recorded statement on Feb. 26, 1990. And they were laughing," Pavlinac told investigators. His death was ruled an undetermined drowning. . 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. 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. Jesperson, also called the "Happy Face Killer", who is serving two life sentences in Oregon in connection with guilty pleas to two murders. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. She was convicted of felony murder and sentenced to life in prison with a 10-year minimum served. The last known sighting of the Duquesne University graduate student was caught on asurveillance camera in the downtown area. The first victim was found in 1997. According to former detective Kevin Gannon and Dr. Lee Gilbertson, Geib's head and shoulders were sticking out of the water. 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. 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. Pentlands body was found in November 1992 after being discarded in Salem, Oregon. [1], At a very early ageas young as fiveJesperson would capture and torture animals. His fourth victim was another sex worker, Laurie Ann Pentland of Salem, Oregon, whose body was found in November 1992. "Theyhave her tell me the story and I looked at her again, and I said, 'Mom, are you sure?' 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. 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