Notorious happy face killer

A married father of two Keith Hunter Jesperson starts a killing spree after his wife leaves him. The Happy Face Killer strangled eight women to death in his murderous career, dumping each

She was one of eight victims Jesperson admitted to killing during his murderous rampage in the s, but has never been positively identified. Jesperson, now 68, is serving four life sentences at the Oregon State Penitentiary for his killings that spanned Nebraska , Wyoming , Oregon, Washington and Florida. His nickname comes from the smiley faces he drew on the many taunting letters he sent to the media and to the police over the years. But advances in forensic genetic genealogy have helped investigators by using DNA to link them to living relatives. Jesperson, who was a long haul trucker, admitted to killing her when they got into a fight after he picked her up at a truck stop.

Notorious happy face killer

By Debangshu Nath. Disclaimer: The article contains mention of murder and assault. Reader discretion is advised. Frustrated with his life, Jesperson soon turned to torturing animals and attacking other kids. In , he married Rose Hucke, with whom he had three children. Jesperson and his family settled in Selah, Washington, and he worked as a long-haul trucker for a living. Towering at six feet, six inches, Jesperson had to travel from state to state. As such, the nature of his job helped him to find his victims. Keith Hunter Jesperson split from his wife in , the same year he killed for the first time. However, in an interview, she revealed that she knew something was not right with her father.

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Meanwhile, the real killer carried out a series of murders over five years. Before serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, known by his nickname "Happy Face Killer," turned himself in, authorities believed they had solved the murder of his first victim Taunja Bennett. 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 year-old. Sosnovske would later plead no contest to the murder charge. But it was all a lie. Pavlinac had made the whole thing up. When she recanted, Pavlinac said she falsely confessed because she was stuck in a volatile relationship with Sosnovske, desperately seeking a way out and wanting him in prison.

Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! In , shortly after his marriage ended, Keith Jesperson, a long-haul trucker from Selah, Washington, began killing women. Catch up on the Oxygen App. Most were strangers and some were sex workers. After he strangled them, he dumped the dead bodies on the side of the road. Jesperson, who was born in British Columbia in and moved to the US when he was 12, kept on killing until he was caught in His last known victim was a woman he dated, which led to his capture and incarceration for life. During his depraved spree, Jesperson taunted authorities with anonymous confessions signed with a smiley face. A journalist noticed the symbol and came up with the Happy Face Killer nickname. The production features interviews between Jesperson and M.

Notorious happy face killer

Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Keith Hunter Jesperson wrote disturbing letters to media and law enforcement about his murder sprees, signing the notes with a smiley face. By the time Keith Jesperson was given the nickname the Happy Face Killer by a newspaper reporter, he was four years into a chilling series of murders that began in

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Jesperson was found guilty of murdering Bennett in , the Los Angeles Times reported. The first missive from The Happy Face Killer popped up before Pavlinac and Sosnovske went to trial, but it wasn't deemed credible. Investigators had been trying to nail down a suspect for weeks when Pavlinac brought Sosnovske to their attention. There have been significant improvements in forensic science that have allowed investigators and genealogists to determine some familial relatives, including her biological father, who is no longer alive. Top picks Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. Election 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 year-old. He said that she had ties to Las Vegas and southern Nevada, and appeared familiar with Los Angeles and surrounding areas. Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of murder and abuse. Towering at six feet, six inches, Jesperson had to travel from state to state. Based on Pavlinac's statements, and that Sosnovke failed a polygraph test, authorities arrested Sosnovke on murder charges. New Customer? All calls are toll-free and confidential.

Meanwhile, the real killer carried out a series of murders over five years. Before serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, known by his nickname "Happy Face Killer," turned himself in, authorities believed they had solved the murder of his first victim Taunja Bennett.

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. Meanwhile, the real killer carried out a series of murders over five years. We'll notify you here with news about. Punched her, slapped her. She had changed her story so many times that investigators said they wondered if she was telling the truth. 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 She has never been identified. Assaulted more," the New York Daily News reported. Laverne Pavlinac, right, touches the tear-stained face of her grandaughter, Nicole Sullivan, after being released from prison in Salem, Ore. She is believed to have been a cigarette smoker and a frequent hitchhiker. 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. Details Edit. Create account. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in.