Shivangi Sinha
In March 1995, Keith Hunter Jesperson was arrested for a murder in Washougal, Washington. Following his arrest, he confessed to several other murders, claiming he had been killing for the past five years. Authorities reopened multiple cold cases across five states in an effort to connect him to the crimes and provide closure to the victims’ families. Over the years, law enforcement has continued working to identify his victims and investigate any potential links to other unsolved cases. Paramount+’s ‘Happy Face’ delves into the true story of Keith, offering an in-depth look at the events leading to his capture and how justice was served.
Keith Jesperson Admitted He Started His Killing Spree After His Divorce
On April 6, 1955, Leslie “Les” Samuel and Gladys Lorraine Jesperson welcomed their third child, Keith Jesperson, into their family. Alongside his parents and two younger siblings, he lived in the Chilliwack area of British Columbia. Keith later claimed to have had a difficult childhood and alleged that his father was an alcoholic and physically abusive. From a young age, he exhibited violent tendencies, particularly towards animals. After the family relocated to Selah, Washington, his troubling behavior persisted. Reports indicate he frequently engaged in violent altercations and displayed a growing inclination toward cruelty, especially when it came to animals.
Some reports allege that Keith attempted to murder two of his friends during his childhood — once around the age of 10 and another incident when he was 11. He also claimed to have been bullied at school due to his size. His siblings reportedly gave him the nickname “Igor” or “Ig,” which he said contributed to his feelings of isolation and loneliness. After graduating from high school in 1973, Keith pursued a career as a truck driver. At the age of 20, he married Rose Hucke, and together they had three children: Melissa, Carrie, and Jason. However, Rose began to suspect that he was unfaithful. After 14 years of marriage, she decided to leave him and took their children with her while he was away for work.
After their separation, Rose moved to Spokane, Washington, where her family resided, and in 1990, she and Keith officially divorced. While the latter maintained visits with his children, he also attempted to join the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, but his efforts were unsuccessful. Ultimately, he returned to his job as a truck driver and settled in Cheney, Washington. It is believed that his killing spree began in 1990, with his first victim being Taunja Bennett from Portland, Oregon. He later confessed that their encounter escalated into an argument that led him to strangle her. He left her body in the Columbia Gorge, Oregon. However, in a surprising twist, the authorities arrested Laverne Pavlinac and her then-boyfriend, John Sosnovske, after the former falsely confessed to the crime. John, seeking to avoid the death penalty, pleaded guilty.
Keith Jesperson Wrote Many Letters That He Signed Off With a Smiley Face
Frustrated that he wasn’t receiving recognition for his crimes, Keith Jesperson scrawled a confession on a truck stop bathroom wall and signed it with a smiley face. He followed this by sending letters of confession to various media outlets and police departments, all marked with the same symbol. When the media reported on the disturbing messages, he was dubbed the “Happy Face Killer.” After his first murder, Keith was connected to seven more killings between 1990 and 1995. His second victim was an unidentified woman, believed to be named “Claudia,” whose remains were discovered in Blythe, California, in August 1992. A month later, in September 1992, he murdered Cynthia Lyn Rose in Turlock, California.
Keith’s fourth victim was Laurie Ann Pentland from Salem, Oregon. In June 1993, he killed Patricia Skiple in Santa Nella, California. The following year, in September 1994, the remains of Suzanne L. Kjellenberg were discovered in Crestview, Florida, and her murder was also later traced back to him. Throughout his killing spree, he continued sending letters to media outlets and later admitted that the thrill of evading capture kept him motivated to commit more crimes. In March 1995, the police began investigating the murder of Julie Winningham in Washougal, Washington. Keith, who had been her boyfriend at the time, quickly became a suspect. As the questioning intensified, doubts surrounding him grew. After some back-and-forth, he ultimately turned himself in on March 30, 1995.
Keith Jesperson is Serving Many Life Sentences Today
While in custody, Keith Jesperson began providing details about the other murders he had committed and claimed to have killed over 160 women within five years. He claimed that most of them were sex workers. Although he later recanted this statement, he wrote a letter to his brother confessing to eight murders. In October 1995, he pleaded guilty to the murder of Julie Ann Winningham. The following month, in November 1995, he entered a no-contest plea for the murder of Taunja Bennett. By December of that year, he had received three life sentences for multiple murders and was incarcerated at the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem. In June 1998, Keith received another life sentence for the murder of Angela May Subrize, which occurred in Wyoming in January 1995.
In 2009, he was indicted and extradited to California on additional murder charges. By 2010, he was handed his next life sentence for the 1992 murder of a woman whose identity remains unknown. Currently, he is serving three consecutive life sentences at the Oregon State Penitentiary, with his earliest possible release date set for 2063. Now 69 years old, he has claimed to be pen pals with Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect Rex Heuermann. His daughter, Melissa Moore, who has publicly spoken about his crimes, has made it clear that she has no relationship with him and does not want her children to ever meet him. In a February 2024 interview, Keith stated that he does not want any additional murders falsely attributed to him. To aid in investigations, he has offered his DNA for testing in unresolved cold cases.
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