Shivangi Sinha
Paramount+’s ‘Happy Face‘ follows the story of Melissa Moore, whose life takes a dramatic turn when her father, Keith Jesperson, reaches out to her. At just 15 years old, Melissa severed all ties with him after he was convicted as a serial killer. However, when he reveals that there is one victim whose identity he never disclosed to the police, she embarks on a mission to seek justice. Determined to uncover the truth, she discovers the victim’s identity and learns that someone else has been wrongly accused of the crime.
Melissa’s resolve to right this wrong is unwavering, yet the trauma of her childhood and memories of her abusive father make her pursuit of justice deeply challenging. Annaleigh Ashford delivers a masterful performance as Melissa and portrays the character’s emotional dichotomy with skill and nuance. Her ability to capture the conflicting emotions of determination and inner turmoil adds depth and authenticity to the role.
Melissa Reed Finds Resonance in Serial Killer Keith Jesperson’s Real Daughter
The character of Keith Jesperson in ‘Happy Face’ is inspired by the real-life serial killer of the same name, who was active between 1990 and 1995. He was convicted of eight murders across California, Florida, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. Known as the “Happy Face Killer,” he earned the nickname from the smiley faces he used to sign his confessions. The series is an adaptation of the eponymous critically acclaimed 2018 podcast, which is based on the 2009 book titled ‘Shattered Silence: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer’s Daughter,’ written by Jesperson’s daughter, Melissa Moore, in collaboration with M. Bridget Cook. Creator Jennifer Cacicio has seemingly drawn inspiration from Moore’s experiences for the character of Melissa Reed. It is interesting to note that she also serves as a co-executive producer of the series.
Moore was born to Keith Hunter Jesperson and Rose Hucke in 1978. She grew up alongside her sister, Carrie, and her brother, Jason, in what she believed was an average American household in Toppenish, Washington. In later interviews, Moore has reflected on her childhood, describing it as relatively ordinary. She enjoyed activities like camping with her family, riding her bike around the neighborhood, and generally had a positive relationship with her father. Although he was often away for work as a truck driver, nothing during her early years gave her any reason for concern.
Moore recalled troubling moments from her childhood, including incidents where her father tortured and killed kittens and laughed as it caused her distress. These experiences, though alarming, seemed isolated at the time. After her parents separated — her mother, Rose Hucke, suspected Keith of having an affair — Moore moved with her mother and siblings to Spokane, Washington. While her father would visit occasionally, she noticed a shift in his behavior. She alleged that he had become increasingly angry, chauvinistic, controlling, and verbally abusive. Moore further mentioned that conversations with him became uncomfortable, as he would overshare inappropriate details about his dating life and his marriage to her mother.
Melissa Moore Believed Her Father Was Going to Tell Her the Truth Before His Arrest
The last time Melissa Moore saw Kieth Jesperson before his arrest was shortly before her 16th birthday in 1994 when they sat down at a diner. She recounted how her father hinted that he had something to share with her but stopped short, allegedly saying he wouldn’t tell her because she might go to the police. She assumed it was something minor, like a robbery, but the conversation abruptly ended. In March 1995, her mother, Rose Hucke, gathered her and her siblings and informed them that their father had been arrested for murder. Rose alleged that Keith wasn’t sharing any details with them. For Moore, the news was incomprehensible — she struggled to reconcile the father she knew with the man accused of such horrific crimes.
Despite the emotional turmoil, Moore attended his trial later that year. Keith sent her numerous letters during his time in prison, but she found herself uncertain about how to respond. In 2005, when Moore had a family of her own, she decided to take her husband and children to prison. However, seeing her toddler get scared made her realize that her father was a convicted serial killer, and she decided not to have any relationship with him. In 2008, Moore appeared on ‘Dr. Phil’ and talked about her father for the first time publicly. She was working as a crime correspondent on the TV show at the time. Following this, she made various other media appearances, including ‘Evil Lives Here,’ ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show,’ ‘Monster in My Family,’ and ‘ABC’s 20/20.’
In 2009, she published her book and spoke about how she has dealt with that part of her life. She discussed how she let go of the guilt she felt on behalf of her father and how her grandfather had alleged that Keith had talked about killing her and her siblings at one time. She said that hearing that gave her the freedom to see that her father was always the same person and had manipulated her the whole time. She also said that she feared he would have killed her if she had known about his crimes and reported him to the police.
Melissa is Advocating for Survivors Through Her Work as an Executive Producer Today
Melissa Moore has had a long and successful career in the entertainment industry and has consistently spoken up for people from affected families like hers. In 2011, she joined Warner Bros International Television Production as a crime correspondent and stayed there until July 2014. She then went on to work at ‘The Dr. Oz Show’ in the same role. Since October 2017, she has also been an executive producer on REELZ and has contributed to compelling stories like ‘The Monster in My Family,’ the widely recognized ‘Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up,’ and ‘The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard.’
In 2016, Moore launched her second book, ‘WHOLE: How I Learned to Fill the Fragments of My Life with Forgiveness, Hope, Strength, and Creativity.’ That same year, she was nominated for an Emmy as a correspondent on ‘Crime Watch Daily.’ In 2018, she took a leap and launched her podcast, ‘Life After Happy Face,’ which she co-hosts with Dr. Laura Pettler. The podcast explores topics related to paranormal activities, the spirits of her father’s victims, and identifying psychopathic traits. However, no new episodes have been released since 2021, and their social media pages have become inactive. Since September 2024, Moore has been unattached to any organization and works independently as a freelance executive producer.
Moore was active on TikTok until 2022 but has since removed her profile without giving any explanation. Despite multiple attempts by her father to reach out, she has remained firm in her decision to have no contact with him. Her primary focus is her work, where she advocates for survivors of crime and uses her platform to amplify their stories. Her dedication is evident in her projects, including co-authoring two books on the Gypsy Rose Blanchard story. Through her work, Moore has demonstrated resilience and strength and has rebuilt her life on her own terms. She once shared a powerful sentiment, emphasizing that it is her choice how she lets her life history affect her — and she has chosen to live each day fully.
Read More: Keith Hunter Jesperson: Where is the Happy Face Killer Now?
