1 00:00:07,867 --> 00:00:09,634 [Keith Hunter Jesperson on phone] 2 00:00:55,166 --> 00:00:58,467 Welcome to Very Scary People. I'm Donnie Wahlberg. 3 00:00:58,467 --> 00:01:00,000 Julie Winningham's family and friends would describe her 4 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:01,467 Julie Winningham's family and friends would describe her 5 00:01:01,467 --> 00:01:03,867 as kind, warm, and free-spirited. 6 00:01:03,867 --> 00:01:07,367 So when the 41-year-old's body was found off a remote road 7 00:01:07,367 --> 00:01:09,100 in the Columbia River Gorge, 8 00:01:09,100 --> 00:01:11,734 her loved ones couldn't imagine who would want to kill her. 9 00:01:12,533 --> 00:01:14,734 But as police start investigating her murder, 10 00:01:14,734 --> 00:01:16,700 they discover more bodies 11 00:01:16,700 --> 00:01:18,367 and a shocking link to a letter 12 00:01:18,367 --> 00:01:21,367 sent to The Oregonian newspaper a year before. 13 00:01:21,367 --> 00:01:24,233 Here's part two of the Happy Face Killer. 14 00:01:38,500 --> 00:01:40,533 [Casey Jordan] January 22nd, 1990, 15 00:01:40,533 --> 00:01:43,467 police would receive a call of a female body 16 00:01:43,467 --> 00:01:46,266 that had been spotted down the incline 17 00:01:46,266 --> 00:01:48,066 at the Columbia River Gorge. 18 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:52,166 Her body was found partially unclothed, um, 19 00:01:52,166 --> 00:01:55,233 her pants had been pulled down, her top was up. 20 00:01:56,166 --> 00:01:59,166 The woman had a rope around her neck. 21 00:01:59,166 --> 00:02:00,000 She had been strangled. 22 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:01,500 She had been strangled. 23 00:02:01,500 --> 00:02:04,634 She'd been strangled. She'd been beaten badly. 24 00:02:06,100 --> 00:02:08,467 [Michelle L. White] They wanted to identify her. 25 00:02:08,467 --> 00:02:12,533 So I had to think of something to identify her. 26 00:02:12,533 --> 00:02:15,500 All I could think of is she had very flat feet 27 00:02:15,500 --> 00:02:18,367 and she had a mole on her hand. 28 00:02:18,367 --> 00:02:21,367 [Jordan] She confirmed that it was indeed her sister, 29 00:02:21,367 --> 00:02:23,166 Taunja Bennett. 30 00:02:23,166 --> 00:02:25,867 [Joey Jackson] Laverne Pavlinac confessed that she was there 31 00:02:25,867 --> 00:02:29,867 when her boyfriend John Sosnovske killed Taunja Bennett. 32 00:02:29,867 --> 00:02:30,000 Both Laverne Pavlinac and John Sosnovske 33 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,700 Both Laverne Pavlinac and John Sosnovske 34 00:02:32,700 --> 00:02:35,634 are charged with the murder of 23-year-old Taunja Bennett. 35 00:02:39,100 --> 00:02:41,867 [Monty Buettner] The Oregonian received a letter from 36 00:02:41,867 --> 00:02:45,000 a person that they deemed the Happy Face Killer. 37 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:48,333 And the reason they deem that is it was marked with a happy face. 38 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,600 The letters detailed five, um, 39 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:56,433 homicides that they claimed responsibility for, including Taunja Bennett. 40 00:02:58,266 --> 00:03:00,000 [Jeff Gianola] Was he playing some kind of cat and mouse game? 41 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:01,367 [Jeff Gianola] Was he playing some kind of cat and mouse game? 42 00:03:01,367 --> 00:03:04,634 It was pretty obvious this wasn't a hoax. 43 00:03:08,734 --> 00:03:11,266 [Jesperson on recording] 44 00:03:22,100 --> 00:03:25,467 In 1994, the Internet was just starting 45 00:03:25,467 --> 00:03:27,734 to become a big thing. 46 00:03:28,700 --> 00:03:30,000 And, uh, newspapers, like The Oregonian, 47 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,066 And, uh, newspapers, like The Oregonian, 48 00:03:32,066 --> 00:03:35,266 had the resources to turn reporters, 49 00:03:35,266 --> 00:03:38,166 like Phil Stanford, loose on important stories. 50 00:03:38,166 --> 00:03:42,867 And he found a lot of facts that pointed 51 00:03:42,867 --> 00:03:48,166 toward the letter being an authentic confession letter. 52 00:03:48,166 --> 00:03:51,000 [Alafair Burke] Law enforcement did investigate the letters, 53 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:53,700 trying to identify who the author might be. 54 00:03:53,700 --> 00:03:57,266 and to line up those, uh, claimed homicides 55 00:03:57,266 --> 00:03:58,734 with actual cases. 56 00:03:58,734 --> 00:04:00,000 Um, they did pull fingerprints 57 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:01,634 Um, they did pull fingerprints 58 00:04:01,634 --> 00:04:05,600 and DNA from the letters, 59 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:10,066 but there was nothing in the database to match them to. 60 00:04:10,066 --> 00:04:13,166 Unfortunately, these letters didn't really open 61 00:04:13,166 --> 00:04:15,166 any new avenues of investigation, 62 00:04:15,166 --> 00:04:18,166 'cause there was no indication of who was writing the letters. 63 00:04:18,166 --> 00:04:20,467 There was no way to prove who had authored them. 64 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:25,266 [Jackson] Even though they have the six-page letter, which speaks specifically 65 00:04:25,266 --> 00:04:27,867 about the 1990 murder of Taunja Bennett, 66 00:04:27,867 --> 00:04:29,600 authorities don't re-open the case 67 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:30,000 because they believe they have the right people in prison, 68 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,266 because they believe they have the right people in prison, 69 00:04:32,266 --> 00:04:35,533 John Sosnovske and Laverne Pavlinac. 70 00:04:36,734 --> 00:04:40,367 I was actually surprised after the series ran 71 00:04:40,367 --> 00:04:42,600 that there wasn't an uproar 72 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:46,867 from the Multnomah County, uh, District Attorney's office 73 00:04:46,867 --> 00:04:48,734 or the Sheriff's Office. 74 00:04:48,734 --> 00:04:52,600 There was nothing. They didn't re-open an investigation. 75 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:54,600 They just did nothing 76 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:56,900 and life went on. 77 00:04:59,734 --> 00:05:00,000 It was a year later, as I recall... 78 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,333 It was a year later, as I recall... 79 00:05:04,367 --> 00:05:07,233 ...that a woman was murdered. 80 00:05:21,166 --> 00:05:23,867 March 11th, 1995, was a Saturday. 81 00:05:23,867 --> 00:05:25,367 Um, I was on days off, 82 00:05:25,367 --> 00:05:28,700 and so, I received a call about 4:00 PM 83 00:05:28,700 --> 00:05:30,000 that a, uh, passerby had stopped along, uh, Highway 14, 84 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,867 that a, uh, passerby had stopped along, uh, Highway 14, 85 00:05:32,867 --> 00:05:36,233 um, to urinate off the side of the road where he couldn't be seen. 86 00:05:37,867 --> 00:05:40,100 Highway 14 basically travels 87 00:05:40,100 --> 00:05:43,867 east and west through the Columbia River Gorge. 88 00:05:43,867 --> 00:05:48,000 As he was doing that, he noticed what he initially thought was a mannequin. 89 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:51,100 But as he looked at it a little closer, a little harder 90 00:05:51,100 --> 00:05:54,000 from where he stood, he saw fingernail polish 91 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:55,533 and those kind of things that indicated 92 00:05:55,533 --> 00:05:57,900 it may not be a mannequin, it may be human remains. 93 00:06:01,266 --> 00:06:04,533 As I approached the scene, I'm looking for any signs of her clothing. 94 00:06:04,533 --> 00:06:07,367 I'm looking for signs of any identification, 95 00:06:07,367 --> 00:06:10,500 I'm looking for signs of maybe a purse or a wallet, 96 00:06:10,500 --> 00:06:12,166 and I found none in the area. 97 00:06:12,166 --> 00:06:15,867 Um, it was just a nude woman with, with no clothing there, 98 00:06:15,867 --> 00:06:18,700 no, um, forms of identification. 99 00:06:18,700 --> 00:06:22,100 What we did is load her into, um, 100 00:06:22,100 --> 00:06:25,467 a transport vehicle and took her to the Clark County Coroner's Office. 101 00:06:28,867 --> 00:06:30,000 The medical examiner concludes that this woman 102 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:31,867 The medical examiner concludes that this woman 103 00:06:31,867 --> 00:06:34,533 died of manual strangulation. 104 00:06:34,533 --> 00:06:38,533 Once we knew that it was caused by another, being a homicide, 105 00:06:38,533 --> 00:06:40,867 now we need to identify who this person is. 106 00:06:40,867 --> 00:06:42,600 [Jordan] They lift her fingerprints 107 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:44,634 and match them to a set in the system. 108 00:06:44,634 --> 00:06:48,700 [Buettner] Those fingerprints were put into the, uh, national database, 109 00:06:48,700 --> 00:06:51,800 um, where we were able to determine her identity 110 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:54,233 as Julie Winningham. 111 00:06:55,500 --> 00:06:59,367 Julie was my mother and I was her only son. 112 00:06:59,367 --> 00:07:00,000 She was truly a kind-hearted, free-spirited... 113 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,734 She was truly a kind-hearted, free-spirited... 114 00:07:02,734 --> 00:07:04,867 Loved to travel. 115 00:07:04,867 --> 00:07:08,233 She just wasn't a negative soul. 116 00:07:09,367 --> 00:07:12,634 She was loving and caring, she didn't do people wrong. 117 00:07:17,166 --> 00:07:20,000 [Gianola] The Taunja Bennett murder happened in 1990 118 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:23,166 and her body is dumped in the Columbia River Gorge. 119 00:07:23,166 --> 00:07:27,166 Five years later, in 1995, 120 00:07:27,166 --> 00:07:29,100 Julie Winningham's body is found 121 00:07:29,100 --> 00:07:30,000 in the Columbia River Gorge on the Washington side. 122 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,533 in the Columbia River Gorge on the Washington side. 123 00:07:33,700 --> 00:07:36,634 Nobody knows yet that those two murders 124 00:07:36,634 --> 00:07:39,100 are connected to the same person. 125 00:07:51,266 --> 00:07:52,467 [Jesperson on recording] 126 00:07:58,166 --> 00:08:00,166 [Buettner] Once we identified who she is, 127 00:08:00,166 --> 00:08:02,867 then our next step is to 128 00:08:02,867 --> 00:08:06,266 talk to Julie's friends and family to figure out 129 00:08:06,266 --> 00:08:08,634 who she was last with, when she was last seen. 130 00:08:08,634 --> 00:08:10,533 [Jordan] According to detectives, 131 00:08:10,533 --> 00:08:12,500 friends of Julie Winningham confirmed 132 00:08:12,500 --> 00:08:16,066 that she had been seen with a very large man, 133 00:08:16,066 --> 00:08:18,426 and that these two had become very close. 134 00:08:18,426 --> 00:08:18,634 and that these two had become very close. 135 00:08:18,634 --> 00:08:22,367 This man was a long haul truck driver, drove a big blue truck. 136 00:08:23,734 --> 00:08:26,166 [Buettner] One of the people we spoke with, a friend of Julie's, 137 00:08:26,166 --> 00:08:27,367 was Bonnie Valenstein. 138 00:08:27,367 --> 00:08:30,100 She actually described that she had 139 00:08:30,100 --> 00:08:31,867 bought a car from Julie 140 00:08:31,867 --> 00:08:34,734 a few weeks prior to her disappearance. 141 00:08:34,734 --> 00:08:39,166 There was this large man, actually signed it as a witness. 142 00:08:39,166 --> 00:08:42,066 And so we're thinking, "Okay, we're gonna have a signature. 143 00:08:42,066 --> 00:08:44,266 This is too easy. It can't be that easy. 144 00:08:44,266 --> 00:08:46,734 It's not gonna pan out as we hope." 145 00:08:46,734 --> 00:08:48,426 However, when she showed us the bill of sale, 146 00:08:48,426 --> 00:08:50,367 However, when she showed us the bill of sale, 147 00:08:50,367 --> 00:08:51,967 the signature was pretty clear. 148 00:08:51,967 --> 00:08:53,634 But in addition to that, 149 00:08:53,634 --> 00:08:57,533 the signer had actually printed his name, Keith Hunter Jesperson. 150 00:09:00,367 --> 00:09:03,634 And that's the first time that we had that information, 151 00:09:03,634 --> 00:09:05,467 as far as who this truck driver was. 152 00:09:07,734 --> 00:09:12,367 [Jordan] Detectives are able to track down the truck of Keith Jesperson 153 00:09:12,367 --> 00:09:14,634 to a company in Spokane, Washington. 154 00:09:14,634 --> 00:09:18,367 And they do confirm that Keith Jesperson is a truck driver for them. 155 00:09:18,367 --> 00:09:18,426 And in fact, he's on a long haul right now. 156 00:09:18,426 --> 00:09:20,500 And in fact, he's on a long haul right now. 157 00:09:20,500 --> 00:09:22,734 He's driving a truck down the California coast 158 00:09:22,734 --> 00:09:25,100 to go to Las Cruces, New Mexico. 159 00:09:25,100 --> 00:09:27,500 And he is scheduled to arrive in two days. 160 00:09:27,500 --> 00:09:30,634 Police get on a flight to Las Cruces 161 00:09:30,634 --> 00:09:32,634 and are there waiting for him 162 00:09:32,634 --> 00:09:34,734 when the truck pulls in with its delivery. 163 00:09:35,867 --> 00:09:38,000 [Buettner] At that stage, all we knew is that 164 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:39,967 this guy's a very large man, 165 00:09:39,967 --> 00:09:42,266 and that if he resists, 166 00:09:42,266 --> 00:09:44,734 it's going to be a struggle 167 00:09:44,734 --> 00:09:46,734 to get him into custody and restrained. 168 00:09:46,734 --> 00:09:48,426 And so, um, we had to prepare for the worst. 169 00:09:48,426 --> 00:09:50,467 And so, um, we had to prepare for the worst. 170 00:09:54,500 --> 00:09:57,634 But once he came to the gate, the officer was there, 171 00:09:57,634 --> 00:10:01,100 uh, explained, "Just park your truck here. Follow me on foot." 172 00:10:01,100 --> 00:10:04,266 And as we approached him and identified ourselves as detectives, 173 00:10:04,266 --> 00:10:06,367 he just didn't seem to be bothered by it. 174 00:10:06,367 --> 00:10:08,266 Didn't seem to be threatened in any way. 175 00:10:08,266 --> 00:10:10,634 Um, he was very, uh, calm, 176 00:10:10,634 --> 00:10:13,266 um, was very cooperative, wanted to help us. 177 00:10:13,266 --> 00:10:16,634 Even not knowing what the investigation was for, 178 00:10:16,634 --> 00:10:18,426 he still was willing to talk to us. 179 00:10:18,426 --> 00:10:18,634 he still was willing to talk to us. 180 00:10:20,500 --> 00:10:23,166 It wasn't until we actually got into the interview room 181 00:10:23,166 --> 00:10:26,634 that we told him, "We're actually from the state of Washington 182 00:10:26,634 --> 00:10:29,634 and we're investigating the death of Julie Winningham." 183 00:10:30,500 --> 00:10:32,266 [Jordan] He's incredibly talkative, 184 00:10:32,266 --> 00:10:34,266 but he only wants to talk about 185 00:10:34,266 --> 00:10:36,467 how great Keith Jesperson is. 186 00:10:37,367 --> 00:10:39,634 He's friendly, he's cooperative, 187 00:10:39,634 --> 00:10:42,467 but he denies any knowledge of what happened 188 00:10:42,467 --> 00:10:44,500 to Julie Winningham. 189 00:10:44,500 --> 00:10:46,367 [Buettner] As we interviewed him, he had described that 190 00:10:46,367 --> 00:10:48,426 they had actually met two years before. 191 00:10:48,426 --> 00:10:48,533 they had actually met two years before. 192 00:10:48,533 --> 00:10:52,000 Had a romantic relationship at that point in time, 193 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,266 that, uh, Julie had actually accompanied him 194 00:10:54,266 --> 00:10:57,166 on several runs, uh, driving truck. 195 00:10:57,166 --> 00:10:58,600 They went down to California, 196 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:00,367 they went to Yakima, Washington. 197 00:11:00,367 --> 00:11:04,100 [on recording] 198 00:11:18,066 --> 00:11:18,426 [Don Findlay] From my understanding, my mother had met Keith 199 00:11:18,426 --> 00:11:22,066 [Don Findlay] From my understanding, my mother had met Keith 200 00:11:22,066 --> 00:11:24,533 three years prior to '95, 201 00:11:24,533 --> 00:11:26,967 because she knew other truck drivers 202 00:11:26,967 --> 00:11:29,233 and hung out at the truck stops, and... 203 00:11:30,367 --> 00:11:34,166 So, somehow, she reconnected with Keith 204 00:11:34,166 --> 00:11:38,066 and they spent about three weeks in town together. 205 00:11:39,066 --> 00:11:41,367 [Buettner] Keith described that about the first week 206 00:11:41,367 --> 00:11:44,867 in March '95, that he'd again saw her, 207 00:11:44,867 --> 00:11:46,734 uh, at a truck stop, 208 00:11:46,734 --> 00:11:48,426 and that they struck up a conversation again, 209 00:11:48,426 --> 00:11:49,367 and that they struck up a conversation again, 210 00:11:49,367 --> 00:11:52,000 kinda started the relationship over again. 211 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:55,467 At this stage, he described that it was kinda one-sided, 212 00:11:55,467 --> 00:11:58,467 that he really didn't care for her, is how he described it, 213 00:11:58,467 --> 00:12:01,066 that he felt that she was actually only with him 214 00:12:01,066 --> 00:12:02,967 because he was buying her things. 215 00:12:02,967 --> 00:12:06,467 But that she was willing to have sex with him. 216 00:12:11,066 --> 00:12:13,166 [Findlay] She was beautiful, kind-hearted, 217 00:12:13,166 --> 00:12:16,967 but at the same time, she was a very weak soul. 218 00:12:16,967 --> 00:12:18,426 Even though she was a free-spirited soul. 219 00:12:18,426 --> 00:12:19,433 Even though she was a free-spirited soul. 220 00:12:20,367 --> 00:12:23,367 So I think that's what drew him in. 221 00:12:24,367 --> 00:12:26,467 Because he's such a negative person. 222 00:12:26,467 --> 00:12:28,066 I don't know. 223 00:12:28,066 --> 00:12:30,734 But that's what I think drew him in. 224 00:12:31,533 --> 00:12:33,967 Detectives felt that Keith Jesperson 225 00:12:33,967 --> 00:12:35,734 was hiding information about Julie, 226 00:12:35,734 --> 00:12:38,734 but didn't have enough evidence to arrest him. 227 00:12:38,734 --> 00:12:41,500 Though Detective Buettner gave Jesperson his card, 228 00:12:41,500 --> 00:12:44,266 telling him to call him if he has anything further to say. 229 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:53,533 [Jorden] When those detectives return home 230 00:12:53,533 --> 00:12:55,867 from New Mexico on March 24th, 231 00:12:55,867 --> 00:12:59,000 they receive a message from Keith Jesperson. 232 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:00,634 He says, 233 00:13:00,634 --> 00:13:04,000 "This is Keith Hunter Jesperson." 234 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:06,333 [Jesperson on recording] 235 00:13:20,367 --> 00:13:22,634 [Buettner] Jesperson admitted that 236 00:13:22,634 --> 00:13:24,734 he was waiting in his truck for Julie. 237 00:13:24,734 --> 00:13:27,500 Julie showed up, had some pizza, 238 00:13:27,500 --> 00:13:29,533 they had consensual sex. 239 00:13:29,533 --> 00:13:32,066 They then were talking about some other things. 240 00:13:32,066 --> 00:13:34,734 Jesperson said he wanted to have sex again. 241 00:13:34,734 --> 00:13:36,734 Julie told him, "Well, I don't want to." 242 00:13:36,734 --> 00:13:39,600 And then Jesperson said, "Well, what if I do it anyway?" 243 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:41,867 She told him, "Well, then, that would be rape. 244 00:13:41,867 --> 00:13:44,066 And I would have to report that." 245 00:13:44,066 --> 00:13:45,634 That angered Jesperson. 246 00:13:45,634 --> 00:13:47,734 And at that point, he said he strangled her. 247 00:13:48,867 --> 00:13:51,900 [on recording] 248 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,967 Everything he told us confirmed that he had indeed 249 00:14:15,967 --> 00:14:18,066 killed Julie Winningham by strangling her, 250 00:14:18,066 --> 00:14:18,426 and then dumped her body in Skamania County in the Columbia Gorge. 251 00:14:18,426 --> 00:14:20,867 and then dumped her body in Skamania County in the Columbia Gorge. 252 00:14:20,867 --> 00:14:23,734 And within, uh, a short amount of time, 253 00:14:23,734 --> 00:14:26,900 Keith Jesperson was taken into custody for the murder of Julie Winningham. 254 00:14:38,266 --> 00:14:41,533 [Jordan] Keith Hunter Jesperson was born in 1955 255 00:14:41,533 --> 00:14:44,867 to his father Leslie and mother Gladys Jesperson 256 00:14:44,867 --> 00:14:48,734 in the little rural town of Chilliwack, British Columbia. 257 00:14:48,734 --> 00:14:50,634 He was the middle of five children, 258 00:14:50,634 --> 00:14:53,734 with two brothers and two sisters. 259 00:14:53,734 --> 00:14:57,467 Keith was considered the slowest of the Jesperson children. 260 00:14:57,467 --> 00:15:00,266 They say he often dawdled, 261 00:15:00,266 --> 00:15:03,367 and would like to spend a lot of time by himself, 262 00:15:03,367 --> 00:15:05,040 isolating himself. 263 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:05,100 isolating himself. 264 00:15:05,100 --> 00:15:08,533 He was sort of the black sheep of the family. 265 00:15:08,533 --> 00:15:12,166 [Janine Beghtol] His father was pretty abusive, is what I understand, 266 00:15:12,166 --> 00:15:14,367 towards Keith only. 267 00:15:15,100 --> 00:15:17,700 And his father was a drinker 268 00:15:17,700 --> 00:15:21,266 and that Keith got the blunt of it. 269 00:15:21,266 --> 00:15:23,634 [on recording] 270 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:34,700 [Jordan] Keith's father made his children work every single day. 271 00:15:34,700 --> 00:15:35,040 And if the children made any sign of laziness, 272 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:38,266 And if the children made any sign of laziness, 273 00:15:38,266 --> 00:15:40,233 he would beat them with a leather belt. 274 00:15:41,467 --> 00:15:44,867 [Robert Schug] He reports physical abuse coming from his dad, 275 00:15:44,867 --> 00:15:48,000 and how his father often 276 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:51,800 made him feel like an inconvenience. 277 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:55,533 Like someone just to be tolerated. 278 00:15:55,533 --> 00:15:59,467 [Jordan] In spite of all this, Keith would insist that his father Leslie 279 00:15:59,467 --> 00:16:01,900 was one of the best dads a kid could have. 280 00:16:01,900 --> 00:16:04,533 [Schug] His dad was well known in the community. 281 00:16:04,533 --> 00:16:05,040 He probably had his father up on a pedestal, 282 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:07,967 He probably had his father up on a pedestal, 283 00:16:07,967 --> 00:16:10,100 which makes it even more challenging 284 00:16:10,100 --> 00:16:12,100 when you're trying to be recognized, 285 00:16:12,100 --> 00:16:16,000 when Dad is almost a superhero. 286 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:19,266 The relationship with his mother, distant emotionally. 287 00:16:19,967 --> 00:16:22,100 It shouldn't be a surprise that 288 00:16:22,100 --> 00:16:24,867 an individual who has very little, 289 00:16:24,867 --> 00:16:27,066 if not any emotional connection with his mother... 290 00:16:28,166 --> 00:16:31,634 ...ends up being able to perpetrate violence against women. 291 00:16:36,634 --> 00:16:41,166 The family moves to the small town in Washington called Selah. 292 00:16:41,166 --> 00:16:43,533 Keith just seemed to me, 293 00:16:43,533 --> 00:16:45,967 um, an ex-classmate 294 00:16:45,967 --> 00:16:49,166 that I feel like I never knew. 295 00:16:50,266 --> 00:16:52,100 I first met Keith 296 00:16:52,100 --> 00:16:54,734 as a freshman in high school. 297 00:16:54,734 --> 00:16:57,166 I'm only 4'9", 298 00:16:57,166 --> 00:17:00,467 and Keith is, like, 6'7". 299 00:17:00,467 --> 00:17:02,634 So, he towered me. 300 00:17:02,634 --> 00:17:05,040 [Jorden] Keith didn't do very well in school. 301 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:05,100 [Jorden] Keith didn't do very well in school. 302 00:17:05,100 --> 00:17:08,266 He was very large and uncoordinated, 303 00:17:08,266 --> 00:17:11,066 and the other kids made fun of him and even bullied him. 304 00:17:12,266 --> 00:17:16,100 [Beghtol] Keith tried really hard to try to fit in. 305 00:17:16,100 --> 00:17:18,266 He was trying to get attention at school 306 00:17:18,266 --> 00:17:20,367 'cause he wasn't getting it at home. 307 00:17:20,367 --> 00:17:24,000 Course, we never did to his face, but unfortunately, 308 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:27,166 because of his size, we would call him Baby Huey. 309 00:17:27,166 --> 00:17:29,100 It was a cartoon character 310 00:17:29,100 --> 00:17:32,433 back in the late '60s and '70s. 311 00:17:33,967 --> 00:17:35,040 [Schug] Keith grew up experiencing physical abuse from his parents, 312 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:37,533 [Schug] Keith grew up experiencing physical abuse from his parents, 313 00:17:37,533 --> 00:17:39,467 experiencing bullying from his peers. 314 00:17:39,467 --> 00:17:42,100 And what we know about that is, 315 00:17:42,100 --> 00:17:44,166 somebody who is victimized 316 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:47,266 learns the role of the victim, 317 00:17:47,266 --> 00:17:49,867 but also, potentially, 318 00:17:49,867 --> 00:17:51,433 the role of the abuser. 319 00:17:54,100 --> 00:17:57,634 In his teens, Keith Jesperson didn't have a lot of luck with girls, 320 00:17:57,634 --> 00:18:01,000 but when he was 20 years old in 1975, 321 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:03,166 he married 18-year-old Rose Pernick, 322 00:18:03,166 --> 00:18:05,040 and together they had three children. 323 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:05,634 and together they had three children. 324 00:18:06,467 --> 00:18:07,967 Say hi, Grandpa. 325 00:18:07,967 --> 00:18:10,166 [Leslie Jesperson] Hi, sweetheart. I see your new boots. 326 00:18:10,166 --> 00:18:12,266 -See? -[Leslie] Holy smoke. 327 00:18:12,266 --> 00:18:14,867 You have new boots! 328 00:18:14,867 --> 00:18:17,867 [Schug] They built a marriage that worked, 329 00:18:17,867 --> 00:18:19,467 at least fundamentally, 330 00:18:19,467 --> 00:18:23,867 in terms of Keith supporting his family by working, 331 00:18:23,867 --> 00:18:27,734 and her maintaining the home and raising the children. 332 00:18:27,734 --> 00:18:29,867 Now what do I do to get it going? [laughs] 333 00:18:32,367 --> 00:18:35,040 [laughing] I don't know if I like this! 334 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:35,166 [laughing] I don't know if I like this! 335 00:18:35,166 --> 00:18:37,100 -Keith! -[Jesperson] Keep your feet up. 336 00:18:37,100 --> 00:18:39,166 [Rose Pernick laughing] 337 00:18:39,166 --> 00:18:41,367 Keith was just the traditional dad. 338 00:18:41,367 --> 00:18:43,867 He did the work, his wife Rose stayed at home. 339 00:18:43,867 --> 00:18:47,367 And the kids in the household seemed very normal. 340 00:18:48,900 --> 00:18:50,000 [Jesperson] Eat it. 341 00:18:51,166 --> 00:18:53,533 -[Jesperson] Mmm! -[Pernick laughing] 342 00:18:54,634 --> 00:18:57,867 [on recording] 343 00:19:02,266 --> 00:19:05,040 [Schug] Keith was able to make a good living as a long haul truck driver. 344 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:06,100 [Schug] Keith was able to make a good living as a long haul truck driver. 345 00:19:06,100 --> 00:19:07,967 But he's off driving around the country 346 00:19:07,967 --> 00:19:09,533 for weeks at a time sometimes. 347 00:19:09,533 --> 00:19:12,533 And, uh, he's physically and emotionally away 348 00:19:12,533 --> 00:19:16,367 from his wife, away from his children. 349 00:19:17,266 --> 00:19:18,700 [Jordan] According to Keith, 350 00:19:18,700 --> 00:19:21,734 he and Rose had the normal kind of sexual relationship 351 00:19:21,734 --> 00:19:23,467 in their marriage in the early years. 352 00:19:23,467 --> 00:19:25,166 But then things grew stale. 353 00:19:26,100 --> 00:19:28,266 Once he became a long haul trucker, 354 00:19:28,266 --> 00:19:31,533 it was kind of easy to pick up girls at the truck stops, 355 00:19:31,533 --> 00:19:33,266 and he was seeing girls on the side. 356 00:19:34,533 --> 00:19:35,040 [on recording] 357 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:37,266 [on recording] 358 00:19:53,734 --> 00:19:56,734 [Schug] Keith's marriage completely falls apart. 359 00:19:56,734 --> 00:20:00,000 He loses his job, they lose the house, 360 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:03,166 he ends up starting to date another woman. 361 00:20:03,166 --> 00:20:05,040 And then he and Rose get divorced. 362 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:05,467 And then he and Rose get divorced. 363 00:20:05,467 --> 00:20:09,467 And so, financially, he's really sliding quickly. 364 00:20:09,467 --> 00:20:12,467 He has to go out on the roads to work more, 365 00:20:12,467 --> 00:20:16,467 which further isolates him from his children. 366 00:20:16,467 --> 00:20:20,000 [Gianola] When you started to peel off the layers of his life, 367 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:23,100 then you came to find out later 368 00:20:23,100 --> 00:20:27,166 from his daughter and from other people, some disturbing elements. 369 00:20:28,467 --> 00:20:31,533 [Casey] According to Keith Jesperson's daughter, Melissa, 370 00:20:31,533 --> 00:20:34,100 when they were living in Washington state and she was about 371 00:20:34,100 --> 00:20:35,040 five years old, their cat had a litter of kittens in the basement. 372 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:37,467 five years old, their cat had a litter of kittens in the basement. 373 00:20:37,467 --> 00:20:41,266 And Keith took these kittens and hung them by their tails 374 00:20:41,266 --> 00:20:43,100 from the clothesline. 375 00:20:43,100 --> 00:20:46,634 Later, Melissa reports she found all of the kittens dead in the backyard. 376 00:20:46,634 --> 00:20:50,867 I was six years old when I saw my dad kill my kittens 377 00:20:50,867 --> 00:20:53,967 that I had found, and that's when it hit me 378 00:20:53,967 --> 00:20:57,800 that something's very dark and different about my dad. 379 00:20:57,800 --> 00:21:00,634 [Casey] Melissa reports that when she was 13, 380 00:21:00,634 --> 00:21:05,040 her father told her that he could kill a woman and get away with it. 381 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:05,533 her father told her that he could kill a woman and get away with it. 382 00:21:05,533 --> 00:21:08,967 He told her that he had literally killed a woman and cut the buttons 383 00:21:08,967 --> 00:21:12,533 off her clothing to get rid of any possibility of fingerprints 384 00:21:12,533 --> 00:21:14,266 on those buttons. 385 00:21:14,266 --> 00:21:17,166 And that he would wear cycling shoes to make sure he didn't leave any 386 00:21:17,166 --> 00:21:18,333 footprints in the mud. 387 00:21:34,900 --> 00:21:37,367 Welcome back to Very Scary People. 388 00:21:37,367 --> 00:21:40,166 Keith Hunter Jesperson confesses to murdering 389 00:21:40,166 --> 00:21:41,900 his girlfriend Julie Winningham 390 00:21:41,900 --> 00:21:45,266 and dumping her body in the Columbia River Gorge. 391 00:21:45,266 --> 00:21:47,266 Seems like a cut and dry case, 392 00:21:47,266 --> 00:21:50,467 until detectives hear from Keith's brother Brad. 393 00:21:50,467 --> 00:21:54,066 He tells them he has a letter they need to see immediately. 394 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:03,367 So, this is the letter that Keith Jesperson wrote to his brother, Brad, 395 00:22:03,367 --> 00:22:05,734 on March 24th, 1995. 396 00:22:05,734 --> 00:22:09,500 This is when he's being questioned about Julie Winningham's murder, 397 00:22:09,500 --> 00:22:11,367 he says, "Hi, Brad... 398 00:22:11,367 --> 00:22:13,066 [continues reading] 399 00:22:32,533 --> 00:22:35,634 He's arrested for the Julie Winningham murder. 400 00:22:35,634 --> 00:22:39,100 At that point, he makes a phone call to his brother, Brad, and says... 401 00:22:39,100 --> 00:22:41,467 "Destroy the letter." 402 00:22:41,467 --> 00:22:43,734 So, on one hand he's saying, "I wanna be caught, 403 00:22:44,467 --> 00:22:45,533 but not really." 404 00:22:46,367 --> 00:22:49,000 He had told Keith that he had destroyed it, 405 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:50,734 but, in fact, he didn't destroy it, 406 00:22:50,734 --> 00:22:53,367 and he provided our officers with the letter. 407 00:22:53,367 --> 00:22:57,661 In the letter, he talks about how he had killed multiple women by that point. 408 00:22:57,661 --> 00:22:57,867 In the letter, he talks about how he had killed multiple women by that point. 409 00:22:57,867 --> 00:23:00,734 And so, that was our first concrete information 410 00:23:00,734 --> 00:23:03,166 of our worst nightmare that there are more victims 411 00:23:03,166 --> 00:23:05,333 that Keith Jesperson had murdered. 412 00:23:07,100 --> 00:23:09,100 This is an unbelievable development. 413 00:23:09,100 --> 00:23:12,634 Detectives believed that they had a person who killed his girlfriend. 414 00:23:12,634 --> 00:23:16,433 Never did they think that they had a serial killer on their hands. 415 00:23:18,100 --> 00:23:22,600 It's terrifying information because now we know of multiple victims, 416 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:24,000 we don't know where. 417 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:27,100 We don't know how to possibly track these victims down, 418 00:23:27,100 --> 00:23:27,661 how to identify 'em, 419 00:23:27,661 --> 00:23:28,500 how to identify 'em, 420 00:23:28,500 --> 00:23:31,700 how to verify that, maybe, a victim in another State 421 00:23:31,700 --> 00:23:34,467 whose body was recovered, that was the beginning of the hard work 422 00:23:34,467 --> 00:23:36,533 in that investigation. 423 00:23:36,533 --> 00:23:41,266 So, in 1995, the way to communicate with other agencies 424 00:23:41,266 --> 00:23:43,533 was to send out what we referred to as a teletype, 425 00:23:43,533 --> 00:23:46,266 basically it was a message sent out through a computer 426 00:23:46,266 --> 00:23:48,166 that goes to all law enforcement agencies, 427 00:23:48,166 --> 00:23:53,066 that we have somebody that's admitting to killing multiple women, 428 00:23:54,166 --> 00:23:56,333 that he is a long haul truck driver. 429 00:23:57,700 --> 00:24:01,634 Up to this point, we know that his method of murder was strangulation. 430 00:24:01,634 --> 00:24:03,166 It may or may not be similar. 431 00:24:04,367 --> 00:24:08,467 That he is known to dump his victims off the side of the road, 432 00:24:08,467 --> 00:24:10,734 along major highways. 433 00:24:10,734 --> 00:24:15,000 Please contact us if you have anything, um, that you are aware of, 434 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:16,967 that you have not solved up to this point. 435 00:24:17,900 --> 00:24:19,800 [Jeff] As he's confessing to these crimes, 436 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:23,533 they're realizing only a killer would know this information. 437 00:24:23,533 --> 00:24:27,166 Now they're questioning the Taunja Bennett murder 438 00:24:27,166 --> 00:24:27,661 saying there's a good chance he did do this 439 00:24:27,661 --> 00:24:31,266 saying there's a good chance he did do this 440 00:24:31,266 --> 00:24:34,634 and that two innocent people are in jail. 441 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:38,266 [Chris] My role in the Jesperson case started 442 00:24:38,266 --> 00:24:40,000 after he got arrested for killing 443 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,533 his girlfriend in Clark County, Washington. 444 00:24:43,533 --> 00:24:45,634 We got a call from a detective over there who said, 445 00:24:45,634 --> 00:24:50,600 "We've got a person in custody on one of our homicides. 446 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:54,000 And the word is that he has committed some other murders, 447 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:57,661 and very specifically, he's... the word is that he killed a female 448 00:24:57,661 --> 00:24:59,000 and very specifically, he's... the word is that he killed a female 449 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,634 in Multnomah county named Taunja Bennett. 450 00:25:01,634 --> 00:25:04,800 And that he's aware of the fact that some people were in prison 451 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:05,867 for that murder." 452 00:25:06,634 --> 00:25:07,967 [Det. Chris] 453 00:25:14,100 --> 00:25:15,634 [Keith] 454 00:25:15,634 --> 00:25:18,634 The first time I met Keith Jesperson, 455 00:25:18,634 --> 00:25:23,367 I was a little bit surprised because he came across as the farm boy next door. 456 00:25:23,367 --> 00:25:25,367 He didn't use a lot of swear words, 457 00:25:25,367 --> 00:25:27,100 he didn't act like a tough guy. 458 00:25:27,100 --> 00:25:27,661 he wasn't covered with jailhouse tattoos, 459 00:25:27,661 --> 00:25:29,367 he wasn't covered with jailhouse tattoos, 460 00:25:29,367 --> 00:25:31,367 and he was very friendly with me. 461 00:25:31,367 --> 00:25:34,266 He appeared to enjoy talking to me. 462 00:25:34,266 --> 00:25:37,333 He wasn't running from me in terms of what he was saying. 463 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:39,734 I interviewed him four times. 464 00:25:40,533 --> 00:25:43,000 But the initial interview was very simple, 465 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:45,734 and he told me that he had killed Taunja Bennett 466 00:25:45,734 --> 00:25:47,800 in 1990. 467 00:26:12,367 --> 00:26:16,000 He said that he'd gone to the BNI Tavern, he'd lived on a home nearby. 468 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:20,800 He'd gone to the BNI Tavern and he saw Taunja Bennett in there, 469 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:22,734 and there was some interaction. 470 00:26:45,467 --> 00:26:48,900 And then he left the BNI for a while, 471 00:26:48,900 --> 00:26:51,266 and he came back, and Taunja was there. 472 00:26:51,266 --> 00:26:57,367 And there was a conversation about getting something to eat at a nearby restaurant. 473 00:26:57,367 --> 00:26:57,661 But he explains to her he has to run home 474 00:26:57,661 --> 00:27:00,066 But he explains to her he has to run home 475 00:27:00,066 --> 00:27:01,734 because he doesn't have any money with him. 476 00:27:01,734 --> 00:27:04,367 So, she goes with him to his home, 477 00:27:04,367 --> 00:27:07,700 and while they're there, they never end up going to dinner, 478 00:27:07,700 --> 00:27:10,867 but they do end up having sex. 479 00:27:10,867 --> 00:27:13,367 [Chris] He said that she agreed to have sex with him 480 00:27:13,367 --> 00:27:16,000 on a mattress in the living room. 481 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:19,266 And that happened, according to Jesperson. 482 00:27:19,266 --> 00:27:24,166 And at some point, she said something that offended Jesperson, 483 00:27:24,166 --> 00:27:27,634 and he said he decided he was gonna kill her. 484 00:28:08,367 --> 00:28:11,266 [Chris] He apparently strangled her. 485 00:28:11,266 --> 00:28:13,367 And left her in his home, 486 00:28:13,367 --> 00:28:17,700 where he was living with another woman who was also out of town, 487 00:28:17,700 --> 00:28:19,533 she was a truck driver. 488 00:28:19,533 --> 00:28:23,000 He went back to the BNI Tavern because he wanted to establish 489 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:27,661 an alibi about where he was all afternoon and evening. 490 00:28:27,661 --> 00:28:27,800 an alibi about where he was all afternoon and evening. 491 00:28:40,367 --> 00:28:44,166 He became very concerned about the potential for forensic evidence, 492 00:28:44,166 --> 00:28:48,500 and was afraid that his fingerprints might be on the zipper tab. 493 00:28:48,500 --> 00:28:53,100 So he cut the fly out of her jeans so he could take the fingerprint with him. 494 00:28:53,100 --> 00:28:55,800 Then he went back to the home where he's killed Taunja, 495 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:57,661 and picked her up, and took her out to the dump site 496 00:28:57,661 --> 00:28:59,900 and picked her up, and took her out to the dump site 497 00:28:59,900 --> 00:29:02,233 which was in the Columbia River Gorge. 498 00:29:11,634 --> 00:29:14,600 I'm told, the moment at which law enforcement really did believe 499 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:17,800 that Keith Jesperson was involved in Taunja Bennett's murder... 500 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:21,066 was he took them out to the Columbia Gorge. 501 00:29:22,166 --> 00:29:26,367 Taunja Bennett's mother had said that she left with a purse, 502 00:29:26,367 --> 00:29:29,233 and her Walkman, and they had never found her purse. 503 00:29:30,467 --> 00:29:34,266 And when Jesperson confessed to killing Bennett, 504 00:29:34,266 --> 00:29:37,800 he described her purse and said that he tossed it. 505 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:38,329 And he pointed to an area in the gorge and he said, 506 00:29:38,329 --> 00:29:41,000 And he pointed to an area in the gorge and he said, 507 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:42,634 "That's where I left her purse." 508 00:29:43,867 --> 00:29:46,467 So0 the police brought out Explorer scouts, 509 00:29:46,467 --> 00:29:48,533 who are, you know students who want to be police officers, 510 00:29:48,533 --> 00:29:50,166 and gave them hacksaws and said, 511 00:29:50,166 --> 00:29:51,433 "Were looking for a purse." 512 00:29:52,734 --> 00:29:55,266 And they were about to call it in and one of the kids said, 513 00:29:55,266 --> 00:29:57,367 "I've got a purse." 514 00:29:57,367 --> 00:30:00,233 It had Taunja Bennett's ID card in it still. 515 00:30:16,467 --> 00:30:19,600 There was a search warrant that would allow, uh, the detectives to actually 516 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:22,467 have Jesperson write down some things 517 00:30:22,467 --> 00:30:24,100 that they tell him to write down. 518 00:30:24,100 --> 00:30:27,867 And with that paper, and as well as any letters that he 519 00:30:27,867 --> 00:30:29,367 is suspected of writing, 520 00:30:29,367 --> 00:30:32,634 it goes to a handwriting expert who does a comparison. 521 00:30:33,533 --> 00:30:35,600 And the letter to The Oregonian 522 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:38,166 and the letter to Brad were verified by the expert 523 00:30:38,166 --> 00:30:38,329 as being written and authored by Keith Jesperson. 524 00:30:38,329 --> 00:30:41,166 as being written and authored by Keith Jesperson. 525 00:30:42,100 --> 00:30:43,233 "The Happy Face Killer." 526 00:30:45,066 --> 00:30:47,533 They were also able to get DNA 527 00:30:47,533 --> 00:30:50,734 from one of the letters, "The Happy Face Killer" letters, 528 00:30:50,734 --> 00:30:54,100 that they were able to match to Keith Jesperson's DNA. 529 00:30:54,100 --> 00:30:56,500 So, at that point it was very clear that 530 00:30:56,500 --> 00:30:59,100 he had written the letters. 531 00:30:59,100 --> 00:31:03,166 It all started to come out and it all started to mirror 532 00:31:03,166 --> 00:31:07,000 what he had written to The Oregonian the year before, 533 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:08,329 what he had written on the bathroom walls. 534 00:31:08,329 --> 00:31:10,867 what he had written on the bathroom walls. 535 00:31:10,867 --> 00:31:15,233 It all came crashing down on Keith Jesperson. 536 00:31:17,700 --> 00:31:19,467 [Monty] When things started to quiet down, 537 00:31:19,467 --> 00:31:21,467 he would spark interest again 538 00:31:21,467 --> 00:31:23,700 by bringing up things that he'd done. 539 00:31:23,700 --> 00:31:27,700 He would write letters to media outlets and want to be interviewed. 540 00:31:27,700 --> 00:31:30,700 And saying, "Hey, I'm confessing to these crimes 541 00:31:30,700 --> 00:31:32,233 and nobody is listening to me." 542 00:31:43,700 --> 00:31:47,533 He reaches out to KATU Television Station 543 00:31:47,533 --> 00:31:52,266 and has a conversation with our reporter Bob Heye. 544 00:31:52,266 --> 00:31:55,467 In that conversation, he is repeatedly asked, 545 00:31:55,467 --> 00:31:57,166 "Are you the Happy Face Killer?" 546 00:32:02,166 --> 00:32:05,800 Each time, Keith Jesperson says, "Yes, I am." 547 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:08,329 Bob Heye also asks him, "Why did you do it?" 548 00:32:08,329 --> 00:32:09,166 Bob Heye also asks him, "Why did you do it?" 549 00:32:09,166 --> 00:32:12,433 And he can't explain it, he says, "I don't know." 550 00:32:16,867 --> 00:32:18,467 [Keith laughs] 551 00:32:31,367 --> 00:32:32,867 Why would he do this? 552 00:32:32,867 --> 00:32:36,000 Well, Jesperson says that he was courting the media 553 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:37,700 because two people 554 00:32:37,700 --> 00:32:38,329 were wrongfully imprisoned in jail, 555 00:32:38,329 --> 00:32:39,867 were wrongfully imprisoned in jail, 556 00:32:39,867 --> 00:32:41,367 and he needed the media's help 557 00:32:41,367 --> 00:32:43,000 to get the evidence out there, 558 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:45,467 so that these two people could be freed 559 00:32:45,467 --> 00:32:47,867 because he was indeed the Happy Face Killer. 560 00:32:47,867 --> 00:32:51,266 And the question remains, did he really feel bad about these two people 561 00:32:51,266 --> 00:32:55,166 who are imprisoned, or is he just dancing with the media 562 00:32:55,166 --> 00:32:58,634 because he wants the limelight to be focused on him? 563 00:33:00,367 --> 00:33:05,000 [Jeff] Now, the focus turns to Laverne Pavlinac and John Sosnovske 564 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:07,100 who're sitting in prison. 565 00:33:07,100 --> 00:33:08,329 [Joey] Remember Laverne Pavlinac, 566 00:33:08,329 --> 00:33:08,700 [Joey] Remember Laverne Pavlinac, 567 00:33:08,700 --> 00:33:10,500 she confessed that she was there 568 00:33:10,500 --> 00:33:14,600 when her boyfriend John Sosnovske killed Taunja Bennett. 569 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:16,867 Though she recanted her confession at trial, 570 00:33:16,867 --> 00:33:20,367 she was convicted, and they had both been in prison for four years. 571 00:33:22,266 --> 00:33:24,500 [Jeff] It was almost unbelievable. 572 00:33:24,500 --> 00:33:28,600 You have a serial killer confessing to a crime that two people 573 00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:31,533 are sitting in jail for right now. 574 00:33:31,533 --> 00:33:33,500 [Alafair] You have a case where you have 575 00:33:33,500 --> 00:33:38,329 three people all taking responsibility for a crime. 576 00:33:38,329 --> 00:33:39,467 three people all taking responsibility for a crime. 577 00:33:39,467 --> 00:33:43,066 No one seemed to have coerced or lead their confessions, 578 00:33:43,066 --> 00:33:46,900 they all seem to have information that only the killer would know. 579 00:33:48,100 --> 00:33:50,800 You normally have zero people claiming responsibility. 580 00:33:52,500 --> 00:33:56,100 I would say one of my greatest nightmares in taking a job 581 00:33:56,100 --> 00:33:58,166 as a Deputy District Attorney 582 00:33:58,166 --> 00:34:00,900 is the idea of convicting an innocent person. 583 00:34:02,500 --> 00:34:07,533 [Alafair] There was also the possibility that Jesperson could have been involved, 584 00:34:07,533 --> 00:34:08,329 but he could've done it with Laverne and John. 585 00:34:08,329 --> 00:34:11,367 but he could've done it with Laverne and John. 586 00:34:11,367 --> 00:34:14,266 You've really got to be confident you're getting it right 587 00:34:14,266 --> 00:34:16,166 before you let two people who have been convicted 588 00:34:16,166 --> 00:34:17,734 of murder out. 589 00:34:17,734 --> 00:34:19,867 I could see the district attorneys 590 00:34:19,867 --> 00:34:23,266 who had prosecuted Laverne and John. 591 00:34:23,266 --> 00:34:26,967 I could see them struggling with "how did this happen?" 592 00:34:26,967 --> 00:34:31,367 It's every prosecutor's worst nightmare is that you convict an innocent person. 593 00:34:31,367 --> 00:34:33,800 And here, they didn't even do anything wrong. 594 00:34:33,800 --> 00:34:36,500 They were kind of asking themselves, "Should we have known? 595 00:34:36,500 --> 00:34:38,266 Were there warning signs here?" 596 00:34:38,266 --> 00:34:38,329 And they couldn't really find any. 597 00:34:38,329 --> 00:34:39,900 And they couldn't really find any. 598 00:34:41,266 --> 00:34:45,066 I just think, there was in some sense, 599 00:34:45,066 --> 00:34:48,867 just the overriding concern 600 00:34:48,867 --> 00:34:53,367 that we have got to get Laverne Pavlinac and John Sosnovske out, 601 00:34:53,367 --> 00:34:58,367 because the more I learned, the more I believed they were not responsible, 602 00:34:58,367 --> 00:35:01,333 and that's an injustice that has to be corrected. 603 00:35:10,467 --> 00:35:15,000 [Judge Keith] My immediate thought when I heard that we have two people in jail, 604 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:19,734 on long sentences, Laverne Pavlinac and John Sosnovske, 605 00:35:19,734 --> 00:35:25,266 and at the very least, we don't have proof beyond a reasonable doubt anymore, 606 00:35:26,367 --> 00:35:28,433 and we've got to act to get them out. 607 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:32,000 [Alafair] It's actually a lot harder to get 608 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:34,533 an innocent person out of custody than you would think. 609 00:35:34,533 --> 00:35:37,266 This was a case where the district attorney's office 610 00:35:37,266 --> 00:35:38,856 was agreeing to vacate the convictions, 611 00:35:38,856 --> 00:35:40,000 was agreeing to vacate the convictions, 612 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:41,867 but you still need a legal basis for it. 613 00:35:41,867 --> 00:35:44,166 It took months to investigate 614 00:35:44,166 --> 00:35:47,467 to the point that law enforcement became convinced 615 00:35:47,467 --> 00:35:51,734 that Laverne and John were completely uninvolved in this. 616 00:35:54,900 --> 00:35:58,867 [Jeff] Laverne Pavlinac and John Sosnovske are released from jail. 617 00:36:00,533 --> 00:36:01,634 Hi! 618 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:04,367 -You look nice. -[cries] 619 00:36:04,367 --> 00:36:06,734 [Gianola] Laverne Pavlinac was a troubled woman 620 00:36:06,734 --> 00:36:08,856 when you look back at her past. 621 00:36:08,856 --> 00:36:08,867 when you look back at her past. 622 00:36:08,867 --> 00:36:13,166 I mean, to falsely confess to the rape and murder of a young woman 623 00:36:13,166 --> 00:36:15,100 so she could get out of what she called 624 00:36:15,100 --> 00:36:18,166 an abusive relationship with her boyfriend. 625 00:36:20,367 --> 00:36:24,634 That false confession completely derailed 626 00:36:25,467 --> 00:36:26,967 the investigation. 627 00:36:44,533 --> 00:36:49,100 I can only think that you'd have to be really desperate to do something 628 00:36:49,100 --> 00:36:53,634 this outlandish. 629 00:36:53,634 --> 00:36:57,467 In putting yourself even in peril and implicating yourself in some 630 00:36:57,467 --> 00:36:59,967 very grotesque activity and violent activity. 631 00:36:59,967 --> 00:37:04,800 And she did claim many times that John Sosnovske was abusive with her. 632 00:37:29,634 --> 00:37:34,266 She lost her liberty for years because of it, and this guy got away with it. 633 00:37:34,266 --> 00:37:36,433 The real killer got away with it for years. 634 00:37:39,000 --> 00:37:44,000 [Jeff] You have to ask yourself, how many other women died 635 00:37:44,000 --> 00:37:46,533 because of that false confession. 636 00:37:46,533 --> 00:37:49,367 [Casey] You would think that Keith Jesperson's confession, 637 00:37:49,367 --> 00:37:54,266 those letters to the media, to the courthouse, the letter to his brother, 638 00:37:54,266 --> 00:37:56,100 in which he confesses to these murders, 639 00:37:56,100 --> 00:37:58,467 you would think that would be enough for police to go forward, 640 00:37:58,467 --> 00:38:00,266 but they run forensic evidence. 641 00:38:00,266 --> 00:38:02,166 They need to make absolutely sure 642 00:38:02,166 --> 00:38:04,700 that Keith Jesperson is not also giving them 643 00:38:04,700 --> 00:38:08,467 a false confession just for the media exposure. 644 00:38:08,467 --> 00:38:08,856 They match the handwriting with a handwriting analyst, 645 00:38:08,856 --> 00:38:11,266 They match the handwriting with a handwriting analyst, 646 00:38:11,266 --> 00:38:15,000 they check the fingerprints and the saliva on the envelopes 647 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:16,367 in which the letters were sent, 648 00:38:16,367 --> 00:38:20,467 and yes, it all matches Keith Jesperson. 649 00:38:20,467 --> 00:38:25,734 [Monty] Eventually we were able to tie Jesperson to eight victims. 650 00:38:25,734 --> 00:38:29,634 At the time, some of the victims were unidentified by the agency. 651 00:38:29,634 --> 00:38:32,634 In one particular case, they didn't even know they had a victim. 652 00:38:35,867 --> 00:38:38,856 Keith Jesperson is a classic power control serial killer, 653 00:38:38,856 --> 00:38:39,700 Keith Jesperson is a classic power control serial killer, 654 00:38:39,700 --> 00:38:42,533 and it is the most common type of serial killer, 655 00:38:42,533 --> 00:38:45,000 people who feel stripped of their power 656 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:46,734 and very often their masculinity. 657 00:38:47,634 --> 00:38:51,533 They need to have a sense of playing God. 658 00:38:51,533 --> 00:38:56,000 And nothing is more typical of a power control killer than strangulation. 659 00:38:56,000 --> 00:38:58,533 Why? He's not trying to kill her. 660 00:38:58,533 --> 00:39:01,000 He's trying to have power over her. 661 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:06,166 He wants to be admired by how he was so successful at being "Happy Face Killer," 662 00:39:06,166 --> 00:39:08,856 a serial killer, and killing all these women. 663 00:39:08,856 --> 00:39:09,867 a serial killer, and killing all these women. 664 00:39:09,867 --> 00:39:14,100 Keith Jesperson was very good about remembering all the details 665 00:39:14,100 --> 00:39:17,533 about how he killed someone, where he left the body, 666 00:39:17,533 --> 00:39:21,467 But he often got their names wrong or mixed up their names, 667 00:39:21,467 --> 00:39:23,433 and I thought that was chilling. 668 00:39:45,533 --> 00:39:48,000 [Jeff] These people were daughters, 669 00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:52,100 in some cases mothers, and that can never be forgotten 670 00:39:52,100 --> 00:39:56,266 because that points to just how heinous these crimes were, 671 00:39:56,266 --> 00:40:02,000 and that a monster is finally put away for these crimes. 672 00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:05,734 [Michelle] I can't even put into words how you feel about 673 00:40:05,734 --> 00:40:07,266 somebody that killed your sister. 674 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:08,856 She was just a kind person 675 00:40:08,856 --> 00:40:10,967 She was just a kind person 676 00:40:10,967 --> 00:40:13,867 that always was kind to everybody. 677 00:40:13,867 --> 00:40:15,166 She paid attention to everybody, 678 00:40:15,166 --> 00:40:16,900 wanted to be everybody's friend. 679 00:40:18,634 --> 00:40:20,066 It's hard... 680 00:40:20,634 --> 00:40:22,066 'cause she's not here no more. 681 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:30,266 [Don] My mom wasn't just a transient or whatever the media 682 00:40:30,266 --> 00:40:31,266 has made her out to be, 683 00:40:31,266 --> 00:40:34,533 she was a kind, loving soul, 684 00:40:34,533 --> 00:40:38,856 and... tried to stay positive and didn't want to hurt anybody. 685 00:40:38,856 --> 00:40:40,000 and... tried to stay positive and didn't want to hurt anybody. 686 00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:44,266 She just wanted to be peaceful and do her journey. 687 00:40:45,100 --> 00:40:46,600 We lost a good person. 688 00:40:50,367 --> 00:40:54,100 [Monty] Keith Jesperson is very proud of the crimes that he's committed. 689 00:40:54,100 --> 00:40:55,734 He likes that recognition. 690 00:40:55,734 --> 00:40:58,634 He wants to be a serial killer because he wants to be able 691 00:40:58,634 --> 00:41:02,166 to be well known amongst everybody 692 00:41:02,166 --> 00:41:05,000 as being a notorious serial killer. 693 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:08,856 Without that, Keith Jesperson would be a nobody. 694 00:41:08,856 --> 00:41:09,000 Without that, Keith Jesperson would be a nobody. 695 00:41:09,000 --> 00:41:10,734 [Keith in interview] I am the Happy Face Killer. 696 00:41:10,734 --> 00:41:13,166 -[man] There's no doubt? -There is no doubt in my mind. 697 00:41:13,166 --> 00:41:14,634 [Keith laughs] 698 00:41:16,166 --> 00:41:21,367 Keith Jesperson has been linked to eight murders between 1990 to 1995. 699 00:41:21,367 --> 00:41:23,734 He's serving multiple consecutive life sentences 700 00:41:23,734 --> 00:41:26,000 in the Oregon State Penitentiary, 701 00:41:26,000 --> 00:41:28,634 without the possibility of parole. 702 00:41:28,634 --> 00:41:33,166 On April 13th 2022, one of his Jane Doe victims was identified 703 00:41:33,166 --> 00:41:35,000 as Patricia Skiple. 704 00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:37,533 She is believed to be his fifth victim. 705 00:41:37,533 --> 00:41:38,856 Her identification was made possible 706 00:41:38,856 --> 00:41:39,166 Her identification was made possible 707 00:41:39,166 --> 00:41:41,800 by advancements in DNA technology. 708 00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:43,367 Skiple's family is grateful 709 00:41:43,367 --> 00:41:45,634 she finally has her name back. 710 00:41:45,634 --> 00:41:49,166 Two other victims, one in California and one in Florida, 711 00:41:49,166 --> 00:41:51,166 are still on unidentified. 712 00:41:51,166 --> 00:41:53,700 I'm Donnie Wahlberg. Thanks for watching. 713 00:41:53,700 --> 00:41:54,533 Good night.