| Wikipedia: Keith Hunter Jesperson |
| Keith Hunter Jesperson | |
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| Background information | |
| Born: | April 6, 1955 Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada |
| Penalty: | Life imprisonment |
| Killings | |
| Number of victims: | 8-160 |
| Span of killings: | January 23, 1990–1995 |
| Country: | United States |
| State(s): | Nebraska, California, Florida, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming |
| Date apprehended: | 1995 |
Keith Hunter Jesperson (born April 6, 1955 Chilliwack, British Columbia) is a Canadian born American serial killer known as the "Happy Face Killer" for the smiley face he drew on his many letters to the media. Keith Hunter Jesperson was first arrested in 1995 for the murder of his girlfriend, Julie Ann Winningham, 41, of Camas, Washington.
In addition to his conviction for Winningham’s murder, Jesperson has been convicted of murdering four women in Oregon, California and Wyoming. While Jesperson sat in the Clark County Jail for the murder of Julie Winningham, he began talking to his attorney, Thomas Phelan, about other crimes that he had committed starting with Taunja Bennett. By the age of thirty-five, he was a tall hulking man who stood at 6'6 and weighed 240 pounds. He had dreams of working for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. During his training as a policeman he sustaining a fall during a training exercise he was permanently dismissed. He later sought work as an interstate truck driver in Cheney, Washington. During the homicide investigation of Winningham, witnesses who gave their information to the police described Jesperson as having a "Baby Huey" appearance. His first known victim was Taunja Bennett on January 23, 1990 near Portland, Oregon.[1] Overall, Jesperson murdered 8 people in Nebraska, California, Florida, Washington, Oregon, and Wyoming as he was a truck driver at the time he committed these murders. He is serving three consecutive life sentences at the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem. In prison he took up painting as a hobby and sells his artwork over the internet.
Laverne Pavlinac read the news reports surrounding Taunja Bennett's death and gave a false confession to police.Laverne Pavlinac and live in boyfriend Sosnovske and were convicted of the murder of Jesperson's first victim in February 1991. On November 27, 1995, after serving more than four years in prison for a crime they didn't commit, Laverne Pavlinac and John Sosnovske were released from prison after Jesperson and his attorney offered his confession with convincing evidence of his guilt. He had given police officers the location of the victim's purse, which was a detail not released to the press.
As a child, Jesperson was the middle child of 2 brothers, Bruce and Brad, and 2 sisters, Sharon and Jill. Keith was segregated and treated differently by the rest of his family. His father, Leslie (Les) Jesperson, charged Keith room and board, 30 dollars a week, while his brothers and sisters paid nothing. Keith tortured animals and set fire to houses and wooded areas. The Jespersons moved from British Columbia to the United States. In Selah, Washington, Jesperson had trouble fitting in and making friends. His brothers didn't help him, instead they nicknamed him "Igor" or "Ig" and the name stuck throughout high school.
Keith is quoted, as saying...
"Because I am stupid, that's why!"
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External links
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