KEITH HUNTER JESPERSON | "The Happy Face Killer" | Strangled Eight Women To Put Them 'out of their misery' And Says He 'exploded' On His First Victim Because She Acted Like His Ex-Wife | Autographed Letter Signed

Keith Jesperson. Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). Portland, OR. January 15, 2025. Content unknown. SEALED.

Keith Hunter Jesperson

• Classification: Serial killer

• Characteristics: Rape - Truck driver

• Number of victims: 8 +

• Date of murders: 1990 - 1995

• Date of arrest: March 30, 1995

• Date of birth: April 6, 1955

• Victims profile: Women

• Method of murder: Strangulation

• Location: Nebraska/California/Florida/Washington/Oregon/Wyoming, USA

• Status: Sentenced to life in prison in Oregon on June 3, 1998

Background and Early Life

Keith Hunter Jesperson was born on April 6, 1955, in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada. He was the middle child in a family with two brothers and two sisters. His father was an alcoholic who exhibited violent behavior, which contributed to a tumultuous family environment. Jesperson experienced bullying due to his large size and felt isolated both at home and in school. This isolation led him to develop violent tendencies early on; he began torturing and killing animals by the age of five. These behaviors escalated into attempted murders during his childhood.

Jesperson’s troubled upbringing included severe punishments from his father, including physical abuse. He graduated high school in 1973 but did not pursue higher education due to his father’s lack of belief in his abilities. In 1975, he married Rose Hucke, with whom he had three children. However, tensions arose in their marriage due to suspicions of infidelity, leading to their divorce in 1990.

Criminal Activities

Jesperson’s criminal activities began after he became an interstate truck driver following the end of his marriage. His first confirmed victim was Taunja Bennett, whom he murdered after an argument in 1990. The case initially went unsolved until Jesperson himself confessed through anonymous letters to the media and authorities, signing them with smiley faces—hence earning him the nickname “The Happy Face Killer.”

Over the next few years, Jesperson murdered at least eight women, primarily targeting sex workers and transients. His method of killing typically involved strangulation—a method he had practiced on animals during his youth. Despite claiming responsibility for as many as 160 murders over time, only eight have been confirmed.

Capture and Incarceration

Jesperson’s capture came about as a result of one of his last murders when he killed a woman named Angela Surbrize while giving her a ride from Spokane to Indiana. After confessing to multiple murders through letters that drew significant media attention, law enforcement eventually apprehended him.

He is currently serving a life sentence without parole at the Oregon State Penitentiary for his crimes.

Conclusion

Keith Hunter Jesperson remains one of the more notorious serial killers in American history due to both the nature of his crimes and the manner in which he taunted law enforcement through correspondence.

VIDEO: World's Most Evil Killers - Season 5, Episode 16 - Keith Jesperson - Full Episode | https://youtu.be/gMHxJN78Tf8

Archiving Protocol:

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• Photo Pages/Sheet Protectors: Heavyweight Clear Sheet Protectors, Acid Free & Archival Safe, 8.5 × 11, Top Load

• White Backing Board – Acid Free

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