RIVERSIDE (KTNV) — Today marks 13 years since serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, also known as the "Happy Face Killer", was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison after killing eight women. California police are now asking for the public's help to identify his last victim who may have had ties to Las Vegas.
On Monday, the Riverside County District Attorney's Office released new renderings of the woman, who was found on Aug. 30, 1992 along Highway 95, about seven miles north of Blythe, California.
After being arrested in a different case, Jesperson told a reporter that he picked up this unidentified woman as she "was potentially headed out of Las Vegas".
Investigators said that based on conversations with Jesperson, they believe the woman he called "Claudia" was living near or familiar with the Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside County areas and had ties to Las Vegas and southern Nevada.
According to Jesperson, he met "Claudia" at a brake check area on Interstate 15 south of the Victorville area while he was working as a long-haul truck driver. The woman asked to be taken to Los Angeles. He said no because of his route but that he would take her to Cabazon, California instead.
Jesperson said the woman decided to continue traveling with him until they got to the Indio/Coachelle Burns Brothers rest stop. The two then allegedly argued over money and Jesperson claims he killed her in his truck and drove to Blythe, where he dumped her body.
Police said Jesperson described "Claudia" as being 20 to 30 years old, with shaggy, wild hair that he believed was blonde. He also said she was about 5'6" and a medium build, weighing about 140 pounds. She was found wearing a t-shirt printed with a motorcycle and she had a tattoo of two small dots on the left side of her right thumb.
Anyone with information to help identify the victim can contact Riverside's Cold Case Hotline at 951-955-5567 or by emailing coldcaseunit@rivcoda.org.
"No call would be insignificant to us. It can only help our case," Riverside County Sheriff's Office Investigator Amy Contreras said. "[He] dumped her on the side of the road like she was trash and she's not. She deserves dignity and respect. Just try to think back. Anything you can remember that can trigger a memory, call us."
"Even though this killer is behind bars and never going to get out, this victim has an identity, is a real person," Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said. "We want to make sure we give her back her identity and give closure to these families."
