Patricia Marie "Patty" Laney, a 21-year-old student at the University of California-Santa Barbara, tragically lost her life on January 18, 1977. Patty was known for her bright personality and active involvement in her community. On the day of her disappearance, she was last seen posting missing-person flyers for two other victims in Isla Vista, California. Her body was discovered the following day in Refugio Canyon, a remote area north of Santa Barbara.
The autopsy revealed that she had been sexually assaulted and fatally shot in the head with a small-caliber pistol.
The investigation into Patty's death revealed a chilling pattern of murders in the Isla Vista area, known as the "look-alike" murders due to the victims' similar appearances. The perpetrator, Thor Nis Christiansen, was a Danish-American serial killer who targeted young women with long, straight hair. Christiansen's method involved offering rides to hitchhikers, then shooting them in the head with a .22 caliber pistol and engaging in post-mortem sexual assault.
Christiansen's reign of terror began in late 1976 and continued until his arrest in 1979. He was initially questioned by police in February 1977 but was not considered a suspect at the time. It wasn't until Linda Preston, a survivor of one of his attacks, identified him in a Hollywood tavern in July 1979 that Christiansen was arrested. He was charged with the murders of Patricia Laney, Jacqueline Rook, and Mary Sarris, and later pleaded guilty. Christiansen was sentenced to life in prison in June 1980. However, his life ended violently when he was stabbed to death by an unknown inmate in Folsom State Prison on March 30, 1981.
Patty's death, along with the other victims, left a lasting impact on the Isla Vista community. Her friends and fellow students started the Annual Isla Vista April Fool's Jugglers' Festival in her memory, celebrating her life and contributions to the community. The case of Patricia Marie "Patty" Laney remains a poignant reminder of the dangers that once plagued the area and the importance of community vigilance and support.
