Patricia Skiple, a 45-year-old woman from Colton, Oregon, was identified decades after her death as a victim of the notorious serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, also known as the 'Happy Face Killer.' Skiple, known to her friends and family as 'Patsy,' was a mother whose body was discovered on June 3, 1993, on the side of California State Route 152 near Gilroy, California. At the time of discovery, authorities were unable to determine her identity, and she was referred to as 'Blue Pacheco' due to the color of her clothing.
The cause of her death was initially listed as undetermined. However, in 2006, Jesperson wrote a letter to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office confessing to sexually assaulting and killing a woman near the highway. Jesperson, a long-haul trucker, was arrested in 1995 and later confessed to murdering eight women between 1990 and 1995 across multiple states, including California, Washington, Oregon, Florida, Nebraska, and Wyoming. He was dubbed the 'Happy Face Killer' because he drew smiley faces on letters he sent to the media and police. Jesperson pleaded guilty to Skiple's murder in 2007 and was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.
For years, Skiple's identity remained unknown, and her case was considered a cold case. In 2019, detectives revisited the investigation and partnered with the DNA Doe Project, a nonprofit organization specializing in genetic genealogy to identify unknown victims. Through advanced DNA analysis and genealogical detective work, Skiple was identified in April 2022, nearly three decades after her death. Her family, who had been searching for her for years, finally received closure.
Jesperson's crimes were particularly heinous, as he preyed on vulnerable women, often targeting those he encountered during his trucking routes. His confessions and subsequent convictions solidified his reputation as one of the most infamous serial killers in the United States. Skiple's identification was a significant breakthrough in forensic investigations, demonstrating the power of genetic genealogy in solving long-standing mysteries and bringing justice to victims and their families.
