In the late summer of 1984, a promising young White/Caucasian woman named Paula Godfrey, 19, vanished from Overland Park, Kansas, leaving behind a mystery that would remain unsolved for years. An accomplished amateur figure skater and a recent high school graduate, Paula was eager to embark on a business career. She informed her family that she had been hired by a man named John Edward Robinson Sr. to work as a sales representative for his management consulting firm, Equi II. The opportunity seemed legitimate, involving a trip to San Antonio, Texas, for a clerical skills course. On September 1, 1984, Robinson arrived at the Godfrey family home to drive Paula to the airport. It was the last time her family would ever see her.
Days turned into a week with no word from Paula. Her concerned father traveled to San Antonio, only to discover that she had never checked into her hotel. Returning to Overland Park, he confronted Robinson, who denied any knowledge of her whereabouts. The situation grew more perplexing when Paula's parents received a typewritten letter bearing their daughter's signature. The letter claimed she was "OK" and expressed a desire not to have contact with her family. Although her family suspected the letter was a forgery, the police investigation was initially terminated as Paula was of legal age and there was no concrete evidence of foul play.
For years, Paula's disappearance remained a painful cold case for her family. The break they had been waiting for came with the arrest of John Edward Robinson Sr. in June 2000 in connection with the disappearances of other women. A search of his property and a storage locker revealed the remains of multiple women, confirming investigators' fears that he was a serial killer. Robinson, who used online chatrooms to lure some of his victims, became known as the "Internet Slavemaster."
The investigation into Robinson's horrific crimes led authorities to reopen Paula Godfrey's case. He was eventually charged with and convicted of several murders. While Paula's body has never been found, Robinson confessed to being responsible for her death as part of a plea agreement in October 2003. He acknowledged that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him of capital murder for her death, along with those of several other women. The story of Paula Godfrey serves as a chilling reminder of the predatory nature of a serial killer who operated under the guise of a legitimate businessman.
