Linda Marie Maybin, a 34-year-old Caucasian female, was found deceased in Spokane, Washington, on April 1, 1998. Often called "Barefoot Linda" because she frequently went without shoes, her remains were discovered in a brushy area in the 4800 block of East 14th Avenue. This location was unsettlingly close to where the bodies of two other women, Shawn McClenahan and Laurie Wason, had been found the previous December.
An autopsy determined that Maybin had died from a single gunshot wound to the head. She had been missing since November 22, 1997.
Investigators noted similarities between Maybin's case and the deaths of other women in the area, leading to the suspicion of a serial killer. Like the other victims, Maybin had connections to prostitution and drugs. A disturbing signature of the killer was the placement of plastic grocery bags over his victims' heads; Maybin was found with two bags covering her head. This series of brutal crimes cast a shadow of fear over the Spokane community as law enforcement hunted for the person responsible.
The investigation into the string of murders eventually led to the arrest of Robert Lee Yates Jr. in April 2000. Yates, a former U.S. Army helicopter pilot, was identified as the Spokane serial killer. Through a plea bargain to avoid the death penalty, Yates confessed to the murders of multiple women, including Linda Marie Maybin. DNA evidence was a crucial component in linking him to the crimes. For his horrific acts, Robert Lee Yates Jr. was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, bringing a legal conclusion to the tragic death of Linda Marie Maybin and his other victims.
