Patrick Alan Oliver, a 21-year-old honor-roll pre-med student, was tragically murdered on July 13, 1975, near Walla Walla, Washington. Oliver, who had recently returned from studying at the Sorbonne in Paris, was picnicking with his friend Susan Savage, a recent graduate of Washington State University, when they encountered Robert Lee Yates Jr., a 23-year-old on a hunting trip.
Yates shot Oliver three times in the head, and Savage twice, marking the beginning of his notorious killing spree.
The investigation into their deaths initially yielded few results. Authorities speculated various motives, ranging from a robbery gone wrong to a professional hit, but none of these theories were substantiated. The crime scene provided some clues, such as the victims' bodies being dragged across the river and hidden under a tire and brush. Both victims had defensive wounds, indicating they tried to fend off their attacker before being fatally shot in the head.
For years, the case remained unsolved, with several suspects being considered and dismissed. It wasn't until Yates' arrest in April 2000 that the truth came to light. Yates, who had gone on to become one of Washington's most infamous serial killers, confessed to the murders of Oliver and Savage as part of a plea deal to avoid the death penalty. This confession finally provided closure to a case that had baffled investigators for decades.
Yates' arrest and subsequent confession revealed a chilling pattern of violence. He admitted to killing 13 people, including Oliver and Savage, and was linked to numerous other murders in the Spokane area. His method of operation often involved shooting his victims in the head and disposing of their bodies in remote locations. The case of Patrick Alan Oliver thus stands as a grim reminder of Yates' early crimes and the long journey to justice for his victims.
