Serial Killer Robert Benjamin Rhoades
Introduction
Robert Benjamin Rhoades, also known as the "Truck Stop Killer," was an American serial killer and rapist who preyed on hitchhikers and runaways. Operating primarily in the late 1980s and early 1990s, he used his long-haul trucking job as a cover to commit heinous crimes across multiple states.
Modus Operandi
Rhoades lured victims into his truck, where he had a specially outfitted torture chamber. He would restrain them, subject them to extreme physical and psychological abuse, and ultimately murder them. His preferred method of killing was strangulation, often after days of torment.
Notable Crimes and Victims
Rhoades is suspected of numerous killings, but only a few have been confirmed due to the transient nature of his victims and the vast territory he covered. Some of his known victims include:
- Regina Kay Walters (February 1990) – A 14-year-old girl from Pasadena, Texas. Rhoades abducted her along with her boyfriend, Ricky Lee Jones. While Jones was likely killed shortly after capture, Regina was tortured over an extended period. Disturbingly, Rhoades took photographs of her before murdering her in an abandoned barn in Illinois.
- Ricky Lee Jones (February 1990) – A 17-year-old boy who was traveling with Regina Kay Walters. He was last seen in Rhoades' truck, and his remains have never been conclusively identified.
- Patricia Walsh (January 1990) – Along with her husband, Douglas Zyskowski, she was hitchhiking across the U.S. Rhoades killed Zyskowski first and later held Walsh captive before eventually murdering her.
- Douglas Zyskowski (January 1990) – Husband of Patricia Walsh, last seen in Texas. His remains were found in January 1990 near Interstate 10 in Texas, showing signs of execution-style murder.
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