Randall Brent Woodfield

Serial Killer

Randall Brent Woodfield: The I-5 Killer

Overview

Randall Brent Woodfield, often known as the I-5 Killer or the I-5 Bandit, was a former college football player and Green Bay Packers draft pick whose violent crimes spread fear across the Pacific Northwest and Northern California in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His nickname came from the Interstate 5 corridor, where many of his robberies, sexual assaults, shootings, and murders occurred. Woodfield was convicted of the murder of Shari Lynn Hull and the attempted murder of her surviving co-worker, but investigators have linked him to additional killings through evidence, case patterns, and later forensic testing. Woodfield was born on December 26, 1950, in Oregon. He grew up athletic and socially successful, and he became a standout football player at Portland State University. In 1974, the Green Bay Packers selected him in the NFL draft, but his football career collapsed after repeated criminal and behavioral problems, including indecent exposure arrests. After that, his offenses escalated. By the late 1970s, he had been convicted of crimes involving robbery and sexual assault, served prison time, and then returned to society. Not long after his release, a new and more violent crime spree began.

Escalation Along Interstate 5

Woodfield's known attacks often followed a similar pattern. He targeted women in homes, offices, businesses, convenience stores, motels, and other places near the I-5 corridor. He sometimes wore disguises, including a fake beard, and used a firearm to control victims. His crimes included armed robbery, forced sexual acts, kidnapping, rape, attempted murder, and murder. Some victims were people he knew or had met socially, while others were strangers who crossed his path during robberies. The I-5 corridor made it difficult for police agencies to immediately connect the crimes. The attacks stretched through Oregon, Washington, and California, crossing city, county, and state lines. In early 1981, the number of similar assaults and shootings increased rapidly, and investigators began to suspect that the same offender was responsible for multiple crimes. ...

Confirmed Victims: (7)

Shari Hull Age: (20), Date of Death: 1981-01-18

Survivors:

Unnamed woman Age: (25), Date of Attack: December 21, 1980

Susie Benet Age: (20), Date of Attack: January 12, 1981

Beth Wilmot Age: (20), Date of Attack: January 18, 1981

Unnamed woman Age: (18), Date of Attack: February 3, 1981

Unnamed woman , Date of Attack: February 4, 1981

Randall Woodfield - Wikipedia