Westley Allan Dodd: The Vancouver Child Killer
Overview
In the fall of 1989, a series of horrific crimes against children terrorized the community of Vancouver, Washington. Westley Allan Dodd, a man with a long and escalating history of sexual offenses against children, murdered three young boys in a span of two months. His crimes were marked by their brutality and the chillingly detailed accounts he kept in a personal diary. Dodd's capture came after a failed abduction attempt, leading to a full confession and a rare legal outcome where the convicted killer waived his appeals and demanded his own execution. His case left a lasting impact on the legal system and the collective memory of the Pacific Northwest.
Early Life and Criminal History
Westley Allan Dodd was born on July 3, 1961, in Toppenish, Washington. His childhood was marked by feelings of embarrassment and rejection, which he later claimed contributed to his preference for boys over girls. By his teenage years, Dodd's deviant behavior began to manifest in acts of exhibitionism and molestation of younger children, including his own cousins. His father was aware of some of his son's sexual deviancy but did not intervene.
Dodd's criminal history as an adult began with his discharge from the Navy in 1982 for "attempting indecent liberties" with a boy. Over the next several years, he was arrested multiple times for child molestation in Washington and Idaho. Despite these arrests, he served minimal jail time, often receiving suspended sentences with conditions of counseling, which he frequently failed to complete. A psychiatrist who evaluated him during this period identified him as a "sexual psychopath." Dodd's fantasies grew increasingly violent, and he began to contemplate murder, writing in his diary, "The more I thought about it, the more exciting the idea of murder sounded."
The Murders of Cole and William Neer
On September 4, 1989, Dodd acted on his murderous fantasies. He went to David Douglas Park in Vancouver, a place he had identified as a "good hunting ground," armed with a fish fillet knife and shoelaces. There, he encountered brothers Cole Neer, 11, and William "Billy" Neer, 10, who were riding their bikes. Dodd lured them to a secluded, wooded area of the park.
He tied the brothers' wrists together and sexually assaulted Cole while Billy watched in terror. Afterward, he made the boys kneel and then brutally stabbed them both. Billy, despite his severe injuries, attempted to run for help, crying "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," before Dodd caught him and stabbed him again. The boys were discovered shortly after; Cole was dead at the scene, and Billy died on the way to the hospital.
The Abduction and Murder of Lee Iseli
Less than two months later, Dodd's predatory behavior escalated. On October 29, 1989, he drove to Portland, Oregon, and went to the Richmond School Playground. There, he found four-year-old Lee Iseli playing alone on a slide after his older brother had gone home. Dodd convinced the young boy to come with him, promising to drive him home.
Instead, Dodd took Lee to his apartment in Vancouver. Over the next day, he subjected the child to horrific abuse, which he meticulously documented with Polaroid pictures and detailed entries in his diary. He tied Lee to his bed and sexually assaulted him. On the morning of October 30, Dodd strangled Lee to death with a rope while the boy was sleeping. He then hung the child's body in a closet, taking more photographs as a macabre trophy. Later that day, after returning from work, he placed Lee's body in a trash bag and dumped it in a brushy area near Vancouver Lake. He burned the boy's clothing, but kept his "Ghostbusters" underwear as a souvenir. Lee's body was discovered on November 1, 1989.
The Victims
- Cole Neer, 11 — September 4, 1989, Vancouver, Washington. Cole was a young boy enjoying a day at the park with his younger brother when their lives were tragically cut short.
- William "Billy" Neer, 10 — September 4, 1989, Vancouver, Washington. Billy was a courageous boy who fought for his life until the very end, trying to escape his attacker to get help.
- Lee Iseli, 4 — October 30, 1989, Vancouver, Washington. Lee was a playful and trusting child who was deceptively lured from a school playground.
Investigation and Capture
The murders of the Neer brothers and Lee Iseli prompted the formation of a police task force involving officers from Clark County, Vancouver, and Portland. The breakthrough in the case came on November 13, 1989. Dodd attempted to abduct a six-year-old boy, James Kirk, from the men's restroom of the Liberty Theatre in Camas, Washington. Dodd carried the boy out of the theater, but the child screamed and managed to break free.
The boy's mother's boyfriend, William Graves, was alerted and chased Dodd, who fled to his car. The car stalled less than two blocks away, and Graves caught up to Dodd, putting him in a headlock and holding him until police arrived. During questioning, detectives connected Dodd to the recent murders. Over several days of interrogation, Dodd confessed to killing Cole and William Neer and Lee Iseli. A search of his apartment uncovered a wealth of incriminating evidence, including the diary with its detailed accounts of the murders, a photo album of Lee Iseli labeled "FAMILY MEMORIES," and the boy's underwear.
Trial and Sentence
Dodd was charged with three counts of aggravated first-degree murder for the deaths of the Neer brothers and Lee Iseli, and one count of attempted first-degree murder for the abduction attempt. He initially pleaded not guilty, but in January 1990, against his attorneys' advice, he changed his plea to guilty on all counts.
During the penalty phase of his trial, Dodd took the stand and told the jury that he deserved to die. He stated that if he were not executed, he would try to escape and kill again. He refused to allow his lawyers to present any mitigating evidence on his behalf. The jury sentenced him to death.
Unusually, Dodd waived his right to appeal his death sentence, stating he would rather die than spend his life in a cell. This decision sparked a legal debate that went to the Washington Supreme Court, which ultimately ruled that he could waive his general right of review. Dodd chose to be executed by hanging, the same method he used to kill Lee Iseli.
Aftermath and Legacy
On January 5, 1993, Westley Allan Dodd was executed by hanging at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. He was the first person to be legally hanged in the United States since 1965. Before his execution, Dodd expressed remorse and wrote a pamphlet for children titled "When You Meet A Stranger," intended to warn them about predators like himself.
The brutality of Dodd's crimes and the perceived failures of the justice system to keep him incarcerated despite his repeated sexual offenses led to legislative changes. In response to the Dodd case and another similar case, the Washington State Legislature passed a law allowing for the indefinite civil commitment of convicted sex offenders deemed to be "sexually violent predators" after they have completed their prison sentences. Westley Allan Dodd's case remains a chilling reminder of the depths of human depravity and the devastating impact of such crimes on families and communities.
