Thor Nis Christiansen

Serial Killer

Thor Nis Christiansen: The Isla Vista "Look-Alike" Killer

Thor Nis Christiansen was a Danish-born American serial killer responsible for the murders of four young women in Southern California between 1976 and 1979. His first three known victims disappeared from the Isla Vista and Goleta area near the University of California, Santa Barbara. Because those women were close in age and shared similar physical characteristics, the crimes became widely known as the "look-alike murders." Christiansen later moved south and committed another murder in the Los Angeles area before a woman who survived being shot by him ultimately helped bring him to the attention of investigators. Christiansen's crimes were particularly disturbing because the shootings were only part of his pattern. Evidence and his own later statements established that he was sexually interested in his victims after death. He generally targeted young women he encountered while they were hitchhiking or seeking transportation, placed them inside his vehicle, drove them to locations where he could control them, and used a .22-caliber handgun to shoot them in the head. Their bodies were then abandoned in isolated areas where discovery might be delayed.

Early Life

Thor Nis Christiansen was born in Denmark on December 28, 1957. He immigrated to the United States with his parents when he was approximately five years old. The family initially lived in Inglewood, California, before settling in Solvang in Santa Barbara County, a community known for its Danish heritage. Christiansen's father operated a restaurant in the area. Christiansen was reportedly a capable student during his younger years, but his performance and behavior deteriorated during high school. He eventually left his parents' home, dropped out of school and worked at a service station. During his late teenage years he also experienced substantial changes in his appearance and weight. More significantly, according to information that emerged after his arrest, he developed increasingly violent sexual fantasies involving women, firearms and death. At some point Christiansen acquired a .22-caliber pistol. That type of weapon would become closely associated with the murders that began around Isla Vista in late 1976.

The Disappearance of Jacqueline Ann Rook

Twenty-one-year-old Jacqueline Ann Rook, commonly called Jackie, was a University of California, Santa Barbara student and resident adviser. She disappeared from the Isla Vista area on November 20, 1976. Her disappearance initially offered investigators little indication of what had happened to her. Rook remained missing for approximately two months. On January 20, 1977, searchers found her body in the Refugio Canyon area of Santa Barbara County. She had been shot in the head. Because of the length of time between her disappearance and the recovery of her remains, November 20, 1976 is generally treated as the date she was killed, although her body was not discovered until January. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Jacqueline Ann Rook Age: (21), Date of Death: 1976-11-20

Survivors:

Lydia Preston , Date of Attack: 1979-04-18

Thor Christiansen - Wikipedia