Joseph Robert Kondro

Serial Killer

Joseph Robert Kondro: The Longview Serial Killer

Trusted Friend and Child Killer

Joseph Robert Kondro was an American child murderer and suspected serial killer whose crimes devastated families in and around Longview, Washington. Born on May 19, 1959, Kondro was not a stranger lurking at the edges of his victims' lives. He was a trusted family friend who had known the parents of the children he targeted, visited their homes and gained access to private information. Two young girls, eight-year-old Rima Danette Traxler and twelve-year-old Kara Patricia Rudd, were proven to have been murdered by Kondro. He was also investigated in connection with the still-unsolved killing of eight-year-old Chila Silvernails. Kondro's familiarity with his victims made him especially dangerous. Rima's family knew him well, and Kara and her sister reportedly called him "Uncle Joe." Rather than attacking unknown children, Kondro exploited the confidence that families had placed in him. His crimes demonstrated how a predator could use friendship, routine and personal knowledge to isolate children who had been taught to avoid strangers but had little reason to fear someone accepted by their parents.

The Disappearance of Rima Traxler

On May 15, 1985, eight-year-old Rima Danette Traxler left St. Helens Elementary School and began walking toward her home in Longview. A neighbor saw Rima approximately two blocks from her house and spoke with her as she proudly displayed an art project she had completed at school. Rima then continued walking, but she never reached home. Her disappearance produced an extensive search, yet investigators found no body, clothing or other physical evidence revealing what had happened to her. Kondro was questioned during the original investigation because of his close relationship with Rima's family. He had been spending time with her stepfather on the day she vanished, but police lacked sufficient evidence to identify him as her abductor. For years, Rima's family continued searching and publicizing her case. Her image appeared in missing-child campaigns, and her mother kept her disappearance before the public while hoping that she might someday return. The truth emerged only after Kondro was tied to another child's murder more than eleven years later. During negotiations to avoid a possible death sentence, Kondro confessed that he had abducted Rima. He knew that her parents had given her the emergency password "Unicorn," which was supposed to assure her that a trusted adult had been sent to help her. Because Kondro had learned the password through his relationship with the family, he was able to use it to persuade Rima to enter his vehicle. Kondro said he drove Rima to an isolated swimming area along Germany Creek, west of Longview. He admitted sexually assaulting her before striking and strangling her. He claimed that he concealed her body in a shallow grave near a tree. Investigators searched the area he described, but Rima's remains were never recovered. His confession established that she had been killed on May 15, 1985, the same day she disappeared. ...

Confirmed Victims: (3)

Chila Silvernails Age: (8), Date of Death: 1982-04-20

Joseph Kondro - Wikipedia