Smiley Face Murders - The Smiley Face gang have committed 40 murders in 11 states with the loose-knit gang of killers leaving a smiley face and mystery clue where they dumped each young man in the water, including the breakthrough clue, Sinsinawa.
The Smiley Face murders were cracked by retired NYC detectives Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte who conducted their own investigation into the random murders of young men last seen leaving bars or college parties before going missing and being found drowned months later.
In their investigation of the gang of smiley face killers, the detectives made a chilling discovery as they backtracked from where each victim’s body was found to where they believe it was placed in the water.
At many locations, they found a smiley face painted on a nearby rock, often with smiley face gang member’s nicknames added as graffiti, and obscure clues like “Sinsiniwa” that they found while looking into a Michigan drowning case.
The detectives were puzzled by “Sinsiniwa” and couldn’t figure out the obscure clue until they went to Dubuque, Iowa a few months later to investigate another possible smiley face murder, that of a college student named Matt Kuzinski whose body was found on Sinsiniwa Ave.
Because the smiley face gang would plant evidence such as wallets or cell phones far away from where they actually dumped their victim’s unconscious bodies in the water, local police following up on the missing person’s reports would assume the young men were accidental drowning victimes instead of deliberate murders.
In fact, 39 of the 40 cases investigated by retired NYC detectives Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte are still classified as drownings and only one, that of Chris Henkins of Minneapolis, has been labeled a homicide.
The smiley face gang is loosely connected via the Internet and various members meet up, kidnap young college-age men off the street by throwing them into a waiting cargo van, then torture their victims for hours before dumping the unconscious young men into a nearby river.
The smiley face and associated graffiti is their method of bragging about what they’ve done and the water washes away all the DNA evidence.
There may be many more victims and retired detectives Gannon and Duarte have gone public with what they know in hopes of getting an FBI task force assigned to catch these killers.
And that’s the latest news on the Smiley Face Murders.
Tags: sinsiniwa, smiley face gang, smiley face killers, smiley face murders
April 26th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
My daughters boyfriend had left a party at the Blue Bird Bar in Leland, MI, last seen walking home. He was later found dead in the river, what police called an “apparent Suicide”. We all know he was murdered since Chris had so much to live for and would have chosen a more effective method of suicide then wading into a cold Oct river hoping to kill himself. I heard this story on Coast to Coast AM and was deeply moved…….perhaps we will now find some sort of closure.
April 26th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Very strange. I had not heard about this until last night. I should point out that there’s been a mysterious disappearance at Middlebury College that fits the pattern, a young good looking man last seen leaving a party at 11 PM, with a big river nearby, with divers going through it with a fine-toothed comb. No body yet, though. Haven’t heard about any smiley faces. Maybe I’ll make a trip up there and poke around.
So that would make 12 states.
http://www.middlebury.edu/administration/garza
April 26th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
We have a case here, similar. June 2006, a young man disappeared from the boardwalk in OC ,MD.
http://someoneismissing.com/maryland/nicholas-gochnour.htm
April 26th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Last night’s show blew me away. Since the late 90’s I knew there was something weird about all the young men found in the Mississippi river around Lacrosse since I live in Wisconsin and heard about them on the news, but I never imagined it could be something like this. Insanity is what it is. I can’t help thinking about all the “possible” cases that may be related. I’m interested in how this story will develop.
A couple of interesting points. If these were accidents, then surely there would also be females ending up in rivers too. I also thought it was interesting when a caller mentioned a possible connection to The Son of Sam. Supposedly Berkowitz claimed there was a satanic worship cult active in the midwest and mentioned Wisconsin as one place where they are active. Don’t know if that is true, but since they mentioned many of these accidents / murders occurred around October I found that interesting as that would definitely be a time that satanic worshipers would be active.
April 26th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Just several days ago, the body of Joshua Szostak, a 21 year old man who went missing after a night at a bar with friends on December 22 2007 washed up in the Hudson River in Coxsackie, NY.
This has the same M.O. A well-liked college kid whose cause of death was ruled as ‘accidental drowning’, which just does not sit right with most people.
Thorough investigations into these disappearances are NEEDED by dedicated men like Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte. Let us hope, for the families’ sake, this CRUCIAL task force IS created!
April 26th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Here is ANOTHER one . . but this guy was NOT in college–stranger similarities—:
Tampa, Florida – Bouquets of flowers and fruit from Thailand now float in the pond where the body of 34-year-old Timothy Chipley was found Friday.
Saturday, friends gathered at the pond, which is in the middle of an apartment complex in Carrollwood, to remember the expert martial artist with a passion for work and working out.
Investigators are not classifying his death as a homicide.
Chipley – who also went by ‘Chip’ – was last seen last Saturday night when he joined a group of friends at O’Brien’s Irish Pub in Carrollwood.
His friends left, but Chipley stayed on to talk with some women he’d met. Surveillance video showed Chipley still at the bar at 2 a.m.
Days later, Chipley didn’t show up to work.
Then, Wednesday, he missed a flight to Thailand, where he had planned to go to prepare for a martial arts competition.
Friday evening, someone spotted something peculiar in a pond at the Countrywood Apartments on North Dale Mabry. Dive teams went into the water and pulled out a body that was later identified as Chipley’s. The complex is less than half a mile from O’Brien’s.
April 26th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
The story last night gave me chills. Recently in Charlotte, North Carolina a college boy that graduated high school with my sister went missing, the body hasn’t yet been found, but the similarities in the disappearance just gave me goose bumps. He was last seen (by security cameras) leaving a bar alone, happy, good-looking kid with lots to look forward to. He never even made it to his car, although he apparently made phone calls (didn’t leave messages) as late as an hour after he left the bar and tracking the calls showed that he stayed in a small radius from the bar. Makes you wonder if this isn’t happening in all 50 states on some scale. Chilling.
April 26th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Look for the Walking man also known as Randall Flagg…He wears a Smiley face button on his jacket…his other name is Legion….
April 27th, 2008 at 3:45 am
Edmonton Alberta, Canada: For nine days in August 2006 the story of Robert Barrington Leigh’s disappearance. Robert was also found in a river with no apparent reason for his disappearance or drowning. Could this also be related? The same MO, good looking college kid out biking where he could easily be abducted with nobody around. He goes missing for days then suddenly is found in the river.
April 27th, 2008 at 7:07 am
I’m from Mn; I remember reading about a couple of these local(Mn/Wi) drownings. These were reported in the Mpls Star Tribune. I had a feeling they were connected; then I heard the C2C- am radio show. It’s great to know there are some dedicated lawmen still out there; whether on/off the job, active/retired. I hope they get these sicko’s.
April 27th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Thoughts and Prayers to all of the families left behind to wonder……….. Have the police tried placing a young decoy in a bar close to a waterway where young college guyz hang out? Perhaps have a decoy even wear a smiley face pin to acknowledge the fact that a connection has been made. It would only take one time for someone to make a mistake and then if it is internet connected everything would be revealed.
April 27th, 2008 at 11:25 am
What is truly disturbing about all of this is the high level of incompetence with all of these police forces investigating these cases. Drunk people simply do not wander into rivers and lakes. It just doesnt happen. And drowning yourself in icy freezing water isnt a very good way to commit suicide.
Shame on these police forces for doing such a poor job. The fact that these victims are always the EXACT same should have raised red flags a long time ago.
Im a young male from MPLS, so this strikes very close to home. Hopefull these amazing retired detectives will crack this case soon before any others die.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
[…] Room too often, although I do care deeply about current events and politics. Now onto the topic. Smiley Face Murders KSTP.com - What are officials doing about the new Jenkins evidence? I live in Minneapolis […]
April 27th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=140520402
Perhaps this is connected? What about the USMA cadet who disappeared and drowned a couple of years ago after being charged with a DUI?
April 27th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
When I was in college at Ball State back in 1993 there was a guy in my friends doem that turned up missung after walking home from a party. He was found floating in the White river I want to say a week later. The police first ruled it a suicide and then said it was an accidental drowning. We all knew this guy wouldn’t kill himself and there was know way he would be playing around by the river by hisself in the middle of the night. We all figured that he got into it with some locals and they threw him in the river. I hope they go to Muncie Indiana and look into this. Every police force around the country and maybee even Canada needs to open up their books and look into all cases like this because I think were just at the tip of the iceberg. If these were women every branch of LE would be on this and it would be all over the TV. We need to make some noice and try to get some national news coverage on this. If this is as wide spread as it seems to be getting somebody knows of someone who could be a possible victim.
April 28th, 2008 at 12:21 am
I also heard the c2c program, and live in one of the towns that are included in these events. The police insist these are drunk drowning, that these young men get confused and fall in and die. I grew up in this town, and never in my over 50 yrs remeber anything like this hapening until these deathes started. Perhaps the smileyface tags are what the police are leaving out of the publics knowledge. I personally think and always have thought that there is more fishy business going on than the river.
April 28th, 2008 at 2:10 am
“Look for the Walking man also known as Randall Flagg…He wears a Smiley face button on his jacket…his other name is Legion…”
From Stephen King’s The Stand
April 28th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Wow, it sounds like a horror movie. What was it “hostel?”
April 28th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
[…] . . . a11news.com more news and blog […]
April 28th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
I remember a kid in lowell, mass. supposedly jumped off a bridge there 2 years ago. I dont know if they found him, but read this; looks kind of suspicious. Looks like he had everything going for him.
http://www.dracutforum.net/2006/11/28/ron-wetmore/
April 28th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
remember a kid in lowell, mass. supposedly jumped off a bridge there 2 years ago. I dont know if they found him, but read this; looks kind of suspicious. Looks like he had everything going for him.
http://www.dracutforum.net/2006/11/28/ron-wetmore/
April 28th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
They are linking the death of Adam Falcon, a student St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY, to these crimes.
The MO sounds reasonable for this case, with one exception: Adam’s BAC was .21 when he was autopsied. If the “gang” abducted their prey and drove around for hours torturing them, how is it possible that his BAC was so high at autopsy? Unless the torture included forcing alcohol down their victim’s throats… Perhaps, that’s the point. Now I’ve got myself second guessing my second guessing….
April 29th, 2008 at 5:49 am
What’s the deal with the Stephen King references? Do you think these sick bastards–if they are real–are somehow being influenced by the character Randall Flagg? I haven’t read the book so I wouldn’t know.
April 29th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Smiley Face Murders - News Video
April 29th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
From the Watertown Daily Times:
Police chief: SLU student wasn’t victim of serial killer
By JAMES R. DONNELLY
TIMES STAFF WRITER
TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2008
CANTON — A claim that a St. Lawrence University student who drowned in the Grasse River after a night of heavy drinking might have been the victim of a nationwide gang of serial killers is absurd, according to Canton’s police chief.
“It’s absolutely ludicrous,” Alan P. Mulkin said after “Good Morning America” on ABC television featured a story Monday morning linking the death of Adam M. Falcon to about 40 similar deaths among college students.
Mr. Falcon, a third-year student and member of the university’s varsity men’s soccer team, disappeared in November 2004 after leaving Tick Tock Inn in downtown Canton. His body was found in the Grasse River after a massive, five-day search. An autopsy put his blood alcohol content at 0.21 percent. The death of the 20-year-old student was ruled an accident.
“I am sure we did a thorough and competent investigation with the help of numerous state and local agencies and came to the right conclusion,” Mr. Mulkin said. “This death was the outcome of alcohol abuse.”
The televised report, which originated with a Mineappolis, Minn., television station, was based on a theory offered by two retired New York City police detectives, Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte. They claimed a possible link between the death of University of Minnesota college student Chris Jenkins in 2002 and as many as 40 other river deaths, including that of Mr. Falcon.
If the deaths are linked, Mr. Mulkin said, it is not by a gang of serial killers but rather by things that are common in many college towns.
“What do all these communities have in common? Colleges, rivers and booze,” the police chief said.
April 29th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
I’ve also noticed with reasonable awareness that these missing/drowned young men have been showing up more and more often.
I am wondering a few things though.
1) No medical examination mentions any drowning evidence (such as lung tissue). They are all reported as “suspected” drownings.
2) It bothers my sense of justice that the FBI has continued to dismiss the obvious links to these suspicious deaths. Why? 3) I know they are unrelated but the fact that the FBI has also ignored the FLDS victims for so many years doesn’t give me any comfort that they even work full-time jobs.
3) Why do these caring, devoted, hard working, sometimes retired cops have to mortgage their own homes to keep investigatin? Why no mention of Attnys General involvement?
4) As a mother of a son, I am more than outraged!
April 29th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
I am also not convinced of the local police “thorough and competant” investigations, since Chris Jenkins went for years as a closed drowning case. Then for no documented reason turns into a “homicide”.
April 29th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
I was just wondering if any of the bodies in all these cases mentioned, had any other injuries or forced bruises on them?
Wouldn’t that be a clear cut signal that something happened other than drowning?
April 29th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
This story gave me major chills, but when I saw the comment from someone regarding a missing young man from Ocean City, MD I got double chills.
My sons father Tom died in August of 2003 in OC, MD in what was classified as an accidental drowning. We were all suspicious because he was great swimmer, he had been in the Navy and was a fisherman, but because there was no sign of foul play we had to except it. Hearing this story makes me wonder if maybe we weren’t right.
Tom was 40 when this happen and he wasn’t missing for days or months, but everything else matches. He was out with friends and when he was ready to head home instead of taking his boat he was going to get a cab. It’s obvious this never happen because he was last seen getting gas for his boat about 1:30 AM. His body was found around 8:30 AM in the bay not far from where the boat was dock and his wallet was not on him but found somewhere near the docks.
I realize this doesn’t completely match the MO, but it does make you wonder. How can you get a hold of these detectives to see what they think? Are there any cases being questioned in Maryland?
April 29th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
We had a young man drown in the Papio Creek watershed one night, supposedly after he left a bar in Omaha. Nebraska was not one of the listed states ont he lists, but the Papio Creek is hardly deep enough for a drunk not o crawl out on his hands and knees in most places during most months. Makes you o=wonder if they might have expanded to another state?
April 29th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
http://www.francesfarmersrevenge.com/stuff/serialkillers/constanzo.htm
Check out this story, reading it all. Years ago a similar string of murders developed along the Mexican US border and was not discovered until many years later to be a satanic ritual performed by Mexican drug cartel members. It started out on locals in Mexico and later developed into hunting down college aged blond hair blue eyed Americans. They where kidnapped, tortured, and later killed and their bodies dumped - some in water.
Coincidence?? If you already are not aware there are many Mexican drug cartel members present across the US and many still believe in the satanic….
I would think this worth investigating….just a thought….
April 30th, 2008 at 12:59 am
So I live in LaCrosse, WI, where SEVERAL river deaths have occured. This story has all come as quite a shock. We don’t have a lot of graffiti in the area so I’m thinking if there was a big smiley face drawn/painted/carved or whatever these so-called “Smiley Face Gang” members are leaving…would be noticed. Why wouldn’t there be more pics of the areas the bodies were found? You know, being in a river town and having several PARTY HEARTY friends…I’m NOT surprised at all the deaths and drownings. A serial killer? A smiley face gang? Are these detectives for real? Why are detectives beating around the bush telling us half @$$’d stories? You know, I appreciate them doing what they’re doing trying to solve mysterious and stuff. That’s great! We need real life Scooby Doo Mystery Solvers. I get it…But why not tell us more than just that there’s smiley faces left at the scene of the crime? O’really? If there’s 40 with smiley faces what do all 40 smiley faces look like? Being in LaCrosse, WI, where there has been several deaths…This freaks the hell out of a lot of people!!!!!!!! I can’t stop but think about who these so-called “Smiley Face Killers” are? Are they are neighbors? Are they people that don’t even live in this area? OMG! This is all so freaky!!!!!
April 30th, 2008 at 1:37 am
Apparently some of the victims had ligature marks on their wrists. Also I remember when the first NYC case happened and many people turned out to search for the missing man. I seem to recall something about a van that was seen near the bar. The theory being that he was lured into it and dumped. Another theory is that these men are given GHB, which makes them easy to manipulate. The Chris Jenkins death is most suspicious because they found a wad of human hair in his clenched fist. He was wearing clogs which were still attached to his feet which would seem to rule out that he was awake when he entered the water or that he had jumped, as the clogs would likely come off. He seemed to have been very carefully placed in the water. There is also and eeiry resemblance to the Watchmen graphic novel poster of a smiley face with red blood splattered on its forehead and the red smiley graffitti tag near one of the crime scenes.
An interesting idea is suggested to by the book “Ultimate Evil” by Maury Terry who gives credible and creepy evidence of santanists across the country who work in groups and kill for ritual and initiation or profit, especially around certain times of the year. It doesn’t seem coincidental that Jenkins died Halloween night. Other smiley murders are also linked by time of year.
April 30th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Perhaps someone should check out the recent death of John Schnicke from Sheboygan Falls (Wisconsin) whose body was recently found 3 miles from where they thought he went in. Although he was past college age, the rest of the circumstances are chillingly familiar. Also, this is just about 4 miles from where they found Nathan Herr. Maybe I’m wrong, but it would be worth checking into.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Student’s body just discovered today in a small pond 100 yards from Ithaca College main campus. He disappeared early Sunday morning after leaving a party. Although authorities have “rule out foul play,” I am convinced that he was murdered. If anyone can forward this to either detective Gannon or Duarte that would be awesome. Here is the article for anyone who is interested:
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080430/NEWS01/80430002
April 30th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
has anyone thought about asking psychics to help
April 30th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
Something that was posted earlier made me wonder (read response #6), do you think this supposed Gang of Serial Killers might include one or a few female accomplices?? I mean if the victims were abducted, could they have been lured by an attractive female(s)? Sort of like the movie Hostel. Do you think this might be a possibility??
April 30th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
One possible survivor: a college student in LaCrosse, WI woke up in the Mississippi naked. He had no memory since leaving a bar at 1 or 2 am. In a foggy/confused state of mind, he walked a pretty long distance to Gunderson Lutheran Hospital. He had no major injuries and BAC of less than .1 (though hours after he stopped drinking). Rumors circulated that he was the one lucky survivor of the killers. At that time, there was no public knowledge of the Smiley Face Gang. If someone did try to kill him, why didn’t they succeed this time? What made his case special? Something to consider…
May 1st, 2008 at 1:20 am
Very creepy! Several blogs have added A LOT of info to what the Jenkins family and Gannon had to say. The Sope-Bocks blog has a list of names, a couple of theories and lots of other stuff. I’m printing it out, so I can cross-reference what that guy has written. I think he missed some things, but he does have some of the most in depth data available right now.
Huffpo and a coupla others are developing the story, too. I think you and other bloggers are going to break this case wide open.
May 1st, 2008 at 3:33 am
By all the victims being non-black and non-hispanic, and male, I would say there is a definite RACIAL/gender…..motivation to the killings. Why will the “liberal” media not report this? I would guess it’s a black or hispanic gang. Not far fetched considering how violent these gangs often are.
May 1st, 2008 at 3:40 am
If alcohol abuse leads to young people walking into rivers and dying accidently…as many claim….then why aren’t we seeing a lot of females washing up? Why aren’t we seeing a lot of young black men washing up? Are you saying only young white men (and maybe one oriental man) walk into rivers after drinking too much??? How ABSURD!!!
May 1st, 2008 at 1:28 pm
I saw the body of a young man being pulled from the Milwaukee River last summer. The story was that he was in town for a NML convention, unfamiliar with the river, and fell in drunk and drowned. When I watched the dive squad pull his body from the river, I was struck by one thing: He still had his flip flops on. And the divers gave his mother, standing ashore, his gold watch. It was terrible.
I thought the same thing as Kelly Garrett in a previous post. He had to be out cold not to kick off his flops in an effort to swim ashore. Think about it. You hear that a cold shower will “sober you up,” falling in an icy river would do the trick too.
I think they should be checking these victims for needle marks. Or bruising around the mouth and anus. The only way for these men to have BAC that high is by force- enema, injection, or apriation/ingestion.
I actually have a friend who knew Chris Jenkins, and I used to live in LaCrosse, so this will be my third connection to these crimes.
The man who I now suspect was murdered in Milwaukee was Max Walker. Here’s a link to his story.
May 1st, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Smiley Face Murders - NYC Origins
12 smiley faces have been found at drowning scenes in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa.
The crude drawings vary in size, shape and color and at least one had a chilling message written next to it: “The evil, happy, smiley man.”
The killings happen in regional clusters - not unlike the time four young men in New York city went missing and then surfaced dead in waters surrounding the five boroughs in 1997 and 1998.
Those were the first of the smiley face murders…
May 2nd, 2008 at 12:53 pm
re: The Chipley case in Tampa
I just read in the paper today it has been officially declared homicide.
I’m tempted to go over to the apartment complex where he was found and see if there are any smiley faces.
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:59 pm
I just read this on Beagle Scout , any truth to it?
Grand theft Auto (the game) has gang members that tag the locations of their victums with Smiley faces.
Check out Beagle Scout and give me your thoughts. This guy doesn’t think it is a serial murder(s) but I do and he could have just given a clue, if anyone plays GTA can you confirm the similarities? Thanks.
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:53 pm
My 19 year old, physically fit nephew was found in a retention pond near his home last fall. He had been at a party recently and we know that Anthony would have never taken his own life for reasons too lengthy to go into in this type of forum. We have never believed his death an accidental drowning either, which is what the local authorities in Mason, OH have ruled his death. I would be interested to know if there is any possible connection. Here is the story from the local news.
Police identify 19-year-old who drowned in Mason pond
By Denise G. Callahan
Staff Writer
Monday, October 08, 2007
Mason police said the man found in a retention pond Saturday morning drowned.
Police on Monday identified the man as Anthony M. Pantona, 19, of Mason. The Warren County Coroner’s Office determined the cause of death. No foul play is suspected, but the death is still under investigation, according to police.
At around 10 a.m. Saturday, joggers in the subdivision by Terrace Drive and Mason-Montgomery Road saw the body of a white male floating in a retention pond in a subdivision at Mason-Montgomery Road and Terrace Drive.
Mason Police Chief Ron Ferrell said there were some delays over the weekend in contacting the man’s family to confirm his identity.
Any questions or information may be directed to detectives Don Cope or Toni Hoelke with the Mason Police Department at (513) 229-8560 or (513) 695-2525.
Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4525 or dcallahan@coxohio.com.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:19 am
In 5 of the 40 cases, bodies have not been found. This can also be said for the Charlotte, NC case of Kyle Fleischmann and a similar case in Duluth, GA of Justin Gaines. Both are not considered part of the 40 smiley face murders, but you have to wonder, both of them were young, good looking men who disappeared. Both had been out drinking at bars, and neither has been heard from since. I wouldn’t doubt if this goes far beyond the 40 cases and covers all states. Such a sad world we live in…
Kyle: http://helpfindkyle.com/
Justin: http://justingaines.com/
May 3rd, 2008 at 4:04 pm
I saw a segment about his on FOX news the other night. One of the 11 crime states shown on the map was Washington State. Does anyone know who, what, where or when the connection to the Smiley face murders in Washington State area?
I was also thinking that this might be it:
“Bridge plunge cause of death for Ozzie’s patron”
http://www.pacificpublishingcompany.com/site/tab1.cfm?newsid=18705803&BRD=855&PAG=461&dept_id=513931&rfi=6
“Body found under Magnolia Bridge identified as missing Seattle man”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003713571_pella19m.html
May 4th, 2008 at 2:38 am
I don’t quite understand how the cargo van and torture conclusions were reached. If someone was tortured for hours wouldn’t there be some obvious signs?
I just heard about this story today and there’s probably much more I haven’t read; but, I don’t see where the van and the torture conclusively fit in.
Anyone know? Thanks.
May 4th, 2008 at 11:14 am
This story is HOAX! Sure the murders are real, and my heart goes out to the survivors, but the rest is a fake. I bet some cops who wanted notoriety planted evidence.
May 4th, 2008 at 11:19 am
“One possible survivor: a college student in LaCrosse, WI woke up in the Mississippi naked. He had no memory since leaving a bar at 1 or 2 am. In a foggy/confused state of mind, he walked a pretty long distance to Gunderson Lutheran Hospital. He had no major injuries and BAC of less than .1 (though hours after he stopped drinking). Rumors circulated that he was the one lucky survivor of the killers. At that time, there was no public knowledge of the Smiley Face Gang. If someone did try to kill him, why didn’t they succeed this time? What made his case special? Something to consider…”
Total BS! Stop making things up! If he woke up like that as a result of an attempted murder and its part of a ‘conspiracy’ then where is the smiley face this time? Something’s fishy. I say this whole story is a fake!
May 5th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
I had not heard about this until today when a girl I work with mentioned it. It sent chills up my spine and took me back to the Fall of 1998 when I was a student at Virginia Tech. There was a friend of a friend of mine at Virginia Tech who simply vanished. He left his apartment near the Virginia Tech campus on a Friday afternoon to drive home to West Virginia where he was scheduled to attend a WVU football game in Morgantown on Saturday…he never made it to his parents house.
It is known that he stopped at an ATM machine near the Virginia Tech campus and withdrew cash, and he is believed to have stopped for gas at a convenience store on Route 460 between Blacksburg and the West Virginia State line. He has not been seen or heard from since. His muddy vehicle was found abandoned and out of gas in the vicinity of the New River Gorge bridge in West Virginia. Rob’s friends and roomates insist that he always kept his vehicle spotless and that he never would have let it run out of gas. It was also reported that some clothes that were believed to be his were found. To my knowledge this case has never been solved.
Perhaps Rob Kovack was another victim of this killer or killers who was not found. This website has info about the case and pics of Rob. http://caus5.arch.vt.edu/kovack/
May 6th, 2008 at 8:45 am
No. The smiley face is an incredibly common symbol. Children make it, and these smiley faces are nothing alike, despite all being smiley faces. There is no pattern here, and people should grow up. This is not a clue. I hope the police stop wasting my taxpayer money on this dead end.
May 6th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Most of the victims were intelligent, upscale, white males,without any genetic defects, it doesn`t take a brain surgeon to know these serial murders were racially motivated acts of terror perpetrated by a group or groups, whose purpose is to provoke a condition of fear among society, without a doubt ,a threat to the nation at large.Isn`t the division of homeland security, by its very nature, created to investigate such a threat ? And wouldn`t these murders be classified as hate crimes ,under federal law?
May 7th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
[…] appear to be accidental drownings. Victims are from 25 cities in 11 states. Really creepy stuff… http://a11news.com/57/smiley-face-murders/ The smiley face of a killer? - Today Show - MSNBC.com Apr 29, 2008 … Could a national gang of […]
May 7th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
A few months ago a man in his early 20’s went missing after spending the night at Bootleggers bar here in Delaware Co. PA. (just south of Philly) He was found a few weeks later drowned in the creek behind the bar. He still had his wallet and money but his cell phone hasn’t been found. Recently detectives went back to the scene after reading about the smiley face murders and found one spray painted on the wall underneath the outdoor deck. Coincedence??? Footage from the bar shows him talking to three Hispanic women. Decoys??? Made the cover of the delco times yesterday. Makes you wonder if there is something going on.
May 8th, 2008 at 9:14 am
THIS IS VERY TERRIBLE AND WHY ONLY WHITE GUYS AND NOT OTHER RACES I THINK IT MIGHT BE RACIALLY MOTIVATED AND THEY ARE USING WOMEN AS DECOYS TO KILL THESE INNOCENT PERSONS THIS NEEDS TO STOP NOW MOTHERS AND FATHERS PRAY FOR YOUR CHILDREN EVERY CHANCE THAT YOU HAVE THIS IS A CRUEL WORLD
May 8th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Here’s one that just appeared in Delaware County PA as a result of the show the other night. This has all the pieces of the puzzle! Left bar alone, no struggle, well liked, college bar, no cell phone upon discovery of the body in a creek near by weeks later.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:57 am
In response to the BAC concerns: I have from Minneapolis and have very carefully followed the Chris Jenkins case. His sister wrote something on his website about how his BAC was less than .1 when his body was found. Since bodies act as distillaries, it was the same BAC as he was experiencing his last moments. He was kicked out of the bar for being too drunk. People don’t get kicked out of bars for having a BAC just above the legal limit. And he would not have gone into the Misssissipi River in a October if his BAC was less than .1. People from the Midwest know how cold those waters can get!
Check out his site:
http://www.rememberchrisjenkins.com/
May 8th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
There was a young white college guy in Fargo ND found a couple years ago, in the river, under similar circumstances. I lived only blocks away at the time and thought it was odd. It was called an accidental drowning. Even though he was drinking, he would have had to wander alone, for several blocks, for no reason, to end up in the river.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I need to correct myself. This happened in Moorhead, MN, not Fargo. Moorhead is just across the river.
May 8th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Why would it be racially motivated??
Like aways blame the latinos or the blacks
white people are so full of $#!+
It could of been a group of white gay killers,
who are so facinated with white guys
and they are sexually assaulting these victims
It could of been a regular guy, who hate’s succesfull young
men ,who have everything going on for them.
Somebody from there own schools, who knows.
maybe there is groups or gang member in some colleges
who are looking for victims and nobody knows.
No information about these murders have been realeased
There is no way to know who actuallycommiting these crimes ,so please don’t blame people of other races.Don’t be pointing your white finger to anybody .
May 8th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
I went to U of Wi. Lacrosse from 1985 to 1989. It is right on the Mississippi. Trust me when I say that there was no shortage of partying/drinking..etc when I was there.
BUT, even though we were on the banks of the river, I NEVER knew anyone who walked down to the river at the height of, or the end of an evening. particularly by themselves….Seriously…nobody did that. No one died of “suicide” or accidental drowning during my time there. Every year I get together with 8 to 10 of my old roomates and friends from UWL, and this was brought up about 5 years ago. They all still live in various parts of Wisconsin, so they had heard/read much more than I had about the situation. (I live in the Chicago Area) ………….don’t know what else to say…..wierd…..But really, in LaCrosse Wi. the last thing a normal, non suicidal, good looking guy is gonna do is take a inconvenient 3/4 mile stroll in the oposite direction from where he lives and where all the after bar parties are to take in a view of the Mississippi in the middle of the night. By themselves…Maybe one or two accidents..But 7?
May 10th, 2008 at 12:17 am
[…] so they appear to be accidental drownings. Victims are from 25 cities in 11 states. Really creepy http://a11news.com/57/smiley-face-murders/ Smiley Face Murders - Featured on BuzzFeed Apr 29, 2008 … smiley face Murders: A group of private […]
May 11th, 2008 at 8:53 am
[…] so they appear to be accidental drownings. Victims are from 25 cities in 11 states. Really creepy http://a11news.com/57/smiley-face-murders/ KILLER GANG DROWNS 40: SLEUTHS - New York PostKILLER gang DROWNS 40: SLEUTHS. SAY NYER A VICTIM … […]
May 12th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
John, do not rule out the possibility of this actually being racially motivated, doing so is just ignorant.
All were white males, fit, popular, and were all living in college towns that have rivers in or close to town.
Since there has not been any black or hispanic victims found, the killer(s) are obviously racially motivated.
They might even by white themselves.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
It seems there must be links between the gender and race in these cases. If there were not then other races would be victims as well.
I am a college graduate that spent many nights drinking near bodies of water and never have I ever thought of closing the night off with a walk by any of these bodies of water. It’s really pretty straight forward, at that time of night men are simple, we either want to eat or get laid, we don’t want to go swimming!
With that said, I have had a few friends who commited suicide and have obviously read about numerous other cases during the course of my life and have never known any of the instances to involve alcohol.
It seems that if you look at this mathmatically, the equation reads as follows… White, athletic guys (resentment towards whites), drowning (cleans away the evidence and is a deep seeded human fear), smiley faces at the scene where there bodies are dumped (females use this type of symbolism more so than men), at least two (possibly more) of the cases show evidence of having conversations with women at the bar.
Logic would say this is a tight knit group of men and women who feel a resentment towards the stereotypical all american white male.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
I was just reading all of these comments, and I’d rather not get into it too deep, but a 23 yr. old guy close to home (philly/levittown Pa) was just found in the deleware on the 6th… exactly one month to the day that he dissapeared. his name is Cody Cartilidge. I don’t know details yet, but it got me thinking. Anyway, I wanted to say, I’m a white female, dating a mixed guy, I’m in NO WAY predudice, I also have a mixed 2 yr. old daughter. I would like to comment on the racial point of all this. I think it’s one of 2 things… black or latinos that are commiting hate crimes, or WOMEN who banned together b/c some young, handsome white guy, college age, hurt them and they are being absurd in the way they are exacting thier revenge. This whole situation is sickening… I’m thankful my only son is only turning 7 in a few weeks… he won’t be in college for about 11 years!
May 15th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Are these guys that are getting killed gay? Is that what they all have in common? Were they on a gay web-site on the internet when they were targeted?
May 15th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
They should put out a poll, in that area, to see how many men have left bars alone and fallen into nearby bodies of water and got out safely. If there are many, then they can assume they’re accidents. If it is unheard of, then we can assume they were homicide. It would be a matter of polling every college male in the last 10 years.
May 15th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
P.S. I’m thinking gang members. Maybe they have girls go into the bars and lure the guys out or they ask for help from the guys and get ‘em alone. I guess men need to be careful about their personal safety just like women.
May 16th, 2008 at 6:45 am
The level of engrained fear, social/political ignorance and racial bigotry amongst the general population of whites in this country never, EVER ceases to amaze me no matter how often it is thrust into the light of day. Let any terrible fate befall people who look like them and they go completely batsh%t and start blaming anyone in sight of a different color. For those of you out there with at least a remedial level of critical thinking skills(not likely, based on your dumb assed, racist comments), here are a few points I came up with on my own that I hope will curb your terror of the imagined, marauding bands of mudpeople out to kill you all.
1. Find out something about what the hell you’re talking about from more than one source before you suck up crime theories as fact. To date, these “smiley faces” have been found near only a handful of these men’s bodies. If these drawings are the all-important calling cards of a gang of serial killers, making all these deaths attributable to this gang,would they not be found near ALL of the bodies?
2. Before you go accusing groups of black or brown people of luring white folk to their deaths, think about what you know about YOURSELF. You white folks know damned well that the second you see a black or brown male, and especially a black male, heading your way at night, dusk or high noon, your terror color alert systems instantly blaze bright red. The notion that these white men were all lured away by black or brown folks and done away with by them is damned close to pathetic. The notion that this happened continuously outside of bars, college dorms, ect, and no one noticed drunken white males being lured away by anyone other than another white person or persons, have them turn up dead later with no one having seen their colored abductors is beyond stupid.
3. Since you folks are so damned scared of black and brown men, why don’t you do some research on black and latino gangs that amount to more than the batsqueeze you hear on FOX NOISE? See, if you did that, you would know that black and latino gangs primarily kill over territory, revenge over a murdered comrade, debts and disrespect to their brand, perceived or otherwise. Therefore, the vast majority of black gangs kill blacks and latinos likewise. These people may be sociopathic murderers(although the BUSH ADMINISTRATION makes them look like a lemonade stand competing against PepsiCo. in regards to wanton murder), but they know that police in every city in every state of the union goes balls to the wall to apprehend a black or latino male who murders a white person, and these almost NEVER go unsolved with the suspect usually being treated to a death penalty case. So no, HELL no, you don’t find them traveling across 11 states knocking off white folks.
4. Lastly, if you read the F.B.I. assesment of these deaths, you will find that they, like most of the law enforcement agencies who were or are still investigating them DO NOT believe they are the work of a gang of serial killers. That’s probably due to the fact that they simply do not have the evidence to link every single one of them, and also that there have been only a handful of incidents where there were groups of people in the U.S. acting in concert as serial killers. Even the infamous Manson murders were spree killings, and there is a difference. By the way, for all you knee- knocker whites, Charles Manson was, like a lot of you message posters, an ignorant(though very charismatic) racist who ordered his idiotic drone to go and murder people over 2 nights in 1969(or 68) and write the words PIGS and KILL WHITEY at the scene because, according to some of his imprisoned followers, everyone would believe that Black Panther Party types were responsible for these cowardly killings and that this would spark a magnificent race war in which all the blacks would be killed.
All I’m really saying is to think before you talk. Anyone can be an ass over the internet; why don’t you learn about what’s being discussed and then comment so you can truly stand out?
May 18th, 2008 at 12:33 am
I do want to say something. Never accept anything that is more than you need in America. People here, and I mean NO ONE, gives anything in America without reason. On a freezing cold night in Chicago, my friend was walking home with no coat, and accepted a ride home from a pretty woman in her late 20s early 30s. When she got him to his building, she stopped, but she tried to come onto him, but he respectfully spurned her. According to his story she was not easily appeased, and definitely wanted to take him somewhere to “get” with him. He declined. After this happened we learned about two things, one is that a prostitution ring is known to operate in downtown Chicago where the pros pick up bar walkers, not the other way around, and the other was reading about the sheer number of people that disappear across the USA on their way home from having some drinks. Don’t judge on looks, they will deceive you.
May 18th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Check out the “Zebra Killings” in LA back in the 70’s. Black Muslim types tortured and murdered an undetermined number of White people. They got scores for their kills. The case was finally cracked, but since it was only Whites being systematically murdered it got no play in the media and became one of the first “hush” crimes. Considering the Whites in general in the USA are politically out of favor and culturally despised by all the other groups, as well as 50 years of vilification by the propaganda media (Hollywood, TV, etc.) it is not implausible that a non White group is eliminating White males, the most despised category of the lot. White’s are so timid they will do anything to keep from being called racist by all the other racist groups that they will not unite to defend against these atrocities, for now.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:07 am
With all the exploration of racial and gender possibilities, hasn’t anyone else thought of the aspect of sexuality? The target is clearly young men (not all of whom are white!), and they are not just drowned. If you read more about these crimes elsewhere, you will see the pre-mortum torture is in some cases prolific. I am not a psychologist, but I am surprised that not many people seem to be considering the idea that it is a crime of sick sexual gratification, in which case who knows what the profile of the perpetrators would be?
May 20th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
There is an interesting theory on these murders on another forum, where they have found links between most of the cities which have had deaths in with a company called Trane. They seem to think a Trane technician fits the profile of a possible killer, would be traveling about, have reason to be in the areas, have the means and methods to abduct and kill these people. They have even done research and found dates linking the possible influx of Trane technicians in certain areas with would coincide with the deaths of these students. They also seem to claim some sort of link between when the deaths appeared to start happening with when the Government started pushing upgrades with its public sectors like Universities to become more Green which would of resulted in more work for the Trane techs in these areas. If you think that these are the work of a serial killer then you should read up on this theory, as i only heard about this story in an english paper last week and this seems like it could be a realistic enough to sell me on the idea. Sounds far more likely then the old Satanic Rituals being run by Bush, Osama and Aliens which seem to be doing the rounds as well.
May 21st, 2008 at 5:39 am
Sounds like rubbish. Smiley faces found near a river? Big deal. Just shows that kids hang out there, probably swim there too. Drunk guy goes night swimming and dies. happens all the time.
Big deal.
May 21st, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Albie, are you serious? One of the guys was a New Yorker. If you think ANYONE goes swimming in the two rivers that service this city, you are insane.
May 21st, 2008 at 6:01 pm
[…] committed 40 murders … chilling message written next to it: ???The evil, happy, smiley man. …http://a11news.com/57/smiley-face-murders/Online Smiley Faces and EmoticonsOnline smiley Faces and Emoticons - A Fantastic Collection … […]
May 21st, 2008 at 6:46 pm
I bet the “group of killers” are just a bunch of sickos who have decided to copycat each other. It was probably just started out with one guy, then another guy heard about it and got the idea of leaving a smiley face and so on and so forth. I doubt that there is a group of killers stashed among 11 states. It is probably just a couple psychopaths who have decided to create some fear by appearing that there is a larger satanic group of killers. This could also be why they could get away with it so easily because they don’t have contact with each other and are simply copycatting another guy’s idea. However it could just be a group of guys who saw one too many Rob Zombie movies
May 21st, 2008 at 11:42 pm
As some one who is interested in occult matters I feel that many of these cases are a result of a national satanic group, (most likely dabblers who roughly know what they are doing yet, outsiders of society who have a grudge against a stereotyped male model per say) networking and coordinating massive ritualistic sacrifices. Questions to look into are; what is the estimated date and time of death of the victims? satanic cults are very ritualistic they will coordinate so-called sacrifices like clockwork. Mostly line up with pagan/ christian holidays, full moons/ new moons, halloween (hugh holiday for satanists) etc… Are there any other markings on the victims, bruises, cuts (wrists & neck), or signs of sexual abuse? Was the blood drained from the body? What blood types? The smiley face is another sign that leads me to think that this may of satanic origin, they reverse symbolism, making a pleasant symbol of happiness and relating it to the complete opposite. What were the ages all the victims? How many letters are in their names? Geography of the area they were found i.e. energetic grids, magnetism, ley lines. Are they a church or holy ground in the area? Many questions and as the investigators said they’re out of funds. It will be most interesting to see were this leads in the years to come, I give the investigators my full support, but I am afraid that if these cases (Most cases) are “homicides” which i believe they are and the FBI are not in a hurry to do any REAL investigations themselves then it leads me to say that it doesn’t surprise me at all because of the fact that they know whats going on and are going to do a thing about it, those satanist bastards, and for those who reads this and think what i’m talking about is crazy, then i say WAKE UP PEOPLE - do the home work yourselves
May 21st, 2008 at 11:57 pm
If anybody would have any question the can contact me at
jimbrocsh@yahoo.com
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:01 am
My wife told me about these killings or accidental deaths. Then I just got done watching Anderson’s show 360. From the evidence that the retired police officers have brought forward I believe they might be right. The murderers seem to be bold and almost bragging. The big question is why a smiley face? If this is their trade mark they are probably bragging about it. Look at license plates and other smiley face items that these sick individuals might display or “show off”.
May 22nd, 2008 at 4:51 am
I just read about this tonight on CNN. It fascinated me as it reminded me of someone who disappeared from Ohio State a couple years ago, and a string of incidents at OU about 9 or 10 years ago. Anyway I came across this message on craig’s list:
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/com/689729266.html
It gave me chills.
May 22nd, 2008 at 11:56 am
oh my lord a young man from our town went missing on dec.23rd his name was joshua szostak and was found a few weeks ago in the hudson river way far from where he was missing it really scares the hell outta me
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:46 pm
I first heard about the “Smiley face murders” a few weeks ago on the news. Today the story was featured on the AOL homepage. After reading that article, I decided to do some furthur reading. I may be wrong, and if I am I apologize in advance, but from what I can tell, the article on this page is a bit irresponsible. Althought it seems likely that all of these deaths (app. 40) do seem related and do not seem accidental, this article presents it as FACT and not THEORY. The article states that “The Smiley Face gang have committed 40 murders” — this is a definative statement. This is not Fact. It has only been speculated that the 40 deaths are connected, and that they were commited by a gang and not an individual. The article aslo says: “The Smiley Face murders were cracked by retired NYC detectives Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte…” They may have put some additional peices together, but the case certainly was not “cracked”.
The article continues to say: “The smiley face gang is loosely connected via the Internet and various members meet up, kidnap young college-age men off the street by throwing them into a waiting cargo van, then torture their victims for hours before dumping the unconscious young men into a nearby river.” Where did the author get this information? Again, this is speculation and is irresponsible to present it as fact. Anyone who read only this article would be seriously misinfromed. The young man form Minneapolis is Chris Jenkins, not Henkins. The FBI still is not convinced that these 40 cases are related or even homocides. I like to be INformed, not MISinformed. The cases of these 40 young men are a serious situation and I think this article has done a seriously poor job in presenting Facts. This is very poor journalism.
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:10 pm
I saw that Craigslist post too, Vince. Strange.It was from
Manhatten, NY. Also, if you google “evil happy smiley guy” there is an internet comic strip that looks to be out of Canada with that character and his allies and him have a van, it says. He is an “evil” character. Hmmm wonder if anyone has asked the creator about it?
May 22nd, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Isn’t it stupid to have all this media attention? If there’s no link between the people that were murdered then there’s a good chance the whole damn thing is all for media attention, so let’s not give the freaking killers what they want.
May 22nd, 2008 at 6:04 pm
I live in Edmonton, Canada, and all the media attention on this subject has started a kind of smiley cult. I’m not in it, but they are having a huge impact on the school. I don’t think they will murder people, but just the fact that people imitate those killers is sick, not to mention scary.
May 23rd, 2008 at 9:33 am
my brother was found drowned in lafayette IN on march 12,08. he had been missing since march 8,08. he was last seen leaving a bar call the end zone. he was 35 but look younger. lafayette is a collage town like where it seems all these deaths are happening. his car was found as if it had been run off the road at a stop signing on a road he travled daily. the police where called to the seen and say they looked for him. they say they had the dogs out looking for him. found nothing. he was know where to be found. fly overs nothing. then 4 day later his boby appears drowned half in half out of wae creek. 800 hunderd yards from where his car was found wracked 4 days before. in plain view from the seen of the car wrack. his name was joel thomas saunders. i think he should be add to the smily face murders??? me and my family have talked to the indiana state police,locale police, FBI lafayette indiana. they all say he was drunk, crashed , fell in a creek and drowned.. where was he the 4 days he was missing? they did not look or he was not there!! they dont wont to look in to this because they dont want people to think this happened in there happy little town!! but the FACTED is it probably did. but like i said google joel thomas saunders and read about it and tell me what you think. you can contact me at jbrent2001@yahoo.com.
May 23rd, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I’m an ex-cop and this whole thing has me concerned. The fundamental tenet of doing ANY investigation is to leave your mind open to all possibilities until you prove every possibility is patently and completely wrong - then what you have left, no matter how crazy, no matter how wild, or even how mundane - is as near to the truth as you can get. The FBI, and local police seem to have a closed mind on what the possibilities are. They have been given a string of possibilities and have publicly denounced them, seemingly without the open mind of investigation. Like our single-minded President, they are going to “stay the course” and they are declaring “mission accomplished” by saying these are all non-coincidental self drownings which are a result of wreckless drunkenness. It’s unfortunate that these two NY cops are saying “what the hell…”, hey look at these co-incidences, look at them closely, evaluate them for evidence. Smiley faces, admittedly, are common forms of drawings, however, I don’t see smiley faces splattered all over every tree I come in contact with, I don’t see them particularly near or in school yards or university campuses, and I don’t think that the fact they are being connected here is outrageous or strange at all. The FBI and local police cannot themselves begin to believe that they have been in a failure feedback loop because once they find the drowned body, without evidence of struggle, they just let it go. Hey- some of these guys are showing up 3 weeks or more after they’re taken - that’s long enough for a bruise, hickey, or other skin evidence to go away. If these guys are drugged with coke, crystal meth, xtasy, or otherwise, it dissolves and gets pee’d away in a matter of hours. Think about the perpetrators, if you think long enough about committing a perfect murder, you’d need water to wash away the evidence, you’d need time to have body damage evidence to go away, and you’d need opportunity to grab your prey. The police are not doing their work, and because of that, we are lead to think that this could be racially motivated, this could be another Gacy homo murderer, or it’s the work of a satanic cult. Why not a “gang” or organized group? Just because it’s extraordinary doesn’t mean it’s not possible - and if you exhause all other possibilities, then this should be the path to follow for investigation, no matter how “out there” it is.
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:28 pm
To reply to the walking man named Randall Flagg, etc.: I believe this is a reference to a Stephen King character in the novel, The Stand, or perhaps, the Dead Zone, I can’ t remember.
May 23rd, 2008 at 9:39 pm
I agree with macword. It’s also unfortunate that most people have been hypnotized and conditioned to think the world is so mundane or not to think at all, whether creatively or constructively other than knowing how to balance a checkbook. People need to remember what it’s like to think for themselves and have a unique idea and not be afraid of how Suzie’s going to perceive of you. I’m also ashamed that our FBI and other so called government agencies are so corrupt, that they don’t let the good people to the good work, but instead silencing them in the many ways that come so natural to them
May 24th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
[…] http://a11news.com/57/smiley-face-murders/ […]
May 25th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
[…] with … and at least one had a chilling message written next to it: ???The evil, happy, smiley man. http://a11news.com/57/smiley-face-murders/ INVESTIGATORS CLOSE IN ON SMILEY FACE MURDERS &171 The Catskill …INVESTIGATORS CLOSE IN ON smiley […]
May 25th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
I just read about this theory today and it blew my mind. I immediately thought of the hundreds of young women murdered in Juarez Mexico in the last fifteen years or so, but also of a bunch of drunk UVM college kid drowning deaths that I remember occurring in Burlington VT in the past three or four years. I recall it being shrugged off as a natural combination of booze and riverside bars, but now I’m kind of wondering. At least one of those supposed Smiley Face murders was in upstate New York, not too far from UVM.
May 27th, 2008 at 2:20 am
I am a “smiley evil looking” white ex-college student from Lincoln, Nebraska that was randomly attacked at party by a gang of African-American supposed Bloods, because of the red they were wearing… (and… obviously weren’t Huskers…) Had I not dodged a beer bottle that was thrown at me, I would most likely be DEAD. Yes, DEAD. Luckily, I escaped only losing vision in one eye because of the table leg that was swung into my face as I beheld the UNPROVOKED racist chaos. I’m told these wandering gangs of racists still exist around there…
I blame meth, greed, and gang culture… and of course the unequal distribution of wealth… but, my contribution is this: Manson was not racially motivated, women basically don’t murder, Gacy-like gay satinists is plausible–but unlikely: probably more likely to be one ashamed killer than a slew, but do not count out minority gangs and their allegiances. I have never seen a complete lack of regard for human life like I did that night. It is easier to kill a white male because of resentment… after all, white males have ruled the United States… and look what has come of that. I watched the Detroit vs Boston basketball game tonight, and the only African-Americans were on the court, not in the stands…and you should know by now that most of Detroit is African-American… and are Piston fans. Since when is a happy face particularly Satanist, as well… and when was the last time you heard of or saw Satanist grafitti?? I’m sorry if anyone was offended because of this, these blogs should be dedicated to similar cases, POSSIBILITIES, descriptions of out of place constituents in bars, and any other strange reports of crime in nights around these murders, not about white people pointing their fingers and race matters. White males are more likely to be serial killers, and minorities are more likely to kill in groups. I am not a Racist, just inclined to state the obvious… through my one eye.
May 27th, 2008 at 5:26 am
>>Albie, are you serious? One of the guys was a New Yorker. If you think ANYONE goes swimming in the two rivers that service this city, you are insane.
Drunk college kids, especially male, do all manner of crazy things.
I got drunk once and somehow left my home and spent the night in the park around the corner. I don’t know what happened in those hours. I lost my keys and must have laid down at some point. If I had fallen in the pond the shock of the cold water could have sent me into shock. Being drunk I might not have even woken up.
These deaths are just statistical. You have a wide area like America and that means millions of people. With the increase in teens drinking these days, this supposed series of deaths does not surprise me.
You could just as easily present cases of people who die of a drug over dose and have the word “mum” tattoed on their body. Oh no it’s the MUM KILLINGS!
This is nothing more than dumb cops, scaremongering media and sick wishful watchers hoping these deaths are like something out of a horror film.
Admit it, it would DISAPPOINT you if these deaths were explained away as accidents. You WANT them to have been perpetrated by a sick gang of killers.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:21 am
Consider this from Australia about the link with alcohol and drowning.
“Objective: Alcohol contributes to about 30% of drowning fatalities associated with recreational aquatic activity and to 35% of drownings associated with boating. We consider regulatory and legislative strategies for preventing such deaths.”
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-842X.2006.tb00841.x
May 27th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Obituary confirms Dubuquer’s death
The Telegraph Herald received an obituary on Monday for a Dubuque man who was reported missing.
Richard Argall, 30, of Dubuque, formerly of Belmont, Wis., died Saturday, according to the obituary.
Dubuque police on Monday refused to confirm that Argall was dead, and referred questions to the Criminal Investigation Division today.
Argall was last seen at his residence, 1455 Main St., on Thursday, May 15. His car was discovered in the Horseshoe Bluff parking lot at Mines of Spain Recreation Area, and records indicate it had been there since May 15. Argall’s family reported him missing on Wednesday, May 21, and a search was started.
A body of a white male was recovered in the Mississippi River near Bellevue on Saturday, but the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department said no information on the identity of the victim would be released until today.
May 28th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Nicholas Garza’s body has been found. It looks as if he may be another victim of this gang. He was found in water.
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/NEWS01/80527041
Some of you were talking about drowning and alcohol. Some of the bodies that were recovered from the water did not seem to have died from drowning. I read that they had little water in their lungs.
June 1st, 2008 at 6:50 pm
why if there is no proof is the FBI still involved in the case. I mean if there is no proof then why still be investicating this proticular case. Right? there is something the FBI is not telling us about all of these murders and if that what aren’t they telling us
June 2nd, 2008 at 1:13 pm
“albie Says:
May 27th, 2008 at 6:21 am
Consider this from Australia about the link with alcohol and drowning.
“Objective: Alcohol contributes to about 30% of drowning fatalities associated with recreational aquatic activity and to 35% of drownings associated with boating. We consider regulatory and legislative strategies for preventing such deaths.””
Yes, there’s no doubt that drinking heavily while partaking in aquatic activities can lead to death. However, most aquatic activities take place during summer months, not when it’s 35F outside. Swimming in ice cold water, drunk or otherwise, just isn’t that much fun.
Also, I know of no one who partakes in any type of aquatic activities in the Hudson Sewerrr.. River.. that involve water-to-skin contact. And I know even fewer people (not sure if you can know fewer people than “no one”, but I digress) who would fathom taking a little dip in this sewer when it’s 33F water! I’ve been pretty flippin’ drunk, and jumping into a frozen sewer has never, not once, crossed my mind as being a “good idea”.
Also, as you’ve pointed out, you got drunk and wound up in some random place, blissfully unaware of what happened… why then are no women showing up in rivers? Why only men? Why only white men? Black, Hispanic and Asian men don’t drink? I live near a dam where the banks are loaded with drunk Asian men fishing.. yet, I have heard of no dead Asian men found floating in the river in my area.
I would say that it requires a special amount of ignorance not to at least keep an open mind to the possibility of there being a connection between these cases.
Also, someone above mentioned that Chris Jenkins was kicked out of the bar because he was intoxicated. I just read the entire police report and there is no mention of this. Ashley came in with Chris and Nate (Chris being Ashley’s boyfriend) and Nate was the one who was thrown out of the bar because he was plowed.
June 5th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
This is really scary. More than likely , it is a bunch of late 20 something “friends”, who have separated, but “meet” on the internet, and gloat, and “plan”. Like creepy high school rejects, who make a pact to take out all the more accepted jock, handsom, college types…to get “even” with percieved societys shunnings? sounds crazy? this is crazy.
June 5th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
also, i am finding it pretty difficult to find law enforcements link pages…everything is not very updated…wonder why. this is front page news stuff to me.
June 7th, 2008 at 1:34 am
I go to UC San Diego. I heard on the news about this a few weeks ago. What was creepy was yesterday I was having lunch on campus and I noticed a smiley face graffiti on the side of a concreate building, which looked very similar to the ones I saw on the news- about the same size, kinda sloppy, light and done in white spray paint. Usually the grounds people are good about removing graffiti quickly, so I don’t think its been there too long. I was thinking about taking a picture of it in case it might be the real deal, but I think I’m just being paranoid and it’s probably nothing.
June 7th, 2008 at 2:30 am
If the smiley face killer(s) had a theme song I think it would be “Drowning Men” by the Adverts. Lyrics include: “we’re the subterranian vandals” “Who lie in wait” “Walk the streets, unnatural, graceless. Wipe the smile from your faces. If we can make it.” “Adventures don’t venture here.” “The drowning men are drawing near.” The song was made in the 70s though I think.
June 13th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
I’m wondering if it’s possible for us who are interested in this to pool everything we can find on it and then step back and see the whole picture. (of course weed out through fact and opinion) If there is no funding… I don’t care about the money.
It’s just theory that these “killers” are linked and spread out across the states but…just supposing that it’s true…why not form a group that wants to help solve it who are also spread out across the states?
That’d be hard I understand–Or someone at least needs to organize a way for money to be raised to help further investigation.
June 21st, 2008 at 11:08 pm
NOW SEE HERE
FOUR PI
http://www.4p2.org/
I get the “Neo Process Church of Final Judgment”
I get the “4p2″ “4pi squared”
I get the German shepherd fixation
I get the four pi symbol
I get the “As it is” and “So be it”
I get the “now taking requests for entry”
I get the “Manson2″ reference
I get the David Berkowitz symbol
I don’t get the writing on the image
SO WHAT IS THE SMILEY DOING THERE??
(it is the famous red smiley, not the dot-nose smiley’s)
Is this a sick joke or is this somebody recruiting for the four pi?
Whats the deal here? Anybody…
June 22nd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Very unsettling…
that would be a really sick joke…
thanks for pointing that out
(friend of Josh Szostak–body found this April)
June 23rd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I first read about this in a magazine. My first thought was that this man sounds a lot like the 55 year old white man from MN who stalked me and other women and the police would do nothing about it. This man had a son who didn’t want anything to do with him and I think this man has hatred for white men who are educated like his son and is murdering them because this what he wants to do to his own child. I’ve read alot of information and it’s so disturbing. I think there are many evil faces to this man and I believe he has more that one type of victim. I believe he stalks mothers and murders young men due to his rejection from his wife and son and this is the only way he can survive the abandonment of his family. He is able to go about his life and the people around him have no idea about all of his hidden dark secrets. He is able to manipulate people and easily gain their trust so he can easily stalk or abduct them. I think the smiley face is him mocking everyong to let them know how much smarter he is than everyone else. I also think that he will continue to change things up and has always attempted to be in his victims families lives so he can stay in the know because he is that mentally deranged and needs to feel like he belongs somewhere.
June 27th, 2008 at 12:06 am
One of the boys dissappeared last April at Iowa STate he was my daughters best friend and yes I think I know why he was killed. And yes the smily face found right away would have scared us even more as we thought this was message anyway. It is trade mark of one group known as the dixie mafia to drown people as they need to end treats or shut people up. We shut up as it would explain the visitors I had the two days before he dissappeared and then the two emails I got while he was still missing showing people close to a Missouri RICCO case died by drowning at home. I think there are some simularities you all are missing that I can attest to as they effected are family severly. The mess includes some of the tainted politicians you already have read about in the press. And they are closley knit to the group I mentioned above. Some others say are full fledged members.
I guess the public needs to know about operation falcon and Homeland security program called info gaurd which have allowed for unconstitutional use of surveliance and some ask for what reason. I can tell you the reason if you were up to the same criminal activity you would want to know what others knew too. Bad thing is what can happen to you if you speak out or stumble on to this knowledge.
June 27th, 2008 at 12:55 am
I was walking home one night and I happen to come across a nice slow moving body of water. I immediately noticed no one was around. But to my dismay a young boy (age ranging from 18-24) was stubbling drunk in my direction. I immediatly got a large erection and decided it would be so hot to drown him. I traveled 11 states with my buddies to kill these hard working students. My trade mark was a smeared poop stain on a rock or wall near where the body was found.
Yur all retarded…
June 27th, 2008 at 1:00 am
the truth of the matter is if you keep talking about it and sick people that like looking up things like this find out about it they are going to copy cat it because they get excited about knowing they created a scare tactic.
June 29th, 2008 at 5:17 am
I would start looking at a couple way too common posters who seem to be a bit excentric. This to me makes the most sence. I think it is ironic, that my thoughts would yield these further comments that did not exsist before I threw my comments into cyber space and really do not follow the conversation. The answers have been there all along. Contact the Maplewood, MN Police and ask them about claims of a serial stalkier who lives in their community. I am so irritated that the police did nothing to help me, but hopefullly the police will help other people who have beeen victims of crime instead of having to deal with what I have gone through on my own. The last few comments remind me of the psycho who stalked me and the mundane threats he would throw out there in passing conversation or through post cards or letters. Honestly I think that the murder of Joshua Guimond was the killers’ doing and I think that he is proud of what he did and is in constant contact with that family regardless of weather they know it or not. I don’t believe that anyone would be that hurtful and cruel unless they were the one who killed their child. I know I am puting myself out there and I know that I am doing the right thing. Someone needs to get this man and make him pay for what he has done. He stalks women with children in his off time from killing young college boys and loves that he gets away with this. I don’t want any more young boys killed. I have a son of my own.