The tiny town of North Pole, Alaska is a quiet, safe haven best known for Santa Claus. But when the bodies of young women begin turning up one by one, investigators slowly piece together the clues and discover the unlikeliest of killers. -North Pole Slay Ride, Ice Cold Killers (S1,E4)
Robert Hansen was a mild-mannered family man with a passion for hunting. A master at his trade, Hansen sought a more challenging prey – his fellow human. Hansen kidnapped women, set them loose in the Alaskan wilderness, and hunted them down for sport. -Hunting Humans, Ice Cold Killers (S1,E1)
Preview: Israel Keyes stitched his victims eye’s open, so that it appeared as if she was still alive. -The Secrets of Isreal Keyes, Dark Minds (December 11, 2014)
Manley Hot Springs, Alaska is a remote mountain hide-a-way known for simplicity and solitude. But, that innocent existence is shattered when a newcomer goes on rampage and guns down residents one by one, ultimately taking out one tenth of the town. -Frozen Carnage, Ice Cold Killers (S1,E5)
5. Vietnam Veteran Carl ‘Rick’ Beery & Deborah Rehor Murdered
The backwoods brush of Chulitna is the perfect spot for rafting, panning for gold, fishing and murder. When one couple is reported missing, troopers discover theyre the victims of cold-blooded murder and must begin a manhunt for the killer. -Mountain Man, Ice Cold Killers (S1,E3)
Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.
Oxygen’s two hour special event on Israel Keyes airs Sunday, October 28th. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
Reporters, investigators and family friends reflect on the kidnapping of Samantha Koenig. -Israel Keyes, Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
Israel Keyes is arrested after a minor traffic infraction. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
Follow FBI special agents as they investigate the kidnapping and murder of Samantha Koenig. -Israel Keyes, Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
Investigators say that some conversations with Israel Keyes were very “normal.” -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
Investigators discuss the power dynamics and the fight for Keyes to reveal information. -Israel Keyes, Method of a Serial Killer (S1, E1)
Israel Keyes admitted that he is “two different people.” -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
The kill kits recovered by the FBI reveal the meticulous planning of Israel Keyes. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
Keyes said the randomness of his victims is what kept him “successful.” -Israel Keyes, Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
Keyes could have many more victims than those that have been accounted for. -Israel Keyes, Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
FBI Special Agents discuss Israel Keyes’ possible involvement in another murder case. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
FBI special agents and a forensic psychologist reflect on Israel Keyes’ personality. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
Israel Keyes fascination with serial killers reveals patterns in his MO. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
Israel Keyes revealed he created kill kits and buried them in various locations. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
FBI special agents and a forensic psychologist discuss Israel Keyes’ training and suppression of killing sprees. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
Mary Wood, reflects on the time her family employed Israel Keyes for a bathroom remodel. -Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
Former reporter, Casey Grove, describes his journey as a crime journalist. -Israel Keyes, Method of a Serial Killer, Oxygen (S1, E1)
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson: On July 30, 2010, the 673d Air Base Wing activated as the host wing combining installation management functions of Elmendorf Air Force Base’s 3rd Wing and U.S. Army Garrison Fort Richardson and consists of four groups that operate and maintain the Joint Base for air sovereignty, combat training, force staging and through output operations in support of worldwide contingencies. The installation hosts the headquarters for the United States Alaskan Command, 11th Air Force, U.S. Army Alaska, and the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region. The 673 ABW comprises of 5,500 joint military and civilian personnel, supporting America’s Arctic Warriors and their families. The wing supports and enables three Air Force total-force wings, two Army brigades and 75 associate and tenant units.
Shareef Abdullah, US Army (2015): Convicted of of sexual assault and abusive sexual contact; reduced to E-1, confined for six years, and dishonorably discharged.
Alexander Denson, US Army (2015): Convicted of false official statement, aggravated sexual assault, assault with force likely to produce death or grievous bodily harm, simple assault and communicating a threat; reduced to E-1, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, confined for 68 months, and bad-conduct discharge.
Dakota Simmons, US Army (2015): Convicted of willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer and assault consummated by a battery upon a child under the age of 16; confined for 34 months and 15 days and bad-conduct discharge.
Jeremiah Smith, US Army (2015): Convicted of failure to obey a regulation and false official statement; acquitted of maltreatment and abusive sexual contact; reduced to E-7.
Timothy Worlds, US Army (2015): Convicted of aggravated assault and assault consummated by a battery; acquitted of sexual assault and maiming; reduced to E-1, confined for 23 months and bad-conduct discharge.
Kip Lynch, US Army (2010): Convicted of 1st Degree Murder in Raquell Lynch’s Death, 2 Counts of 2nd Degree Murder for Wife & Daughter, Sentenced to 80 Years
Michael Hensley, US Army (2007): Acquitted of premeditated murder; convicted of planting AK-47 and disrespecting a commanding officer; sentenced to time served
Fort Wainwright is the home of the United States Army Garrison and units of the United States Army Alaska (USARAK) including the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, also known as the 1-25th SBCT; the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade (Alaska) and the Medical Department Activity-Alaska.
Air Force SrA Clinton Reeves went missing on April 19, 2012 and was later found dead on the side of the road on May 8, 2012 by Anchorage police. Air Force A1C James Thomas plead guilty to the murder of Clinton Reeves and was sentenced to 32 years in prison. Thomas used a hammer and bludgeoned Clinton Reeves to death. They were both stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Alaska.
Robert Hansen was a mild-mannered family man with a passion for hunting. A master at his trade, Hansen sought a more challenging prey – his fellow human. Hansen kidnapped women, set them loose in the Alaskan wilderness, and hunted them down for sport. -Hunting Humans, Ice Cold Killers (S1, E1)
Serial killer and Army Reserves veteran Robert C. Hansen confessed to the murder of 17 women and the kidnapping and rape of another 30 women in Alaska. But the authorities believe there are many more victims and their cases are still open. Hansen was officially charged with the abduction and rape of Cindy Paulson and the murders of Joanna Messina, Sherry Morrow, Paula Goulding, and the unidentified body known as “Eklutna Annie.” On February 28, 1984, Robert Hansen was sentenced to 461 years plus life in prison with no parole. Hansen led the police to 17 grave sites he marked on a map but only 12 of his victims bodies were recovered. Robert Hansen’s health was declining for over a year when he died of natural causes on August 21, 2014 at the age of 75.
In 1982, two off-duty police officers were hunting for wild game. As darkness fell and they headed home, they made a gruesome discovery. They knew enough to back away and dispatched the Alaska State Troopers to the scene. The crime scene investigators unearthed the partial bones of a woman buried in a shallow grave. They also found bones scattered around the surrounding area. In Alaska, wild game won’t hesitate to drag off the evidence. They also found a 223 caliber bullet casing. The victim was bound and blind folded at the time of death, and she was shot three times. She was identified as Sherry Morrow; Sherry was drawn to Alaska for the easy money. She worked as an exotic dancer in a seedy area of Anchorage known as ‘Fourth Avenue’. Police looked to see if anyone else in that community had disappeared under similar circumstances. Before the discovery of Sherry’s body, none of the missing persons reports were linked or suggestive of murder. Morrow’s case inspired police to take a look at the cold case files.
Two years before Morrow’s body was found, construction workers found the partial remains of a woman buried in a shallow grave; her body was desecrated by wild life and her bones were scattered. Police couldn’t make an identification and dubbed their Jane Doe “Eklutna Annie”. Nobody ever came forward with information about Annie. Police were concerned they were dealing with a brutal killer so they started canvassing the area where the dancers spent their time. Sherry’s co-workers feared the worst because a number of women had gone missing and they were never heard from again. Over the next several years, five more dancers went missing. Police suspected Sherry and Annie’s cases were connected. They were all victims from the beginning because everyone preyed on these girls, including the bar owners and pimps. Several dancers reported seeing the same man and provided police with a physical description. Police learned of a third body found in a gravel pit near where Eklutna Annie’s body was found.
The victim was identified as Joanna Messina. She was a canary worker who was last seen leaving the dock with her dog and a red haired man her co-workers couldn’t identify. Messina was shot and killed with a 22, not a 223. Two more women vanished and were never seen or heard from again. The blindfolds at the crime scenes told the police a lot about the killer. He was a sexual sadist who wanted complete control. He derived pleasure from his victim’s fear and pain and disposed of their bodies in isolated areas in Alaska. Nine months later, a truck driver found a frantic hand-cuffed woman running in the road; someone with a gun ducked out of site. The trucker took her to a nearby hotel where she was safe and called the Anchorage police. The police found a 17-year-old woman still in handcuffs and in shock. She told the officers she was a topless dancer down on 4th Avenue; she said she was propositioned by a red haired man in his 40s the night before. She confessed that she accepted the stranger’s offer.
Once inside the man’s car, she said the man pulled a gun on her. He kidnapped her, handcuffed her, and told her if she cooperated and did what he wanted, she wouldn’t be harmed. He took her to a middle class house in Muldoon. He held her hostage in a basement filled with mounted heads of animals. He brutalized her for hours. He chained her to beam in the basement and repeatedly sexually assaulted her. She told the police he was going to fly her to his cabin in the woods, promising to release her if she cooperated. Once at the airport, the kidnapper shoved her in a small plane and began loading supplies. The second he turned his back, she made her escape. Hoping to corroborate her account, investigators took her to the airfield to find the plane. She identified a plane owned by Robert Hansen; he was a 50 year-old avid hunter and local business man. Hansen owned a well established bakery, had lot of friends, and went to church. By all accounts, he was an upstanding member of the community.
When questioned by police, Hansen was outraged and insisted the dancer was lying to extort money from him. He also questioned whether it was even possible to rape a prostitute. He claimed he had an alibi and told investigators his wife and children were in Europe and he spent the night playing poker with friends. When questioned, the two men substantiated his story. Hansen allowed authorities to search his home but they didn’t find evidence of what the victim described. She also refused to take a polygraph and this made the police wonder if she fabricated the story. It was a “he said, she said” case because they had no evidence. Citing a lack of evidence, the prosecutor dropped the case. Three months later, Alaska State Troopers discovered the partially decomposed remains of another woman in a shallow grave. She was identified as a missing dancer from the Fourth Avenue district. Investigators found a blindfold buried among the remains. An autopsy revealed Paula Goulding had also been shot by a 223 caliber bullet.
Initially, the police didn’t link the cases but the use of the 223 caliber bullet helped them realize they were dealing with a serial killer who was targeting exotic dancers in Anchorage. Troopers contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation for assistance; agents created a behavioral profile of the serial killer. The killer believed he was invincible because he picked the perfect victims. He chose the dancers on Fourth Ave because he thought no one would care if they were missing. They started looking into Robert Hansen’s past. They learned he was abused as a child and had very low self-esteem. He was always considered small and had few friends; he was often ridiculed by his peers. After graduating from high school, Hansen enlisted in the Army Reserve and went to basic training at Fort Dix. He later received advanced training as a military police officer at Fort Knox. While enlisted in the Army, he was known to frequent prostitutes. He told fellow soldiers, he found them dissatisfying and yearned to take control of the situation.
Despite his strict up bringing and disciplined military structure, the profilers learned Hansen had a number of run-ins with the law. He served time for arson and theft but he appeared to have long since left that life behind. In 1967, he married and moved to Alaska. He was a functioning member of society. They believe his low self-esteem would drive him to live in a place like Alaska. His former neighbor told investigators he loved the thrill of the hunt; and he was always looking for the bigger hunt. He was an avid trophy hunter. Hansen’s weak point was women because he was unsuccessful with them. He hunted where most of the victims were found. “Perhaps Hansen tired of game and turned to more interesting prey like humans.” Humans create a much greater challenge to the hunter. Police deduced he most likely had trophies from his hunts for humans. The killer was a sexual sadist, proficient, and more successful over time. Authorities threatened the two men who alibied him with jail time if they didn’t come clean about the night the dancer was abducted.
Both friends quickly broke down and said they were covering for him because they thought he was a legitimate guy. They believed him when he said he thought the dancers were trying to extort him. The police asked Hansen to come down to the station and executed a search warrant. An officer searched the attic and in the rafters he found a bag of jewelry. And nestled with his bag of trophies, they found IDs belonging to the victims and newspaper clippings. Authorities also found a trophy map with locations of where he killed his victims. Hansen tracked his kills. The most critical find was a 223 caliber mini 14 rifle. The rifle was sent to the crime lab for further analysis. The 223 matched perfectly with the round they found in Eklutna. Robert Hansen was charged with assault and kidnapping. Despite his pleas of innocence, the evidence was mounting against him. The District Attorney agreed to charge Hansen with four murders: Sherry Morrow, Eklutna Annie, Joanna Messina, and Paula Goulding. Hansen accepted a plea deal. Police believe he chose prostitutes because they represent the evil in humans.
Robert Hansen chose prostitutes because they will go anywhere for anything and when they disappear, no one cares. He admitted he controlled the game from the point of abduction. He was the predator and they were they prey. He killed Eklutna Annie first. Then he abducted Sherry Morrow. He took most of his victims to his remote cabin and brutalized them for hours before he stripped them naked, blindfolded them and then released them in the woods. He turned them loose, gave them a head start, and hunted them down. He was a trophy hunter. He then collected things off the girls so he could re-live the events. Robert Hansen’s killing spree lasted twelve years in Alaska. Hansen confessed to 17 killings but it is believed he had many more victims. He eventually lead police to 15 gravesites unknown to investigators. Unfortunately, investigators only recovered 7 bodies likely due to the veracious animal activity in the Alaskan wilderness. Robert Hansen was sentenced to 461 years plus life in prison with no chance of parole.
A Killer Among Us: Inside the Hunt for an Alaska Serial Killer (June 11, 2017, KTUU-Channel 2, Anchorage, Alaska)
The Frozen Ground Movie (2012)
THE FROZEN GROUND Official Trailer (2013)
The Frozen Ground – Clip 3 | Lionsgate
The Frozen Ground (2012) – Chained Scene (1/10) | Movieclips
The Frozen Ground (2012) – The Lucky One Scene (2/10) | Movieclips
The Frozen Ground (2012) – Pole Dancing Scene (3/10) | Movieclips
The Frozen Ground (2012) – Hunting Her Scene (4/10) | Movieclips
The Frozen Ground (2012) – On the Run Scene (5/10) | Movieclips
The Frozen Ground (2012) – Shock at the Strip Club Scene (6/10) | Movieclips
The Frozen Ground (2012) – The Interrogation Scene (7/10) | Movieclips
The Frozen Ground (2012) – From Bad to Worse Scene (8/10) | Movieclips
The Frozen Ground (2012) – He’s Coming Scene (9/10) | Movieclips
The Frozen Ground (2012) – Truth Comes Out Scene (10/10) | Movieclips
Based on a true story. An Alaskan State Trooper (Nicholas Cage) must partner with a near victim and the only witness to escape the clutches of the serial killer in order to bring the murderer to justice. -The Frozen Ground
Frozen Ground – Examining the Frozen Ground
Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch all of the Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. Download the ID Go app and binge away. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $2.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict.
Preview: Israel Keyes stitched his victims eye’s open, so that it appeared as if she was still alive. -The Secrets of Isreal Keyes, Dark Minds (December 11, 2014)
Israel Keyes may be one of the worst serial killers we’ve ever seen. He took great care in hiding his victims, which means finding them has become a new nightmare. Can the Dark Minds team unearth some of this case’s biggest secrets? -The Secrets of Israel Keyes Part 1, Dark Minds (S3,E1)
The Secrets of Israel Keyes- Part 2 | Dark Minds | Investigation Discovery (S3,E2)
The funeral for Israel Keyes, who says he killed four people in Washington and four others across the country, was held Sunday. Keyes’ family and their pastor drove to the funeral home from east Texas, but no one else attended. -4 News Now (December 12, 2012)
Israel Keyes is believed to have committed multiple kidnappings and murders across the country between 2001 and March 2012. The FBI is seeking assistance in developing more information about his travels in order to identify additional victims. -Federal Bureau of Investigation (August 13, 2013)
In 2012, police arrested a man named Israel Keyes in connection with the death of a barista in Alaska. But this wasn’t an isolated incident in the life of Keyes; It turns out he was a serial killer who may have been responsible for at least 10 additional deaths. Maureen Callahan, author of “American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century,” thinks the number may be much higher. “He killed all over the United States.” -Inside Edition (July 20, 2019)
Podcasts:
Israel Keyes is a horror-movie villain come to life: a killer who haunts remote areas in search of random prey, and who kills for no reason other than the fun of it. -Crime Vault Podcast
In this episode Lance Reenstierna & Tim Pilleri are joined by Chloe Canter to talk about serial killer Israel Keyes. And more specifically if he could have been in New Hampshire on February 9th, 2004. -Missing Maura Murray Podcast
Welcome to Crawlspace. Tim Pilleri and Lance Reenstierna chat with Josh Hallmark of True Crime Bullshit about serial killer Israel Keyes. -Crawlspace Podcast
On this episode of the Unresolved Podcast, I take a look at Israel Keyes, a man that many investigators have labelled “one of the most methodical serial killers of all-time.” This is a slight twist on the typical “unsolved mystery,” because the killer is known beforehand, but the victims and the crimes still remain a mystery. -The Unresolved Podcast
Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.
Air Force SSgt. Samuel Davis, 33, died at his off base home in Alaska on February 23, 2014. According to his family, he died from complications after a back surgery. SSgt. Davis was assigned to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in 2011 where he worked as an aerospace maintenance craftsman with the 703rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Media reports indicate that SSgt. Davis was the fourth serviceman from JBER found dead this month: Army Sgt. Okan Cetinbag, February 11; SrA Katrina Jackson on February 15; and SSgt. Darian Miller on February 18.
SSgt. Darian Miller, US Air Force (2008 USAF photo by Kemberly Groue)
SSgt. Darian Miller, 38, of Marion, South Carolina was pronounced dead at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Alaska on February 18, 2014. SSgt. Miller joined the Air Force in 1994 and was assigned to JBER in 2011 where he worked in operations management for the 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) was assigned to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death. The final determination of cause of death was not indicated in media reports. SSgt. Miller was one of four servicemen from JBER found dead this month: Army Sgt. Okan Cetinbag on February 11; SrA Katrina Jackson on February 15; and SSgt. Samuel Davis on February 23.