FBI: Serial killer’s violent trail began on Deschutes River
The FBI said Tuesday it’s linked 11 killings to admitted serial killer Israel Keyes, who killed himself in December — but the first item in the violent timeline was the kidnap and rape of a teen who was riding an inner tube with friends on the Deschutes River near Maupin in the late 1990s.
Here’s the full release from the FBI:
Deirdre Fike, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the State of Alaska announced today a timeline of events in the Israel Keyes investigation, to include information about possible unsolved homicides and other crimes. Anyone with information concerning Keyes is encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL- FBI.
Based upon the investigation conducted following his arrest in March 2012 , Israel Keyes is believed to have committed multiple kidnappings and murders across the country between 2001 and March 2012 .
Keyes lived in Washington from 2001 to March 2007 , at which time he moved to Alaska. While living in Alaska, Keyes traveled extensively while working as a general contractor.
In a series of interviews with law enforcement, Keyes described significant planning and preparation for his murders, reflecting a meticulous and organized approach to his crimes.
Keyes admitted responsibility for robbing several banks during this time frame, two of which investigators have corroborated. Keyes used the proceeds from his bank robberies to pay for his travel, along with money he made as a general contractor.
Keyes also admitted to traveling to various locations to leave supplies he planned to use in future crimes. Keyes stated he buried caches throughout the United States.
The FBI recovered two caches buried by Keyes – one in Eagle River, Alaska and one near Blakes Falls Reservoir in New York. The caches contained weapons and other items used to dispose of bodies. Keyes indicated the other caches he buried throughout the U.S. contain weapons, money, and items used to dispose of victims.
Investigators believe Keyes did not know any of his victims prior to their abductions. He described several remote locations that he frequented to look for victims — parks, campgrounds, trailheads, cemeteries, boating areas, etc.
Keyes also admitted to frequenting prostitutes during his travels and it is unknown at this time if he met any of his victims in this manner.
Keyes indicated the victims are male and female and range in age from late teens to the elderly. Keyes told investigators prior to the murder of Bill and Lorraine Currier in Vermont, his victims’ disappearance received little if any media coverage.
Investigators believe Keyes is responsible for 11 homicides. Keyes stated his murders occurred in less than 10 states but did not disclose all of the locations. Keyes described crossing into multiple states during the abduction, murder, and disposal of a victim.
It is not unlikely that in some cases Keyes abducted a victim from one state, transported the victim to another state where he or she was murdered, and potentially drove the victim to a third state to dispose of the body.
Keyes also admitted to burglarizing 20 to 30 homes throughout the United States and talked about committing arson as a means to cover up a homicide.
The following is a timeline that articulates the information provided by Keyes and known to law enforcement about Keyes’ criminal activities. It also includes travel dates/locations investigators believe Keyes may have committed a homicide:
Summer 1997 or Summer 1998: Keyes stated he abducted a female in the late afternoon or early evening while she and friends were tubing on the Deschutes River. Keyes sexually assaulted the female. He let her go and sent her on her tube back down the river. The victim in this case was between 14 and 18 years old. Investigators do not believe this sexual assault was reported to law enforcement. Keyes was living in Maupin, Oregon, at the time and the abduction location is believed to be near Maupin.
July 2001 : Keyes was discharged from the U.S. Army.
July 2001 to October 2001 : Keyes resided in Neah Bay, Washington and committed his first homicide. The identity and location of the victim are unknown.
July 2001 to 2005: Keyes stated he murdered an unidentified couple in Washington. Keyes refused to tell law enforcement if the couple was married or what their relationship to one another was. It is unknown if the victims were residents of Washington, tourists, or residents he abducted from a nearby state and transported to Washington. Keyes alluded to the fact these victims were buried in a location near a valley. Keyes may have moved the victim’s car to place distance between where the vehicle was found and where the crime occurred.
2005 to 2006 (summer/fall months): Keyes admitted that he committed two murders independent of one another. Keyes used his boat to dispose of the bodies of these victims. Keyes stated at least one of the bodies was disposed of in Crescent Lake in Washington, where he used anchors to submerge the body. Keyes reported the body was submerged in more than 100 feet of water. Keyes may have moved the victim’s car to place distance between where the vehicle was found and where the crime occurred. The identity of these victims is unknown.
March 1, 2007 to March 9, 2007 : Keyes drove from Neah Bay, Washington to Anchorage, Alaska, where he resided until his arrest. Keyes traveled the Alaska-Canadian Highway making known stops in Cache Creek, British Columbia; Watson Lake, Yukon Territory; Destruction Bay, Yukon Territory; and Teslin, Yukon Territory. Keyes crossed the border into Alaska on March 9, 2007 .
October 31, 2008 to November 5, 2008 : Keyes flew to Seattle following travel to multiple other states, including North Dakota and Arizona. On October 31st , Keyes rented a car (2008 PT Cruiser) in Seattle. On November 2, 2008 , Keyes flew from Seattle to Boston. He returned to Seattle and flew back to Anchorage on November 5, 2008 . Law enforcement believes Keyes may have engaged in criminal activity on this trip and is seeking any information about Keyes activities during this timeframe.
April 9, 2009 : Keyes admitted to abducting a female victim from a state on the East Coast and transported that person over multiple state lines into New York. The victim is buried in upstate New York. Investigators do not believe this victim is buried on the property Keyes owns in Constable, New York.
April 10, 2009 : Keyes robbed Community Bank in Tupper Lake, New York. After the bank robbery Keyes stated he parked in a nearby campground outside of the area to wait for the emergency response vehicles to pass. He stated he sat in this campground for several hours.
July 9, 2010 to July 12, 2010 : Keyes flew from Anchorage to Sacramento, California and traveled to Auburn, California. He rented a vehicle (black Ford Focus) and drove approximately 280 miles during the three days. Law enforcement believes Keyes may have engaged in criminal activity during this travel and is seeking any information about Keyes activities during this trip.
April/ May 2011 : Keyes staked out a park near Point Woronzof in Anchorage, Alaska. He admitted he intended to shoot a couple sitting in a car but his plans were disrupted by a police officer that pulled into the parking lot. Keyes turned his attention to the police officer and almost shot the officer. Keyes stated he chose not to shoot the officer or the couple when a second police officer drove into the parking lot.
May 2011 : Keyes reported he staked out the North Fork Trailhead in Eagle River, Alaska with the intention of abducting someone. He prepared a cache a short distance up the road that contained Drano and a shovel which he intended to use to dispose of the body. Keyes denied taking a victim from this location.
June 8, 2011 : Keyes flew from Anchorage to Chicago on June 2, 2011 . He rented a car and drove to Essex, Vermont. On June 8, 2011 , Keyes admitted to the abduction and murder of Bill and Lorraine Currier. Keyes disposed of a weapon stolen from the Currier home and the gun he used to shoot Bill Currier in Blakes River Falls Reservoir. These weapons and a nearby cache were recovered by the FBI. Following the murder, Keyes traveled around the East Coast before driving back to Chicago. On June 15, 2011 , Keyes flew from Chicago to San Francisco, only staying one night, returning to Anchorage on June 16, 2011 .
February 1, 2012 : Keyes admitted to the abduction and murder of Samantha Koenig in Anchorage, Alaska. He disposed of her body in Matanuska Lake near Palmer, Alaska.
February 2, 2012 to February 18, 2012 : Keyes flew to New Orleans, where he went on a cruise until February 11th . After the cruise, he drove from New Orleans to Texas. Although he denied it, investigators believe Keyes may be responsible for a homicide in Texas or a surrounding state during this time. In the morning hours of February 16, 2012 , Keyes set a home on fire in Aledo, Texas. Following the arson, he robbed National Bank of Texas in Azle, Texas.
Additional Caches:
Keyes admitted to burying a cache of money and guns near Green River, Wyoming. Known dates of travel to the Wyoming area are September 2007 , July 2008 , and September 2011 .
Keyes admitted to burying a cache near Port Angeles, WA. Date unknown.
Additional Homicides:
Keyes provided additional details regarding the abduction and murder of a female. The female is described as having pale skin, possibly having a wealthy grandmother, and driving an older car at the time of her abduction.
Keyes indicated he committed only one murder in addition to Samantha Koenig in which the body was recovered. In this homicide, Keyes reported doing something to the victim’s body or moving the body to a location where, if found, it would appear as though the victim died from an accident. In this situation, the body was recovered and authorities ruled the death accidental.
Keyes traveled internationally and it is unknown if he committed any homicides while outside of the United States. In addition to the specific dates below, it is important to note that while living in New York, Keyes was in close proximity to the border with Canada and may have crossed into Canada on multiple occasions. He reported several trips to Montreal in which he sought out prostitutes. In addition, on his way to Alaska in 2007, Keyes drove alone through Canada. Law enforcement is aware of the following dates of international travel:
04/20/2005 to 04/25/2005 British Columbia
10/3/2001 to 10/31/2005 Belize
03/01/2007 to 03/09/2007 Canada (drove to Alaska)
04/24/2007 to 05/04/2007 Mexico
12/11/2008 to 12/25/2008 Mexico
If you have information for law enforcement, please contact your local FBI office. In Oregon, the 24-hour number is (503) 224-4181 .
The FBI has a great deal of resources, including photos and videotaped interviews of Keyes, on its website at www.fbi.gov .
