She was 17 years old at the time and Evonitz was 36. Evonitz reportedly abducted the teenager while his second wife, Hope Marie Crowley, was on vacation. Throughout her ordeal, Robinson focused on her abductor and her surroundings to gather information she could use. This confirmed to the police that Richard was the one who had sexually assaulted and killed Silvia, Kristin, and Kati in 1996 and 1997. ", But he added, "This is the best lead we've had out of the 12,000 leads to come out.". Staff writers Patricia Davis and Josh White and researcher Bobbye Pratt in Washington contributed to this report. Neighbors in Columbia said he was friendly and quiet. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. For nearly six years the Lisk/Silva task force chased 12,000 leads, obtained dozens of search warrants and considered countless "good" suspects. Evonitz and his second wife then moved to Columbia, where he found work at Armstrong Compressed Air Services, based 80 miles away in Spartanburg. Screenshot from True Crime Daily YouTube, Teen survives abduction by serial killer, now thrives in law enforcement. In Columbia, he worked at an air compressor company and lived blissfully with Hope, who doted on him. Richard Evonitz. Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story,. Investigators said they might never have stopped Evonitz had Robinson not saved her own life, The investigation into Evonitz as the killer of the three girls in Virginia didnt end with his death. Evonitz, 38, said he had killed someone and that he had committed "more crimes than he can remember," Richland County, S.C., Sheriff Leon Lott said today. Hope Evonitz resided in Caroline County at the time, and she was aware of the slayings. He was arrested a month later when his ship returned to port. In his wifes absence, he abducted 15-year-old Kara Robinson from her friends yard in Columbia at gunpoint. Furthermore, the police found a lockbox containing news clippings and notes related to Kati, Kristin, and Sofias murders, along with writings mentioning the locations near their houses. After an 18-hour ordeal, the girl heard Evonitz snoring and was able to escape, authorities said. I wanted to gather as much information as I could to figure out where I was and who he was to identify him later., Related:Iconic Disney Trains Left Brilliantly Vandalized at EPCOT. As they released a police dog, he put the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.. Three years after Bonnie Lou Gower left Richard Evonitz, he remarried Hope Marie Crowley. Evonitz's wives were curious about the blue trunk, yet never opened it. Evonitz married Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996, and then his second wife Hope Marie Crowley from 1999 till his death. Because I felt like, Wow, Im actually giving these families something that they never wouldve gotten without me. Just the closure of knowing that the person responsible for their daughters death is no longer here.. Kara Robinson Chamberlain, a kidnapping survivor, now reaches thousands of viewers on TikTok with her advice about overcoming trauma. Police describe his victims as "low-risk," meaning that they did nothing to put themselves in danger. ", One exception that investigators have focused on is Evonitz's 1988 conviction for exposing himself to a teenager and her toddler sister in Florida. In broad daylight, Robinson was abducted by a stranger who had pulled up in his car and approached her, ostensibly to hand her some magazines . ", ON THE WEB: For previous stories in this series, visit fredericksburg.com, To reach JIM HALL: 540/374-5433 jhall@freelancestar.com. On May 1, 1997, Richard kidnapped 15-year-old Kristin Lisk and her 12-year-old sister, Kathryn Kati Lisk, from their front lawn after school. This four-part series is based on interviews with investigators and members of Evonitzs family, and a review of public documents from Florida, South Carolina and Virginia. Evonitz collected the tools of rape and murder and hid them in plain sight. It's going to be quite extensive.". Downes, the FBI profiler, is a resident of Spotsylvania who joined what would become the Lisk/Silva task force in 1996, one day after Sofia Silva's disappearance. Evonitz fled his apartment after Robinson's escape and headed down to Florida. Their bodies were found five days later. The film premiered on Lifetime on Saturday, February 11. "She was able to give us information down to the exactness of what was in the apartment.". Maria Glod is the deputy Metro editor at The Washington Post. After graduating from high school, Evonitz worked as a manager at a Jiffy Lube before enlisting in the US Navy. He had at least two handguns, a plastic tub for his victims, a pair of handcuffs that he reinforced with wire, and a 2-by-4 with ropes and eyebolts that he used for bondage. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. ago. Each week investigators from the FBI, the Virginia State Police and at least two local sheriff's offices met at the FBI office in Fredericksburg to plot strategy. Indeed for the families involved, and for many others in the community, any review of these cases would be painful. Deep within some of the tapes were scenes that Evonitz recorded. Only when he was ready did the safe Henry Jekyll become the wicked Edward Hyde. Who is Kara Robinsons Husband? According to the Free Lance-Star, they discovered evidence linking him to all three killings while investigating his residence. According to the Associated Press, one of the females depicted in the notes told The Free Lance-Star, Its sort of alarming that this person was out there staring at me. Im curious as to why he didnt see me. There were additional guns, ropes, and other murder equipment discovered, as well as notes indicating that Evonitz was on the lookout for other victims. Authorities apprehended Evonitz in Florida three days after he kidnapped Robinson, and a high-speed chase occurred, culminating with Evonitz shooting himself and dying. However, until Robinson led investigators to Evonitz, little progress was made in the investigation. by Competitive-Club4848. While searching his apartment, they found evidence connecting him to all three murders, "It is kind of scary that some guy was out there looking at me, one of the girls described in the notes told the, And while Evonitz was described by those who knew him as a well-respected, married Navy veteran who. She was reportedly 17 years old. Two Richland County deputies and one FBI agent formed a team today that will work full time to reconstruct Evonitz's life. He married his first wife, Bonnie Lou Gower, in 1988 but suffered a severe financial crisis after their divorce in 1996. They were scenes of him, wearing the underwear and pleasuring himself. Evonitz's two sisters grew up in the same household, and neither caused the heartaches he did. There is not any information on how he spent his early day. Gere, 73, is "feeling much better," Silva wrote. In his secret footlocker police found scraps of paper, old envelopes, anything he could find, on which he had written directions to potential victims' houses and descriptions of young girls. He was honorably discharged and received medals, including the Navy Achievement Medal, which is given for leadership. Most details that have emerged about Evonitz's life show a man who attracted little attention and was liked and respected by colleagues. Sensing no way of escape, Richard shot himself dead before he could be arrested. Not just that, the teenager mentally noted her kidnappers doctor and dentists contact details posted on the refrigerator. She shared with People: It was one of the most important things thats ever happened to me, she says. In Spotsylvania, Maj. Howard Smith said the Lisk-Silva Task Force -- composed of FBI agents, state police and Spotsylvania and King George County deputies -- has been doubled in size and also will try to learn "everything this guy has done in the last 10 or 15 years.". Youve undoubtedly heard of Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Dennis Rader, Richard Ramirez, and Eileen Wuornos some of the most well-known serial killers in American history but there are also less well-publicized serial murderers, and one of them has a bizarre Disney connection. Investigators suspected the the murders were linked to Silva's, The New York Daily News reported. Age, Family, Husband, Net worth, Wiki, Bio, Height, Birthday, Following Robinsons escape, Evonitz left his residence and traveled to Florida. As per the news reported, Marie was a loyal wife to her husband. Independent Contractor (Newspaper Carrier), Spotsylvania woman, 29, killed in crash Thursday morning, Woman pleads guilty to bashing former roommate with bat, Police cite medical emergency in Spotsylvania crash, Spotsylvania approves rezoning, making way for 'techno campus', Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Virginia aerialist wins 'Americas Got Talent: All Stars', New commuter bus routes coming to Fredericksburg area, Spotsylvania man convicted after being caught in child pornography sting, KFC is bringing back a fan favorite after a nearly 10-year hiatus, Spotsylvania schools' new chief of staff will be "legislative liaison" for school division, Spotsylvania School Board member charged with forgery, Virginia State Police seek public's help in fatal crash investigation, Spotsylvania man convicted of felony in driveway shooting, Archived Lisk-Silva stories from June 2002 through present, Archived Lisk-Silva stories from April 2001 through June 2002. l "Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story. Please subscribe to keep reading. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. His wife and mother were out of town on a trip to Walt Disney World, according to a 2002 Washington Post article. Does She Have Kids? It's never been determined if Evonitz was responsible for more than three murders. She was eventually able to escape and share information with authorities. Police are not sure. The footlocker was symbolic of the control that Evonitz had over his two wives, said Gerard F. Downes, a criminal profiler with the FBI. [7], On June 24, 2002, Evonitz abducted 15-year-old Kara Robinson Chamberlain from a friend's yard in Columbia, South Carolina, after holding a gun to her head and then forcing her into a plastic bin. You can cancel at any time. RELATED: WHERE TO WATCH FORGOTTEN ABDUCTION ON STREAMING; Richard remarried Hope Marie Crowley. Silva, a 16-year-old with ambitions of attending cosmetology school, was doing homework on her familys doorway on September 9, 1996, when Evonitz abducted her. None of it contained telling DNA evidence. For instance, Kara noticed Hopes hairbrush lying around, with a few red hairs on it. Richard had separated from his first wife, Bonnie Lou Gower, in 1996 and was considerably older than Hope. The footlocker also contained pornographic tapes and many pairs of female underwear, all sizes, from infant to adult. In 2002, the 15-year-olds life took a devastating turn after being abducted by Richard Evonitz from her friends home in Columbia, South Carolina. At the time of Kara's abduction and subsequent sexual assault, Evonitz's wife of three years, Hope Marie Crawley, was visiting Walt Disney World Resort. A few days later, they were found dead in a river. Her abductor, later identified as Richard Evonitz, told her to get into a big plastic container in the cars backseat. Related:Watchmen Actors Family Speaks Out, Convinced He Was Murdered. When arrested a month later, he pleaded no contest to the charge of a charge of lewd and lascivious behavior in the presence of a child and was ordered three years of probation. On September 9, 1996, Evonitz kidnapped 16-year-old Sofia Silva from the front steps of her house in Virginia. The Associated Press stated at the time that investigators quickly discovered proof that Evonitz was responsible for the killings of three girls in Virginia: Sofia Silva, 16, Kristin Lisk, and her sister Kati Lisk. Was it some sort of uniform that he wore when committing his crimes? The pursuit of Evonitz began when the 15-year-old he kidnapped at gunpoint managed to escape from handcuffs and slip out of his apartment in Columbia on Tuesday morning. I just ran, she said. Evonitz abducted 15-year-old Kara Robinson Chamberlain three days before his death. Evonitz was sentenced to three years of probation for this offense. What Should Guests Do If an Animal at Animal Kingdom Escapes? In broad daylight, Robinson was abducted by a stranger who had pulled up in his car and approached her, ostensibly to hand her some magazines, she told Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story, a two-hour Oxygen special that premiered September 26 and is now streaming. He was a former Sonar Technician who served in the US Navy for eight years and received two medals for good conduct. [2], After high school, Evonitz worked briefly as the manager of a Jiffy Lube, before joining the United States Navy. Investigators soon found evidence that Evonitz was responsible for the murders of three girls in Virginia: Sofia Silva, 16; Kristin Lisk and her sister Kati Lisk, the Associated Press reported at the time. This helped the police track down his location. Her sister Kati Lisk was just 12 and enjoyed playing the clarinet and drawing, local outlet The Free Lance Star reported in 2002. Evonitzs criminal career reportedly started the year before he tied the knot with Bonnie Lou Gower. She had no idea that he had used it to wrap the bodies of the Lisk and Silva girls. In 2010, Robinson graduated from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, reported WISTV.com. After Kara escaped from Evonitz in Columbia, police realized that they had never heard his name before. He took her to his apartment, tied her, and forced her to smoke marijuana before repeatedly raping her for the next eighteen hours. Kristen and Jennifer, his two daughters, were born in 1968 and 1971, respectively, and he was the first of three children. Two days after Robinsons bold escape, she found out that Evonitz had killed himself. She began working with the Richland County Sheriff's Department as a school resource officer. Because it brought home the importance of what I did. On June 24, 2002, 15-year-old Kara Robinson was at a friends house in Lexington County, South Carolina preparing for a day at the lake. Richard forced the teenager into a plastic bin, drove her to his apartment, and tied her hands and feet. "I just wanted him to sit across from me and look in my eyes, she said, and know that picking me was the greatest mistake he ever made.. Glod previously worked at the Montgomery Journal in Maryland. "No signs of the monster.". Evonitz's criminal career reportedly started the year before he tied the knot with Bonnie Lou Gower. In 1987 he ran into trouble with the law when he exposed himself to a 15-year-old girl and he was arrested one month later when his ship . Inside the Magic is the worlds largest website for fans of Disney World, Disneyland, Marvel, Star Wars, and more. After gagging her, he repeatedly raped Kara over the next eighteen hours and forced her to smoke marijuana. In 1987, Richard allegedly exposed himself and masturbated in front of a 15-year-old girl in Orange Park, Florida. The case was first regarded as a missing person case rather than an abduction until Silva was discovered dead in a marsh five weeks later. Kristin Lisk was a 15-year-old soccer player who was finishing her freshman year of high school. Later, he worked at companies that manufactured compressors and grinding equipment. But due to the lack of evidence, both cases remained cold for several years until June 24, 2002, when Richard abducted 15-year-old Kara Robinson at gunpoint from her friends front yard in Columbia. In 1996, Gower left Evonitz for a man in California. Evonitz was born on July 29, 1963 meaning he was around 25 years old when he was married to Gower. Serial killer, Richard Marc Evonitz, killed himself while surrounded by police in June 2002. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. . An article about Karas harrowing ordeal noted that she was outside watering flowers for a neighbor: when a car drove past and came back moments later, pulling into the driveway. Evonitz made scouting trips and careful notes of what he saw. He filed for bankruptcy in 1997, unable to keep up with bills following a divorce, and had a house foreclosed in 1999 following a failed business venture, but at the time of his death, Evonitz had been working at an air-compressor company since moving to South Carolina a few years earlier. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Once the officers accompanied the 15-year-old to the apartment complex, a maintenance worker pointed them to Richards apartment. Gower and Evonitz had been neighbors in Columbia and she was a friend of his younger sister. The sisters disappeared from their yard on May 1, 1997. During the time of these killings, a serial killer was working in the area, Marc Evonitz. By using this site you agree to our privacy policy. But inside Evonitz's apartment, detectives found a Fredericksburg, Va., newspaper from the day after the Lisk abductions and notes about the girls, along with directions to a location near their home. Evonitz was suspected of additional killings, and soon before committing suicide, he confessed to his sister to a dozen atrocities. During that time, she met 36-year-old Richard Marc Evonitz of Columbia, South Carolina, and love quickly blossomed between the two. Also Read: Actor: Arno Greeff Age, Parents, Brother, Wikipedia -Biography, Ethnicity, Family, Height, Net worth, Birthday. She joined The Post in 1997 as a two-year intern covering policing and courts in Loudoun County, Va. She later covered local and national education. Inside the pocket was trace evidence that connected Evonitz to the Lisk sisters. she asked. An article about Kara's harrowing ordeal noted that she was outside watering flowers for a neighbor: . "Just like an animal, he stalks his victims, waits for the right time and takes them," Downes said. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! She was 17 years old at the time and Evonitz was 36. Besides, the DNA samples collected from the apartment also matched the ones found on the three victims. Are you watching the premiere of The Girl Who Escaped: #TheKaraRobinsonStory? A serial killer abducted 15-year-old Kara Robinson in 2002, forced her into his vehicle and restrained her inside his Columbia, South Carolina, home.. To avoid confusion with a paternal uncle called Richard, he graduated from Irmo High School in 1980 at the age of 16 and was known as Marc. 0. In September 1996, Sofia Silva, 16, disappeared from her front porch in Spotsylvania County. "Why would you do such a thing?" Hope Marie Crowley Now: Where is Richard Evonitz's Wife Today? Most children are kidnapped by someone they know, per the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In one swift movement, she moved the items [that were blocking the doorway], shoved the vacuum cleaner into the closet and slammed it shut, opened the front door and ran out. I was really, really angry, she told producers. Following his service in the Navy, Evonitz worked for a number of companies that supplied compressors and grinding machines. He took her to his home before raping her repeatedly, then tied her to the bed before falling asleep, allowing her to the opportunity to escape and alert authorities. But Evonitz eventually fell asleep, and Robinson was able to slip out of her restraints and make a run for it. The kidnapper took Robinson to his apartment, where he repeatedly sexually assaulted her and held her captive for 18 hours. Sensing that there was no escape, he began calling relatives with cryptic confessions. Evonitz had known his first wife since she was in the sixth grade. Popular: Who is Vessa Rockliff -Daly Cherry Evans Wife? By matching the countless DNA samples found in Richards apartment and car with the ones found on his three victims, the investigators concluded that he was the one who had murdered them years ago and intended to do the same with Kara. "We had a couple of fights about the footlocker," Hope Evonitz said in a recent interview with The Free Lance-Star. Sofia Silva, 16; Kristin Lisk and her sister Kati Lisk, Kristin Lisk was a 15-year-old who was finishing up her first year of high school and like playing soccer. Per a Washington Post report, she later expressed that she had no idea her husband was a. 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