Police have learned that Evonitz carefully plotted the who, where and when of his crimes. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Inside the Magic. And while Evonitz was described by those who knew him as a well-respected, married Navy veteran who was twice awarded the Navy Good Conduct Medal, the 38-year-old had actually been in trouble with the law before, for masturbating in front of a teen girl, The Washington Post reported. Who is Kara Robinsons Husband? In the late 90s, Hope Marie Crowley was a 17-year-old waitress working at a pancake joint in Massaponax, Virginia. Two days after Robinsons bold escape, she found out that Evonitz had killed himself. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. In the past few years, he returned to South Carolina and recently moved into a small garden apartment with his 19-year-old wife. Moreover, Richard admitted that he often had uncontrollable sexual urges and would look for and target teenage girls. You can cancel at any time. He chose strangers to abduct and kill. Lifetimes thriller movie The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story chronicles how Kara courageously escaped her captors home after being abducted and assaulted for eighteen hours, eventually helping the police identify him and his past crimes. She began working with the Richland County Sheriff's Department as a school resource officer. Three years after Bonnie Lou Gower left Richard Evonitz, he remarried Hope Marie Crowley. 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. Richard Marc Evonitz was a rapist, serial murderer, and kidnapper who murdered three small children in Richland County, South Carolina, then kidnapped and raped a 15-year-old female. He also will host an FBI "working group" on Evonitz next year. #onthisday pic.twitter.com/OIcfpFebnS Murderific True Crime Podcast (@MurderificBPC) July 29, 2019 Crowley was working as a waitress at Aunt Sarah's . Evonitz and his second wife then moved to Columbia, where he found work at Armstrong Compressed Air Services, based 80 miles away in Spartanburg. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. Richard Marc Evonitz, was born on July 29, 1963 in Columbia, South Carolina. Thankfully, Kara exhibited immense bravery despite her trauma and managed to escape Richards house the following day. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Later the authorities would prove he killed at least 3 . However, unknown to her and their family, Richard had a sinister side and abducted, raped, and murdered three young girls between 1996 and 1997 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. To avoid confusion with a paternal uncle called Richard, he graduated from Irmo High School in 1980 at the age of 16. As they released a police dog, he put the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.. You can view a clip below: Today, Kara runs a website, where she offers hope and encouragement to other survivors.. Police initially treated it as a missing persons case instead of an abduction -- until Silva was found about five weeks later, dead in a swamp. Two Richland County deputies and one FBI agent formed a team today that will work full time to reconstruct Evonitz's life. [2], After high school, Evonitz worked briefly as the manager of a Jiffy Lube, before joining the United States Navy. "Obviously, we're all anxious and want to solve this, but we're also very cautious," Smith said. " Many of the police who worked on the Lisk/Silva case for nearly six years are the same ones now studying Evonitz. Credit: Disney. To learn more about Kara Robinson, watch Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story, on Oxygen. Does She Have Kids. He forced her to watch the evening news to see if there was a report of her kidnapping. As Spotsylvania detectives await results of DNA and other scientific tests to determine whether Evonitz killed Sofia Silva, 16, in September 1996, and Kati Lisk, 12, and her sister, Kristin, 15, in May 1997, investigators are just now beginning to piece together the past of this seemingly normal man -- a husband who was twice awarded the Navy Good Conduct Medal during an eight-year service career -- to see if he really was a lifelong predator who kept his crimes secret. Authorities found the fingerprints of Krista Lisk inside one of his vehicles, further incriminating him in the heinous murders. We don't know if this is our guy. Tess Ragin had been told of her son's vacation but did not believe it. On September 9, 1996, Evonitz kidnapped 16-year-old Sofia Silva from the front steps of her house in Virginia. Richard forced the teenager into a plastic bin, drove her to his apartment, and tied her hands and feet. Investigators said they might never have stopped Evonitz had Robinson not saved her own life, reported WISTV.com. Inside a lockbox in the apartment, they found the hints to the Lisk killings. Three years after Bonnie Lou Gower left Richard Evonitz, he remarried Hope Marie Crowley. Inside Evonitzs apartment, authorities made a chilling discovery. She shared with People: It was one of the most important things thats ever happened to me, she says. Most details that have emerged about Evonitz's life show a man who attracted little attention and was liked and respected by colleagues. We focus on bringing you all things fun so you can plan your theme park vacation, enjoy Disney at home, and more. When he abducted Kara, he did so only after placing his wife and mother on a plane for Walt Disney World. 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. By Daniel S. Levine - February 26, 2023 03:04 pm EST. On June 24, 2002 Evonitz kidnapped 15-year-old Kara Robinson from a yard in South Carolina. Kristian Bruun stars as Richard Evonitz in the terrifying film. 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. His belongings connected him to the abduction and murder of three girls whod been taken from their homes in Virginia years earlier: Sofia Silva, 16, in 1996, and sisters Kristin, 15, and Kati Lisk, in 1997. Following my escape, I was able to go to Virginia and meet with the families of the three girls, Robinson said. After playing a key role in solving Evonitzs other murders, Kara was able to meet the families of both Sofia and the Lisk sisters. Per a Washington Post report, she later expressed that she had no idea her husband was a murderer, though he did allegedly confess to his sister just prior to his death. 'The Monster' Richard Marc Evonitz was a rapist and a stalker, and he may be worse. When Virginia officers looked through his Columbia, S.C., apartment, they searched for an afghan they knew he owned in Spotsylvania. 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. Once the officers accompanied the 15-year-old to the apartment complex, a maintenance worker pointed them to Richards apartment. Later, authorities identified him as the LiskSilva killer. In addition to the newspaper clippings, the police found notes about the three girls and directions to a location near their home. Her abductor, later identified as Richard Evonitz, told her to get into a big plastic container in the cars backseat. ", ON THE WEB: For previous stories in this series, visit fredericksburg.com, To reach JIM HALL: 540/374-5433 jhall@freelancestar.com. It was his preference, a well-developed appetite. [4], Evonitz was married twice, first to Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996, then to Hope Marie Crowley from 1999 until his death. Authorities said Evonitz pulled up in his mother's green Pontiac Firebird and offered to sell her some magazines. Most children are kidnapped by someone they know, per the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Actually, he, too, had taken a week's vacation, a secret break. "No signs of the monster.". Richard Marc Evonitz committed suicide after being apprehended by the police 20 years ago. PRIVACY POLICY. 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. He spoke about Evonitz last year at a meeting of the International Homicide Investigators Association in Las Vegas. He was tracked to Florida on June 27 and was involved in a high speed chase by police to Sarasota, where he was surrounded and subsequently shot himself in the standoff. Based on Karas testimony and the evidence obtained from the apartment, the police began tracking Richard and located him in Sarasota, Florida. I just went into survival mode, she told Oxygen. When Evonitz looked for her, she was not there. After graduating high school and briefly working as a Manager for Jiffy Lube, he joined the Navy. If she had picked the simple lock, as police later did, she would have found evidence of her husband's crimes. Evonitz hid the souvenirs of his crimes in a locked footlocker in his bedroom. I just went into survival mode, she told. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Actor: Arno Greeff Age, Parents, Brother, Wikipedia -Biography, Ethnicity, Family, Height, Net worth, Birthday, Who is Vessa Rockliff -Daly Cherry Evans Wife? When he abducted and killed his first victim, Sofia Silva, his first wife was on holiday in California. This February, a derailed train carrying hazardous materials has upended the lives of those living in East Palestine. Members of the task force have tracked down some of the tag numbers he mentioned in notes and will be interviewing their owners to see if anyone remembers seeing him. At 15, the Spotsylvania High School freshman played soccer and had an affinity for ladybugs. According to the New York Daily News, Evonitz pulled up and began conversing with her under the guise of selling magazines, before brandishing a gun at her and forcing her into a Rubbermaid container in the back of his car. "End of Trial Fails To End Uncertainty; Family Seeks Justice in '96 Va. Killings, While Man Wants to Clear His Name" Washington Post, September 4, 2005 Ian Shapira and Maria Glod, List of serial killers in the United States, "As Police Closed In, Evonitz Admitted Crimes to Sister", "Lifetime Partners Again with Elizabeth Smart on "The Kara Robinson Story", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Evonitz&oldid=1142021837, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using infobox person with multiple spouses, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, The Spotsylvania Serial killer, Lisk/Silva Killer, Bonnie Lou Gower (1988-1996), Hope Marie Crowley (1999-his death), This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 03:03. Her brave act led the police to identify Richard as a serial killer who had murdered three other girls during the 90s. 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. His wife and mother were out of town on a trip to Walt Disney World, according to a 2002 Washington Post article. Kristin Lisk was a 15-year-old soccer player who was finishing her freshman year of high school. Only when he was ready did the safe Henry Jekyll become the wicked Edward Hyde. The image of the shadowy stranger snatching children in broad daylight made a lasting impact on the collective consciousness, but the truth is stranger abductions are very rare. Their continuing work has unlocked some of the mystery that surrounds the man: the why behind his crimes, and the nature and extent of his dangerous perversions. Richard Evonitz was reportedly married to Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott describes Evonitz's particular compulsion as "The Monster." Evonitz was born on July 29, 1963 meaning he was around 25 years old when he was married to Gower. What Should Guests Do If an Animal at Animal Kingdom Escapes? 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. Inside were trophies so damning that he risked all to retain them. Please subscribe to keep reading. Kristin Lisk was a 15-year-old who was finishing up her first year of high school and like playing soccer. According to The Associated Press, the notes included the addresses and descriptions of two more young females. The couple was in Mexico to celebrate Silva's 40th birthday when Gere was diagnosed with . 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. He used his mother's car when he abducted Kara. Florida Man Arrested After Threatening to Blow Up Homes of Disney Executives, Mother on Flight From Disney World Told to Glue Mask to Childs Face. The bridge was four miles from U.S. 1 and 31 miles from his home near Massaponax Baptist Church in Spotsylvania. Evonitz was born on July 29, 1963 meaning he was around 25 years old when he was married to Gower. 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. 20052023 JAK Schmidt, Inc. All rights reserved. "It is kind of scary that some guy was out there looking at me, one of the girls described in the notes told the The Free Lance-Star, according to the AP report. Robinson was able to free herself while Evonitz was sound asleep, escape, and identify her abductor to the police using information she was able to find on Evonitz's fridge. Authorities found the fingerprints of Krista Lisk inside one of his vehicles, further incriminating him in the heinous murders. After Kara escaped from Evonitz in Columbia, police realized that they had never heard his name before. He entered a plea of no contest and was sentenced to three years' probation. They were scenes of him, wearing the underwear and pleasuring himself. In 2010, Robinson graduated from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. Bluebeard hid the bodies of his murdered wives behind one of the locked doors in his castle. "He was just a normal person on the outside," Lott said. The footlocker also contained a white dress shirt, carefully folded. Sensing a connection between the murders, the police theorized that the Spotsylvania County victim had also been raped and killed similarly. Evonitz's wives were curious about the blue trunk, yet never opened it. On June 27, 2002, police finally caught up with him in Florida, where he led them on a high-speed chase, and finally cornered him,, . After his crimes, Fredericksburg never seemed as safe. Because of that, we do not have any information about how he was on the social media platform or his lifestyle. Meanwhile, 20-year-old Hope Marie Evonitz (ne Crowley) was utterly devastated by her husbands death and the shocking revelations made by the police, yet she refused to believe he had done anything wrong. Police are not sure. Evonitz's two sisters grew up in the same household, and neither caused the heartaches he did. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. The footlocker also contained pornographic tapes and many pairs of female underwear, all sizes, from infant to adult. But when she escaped, Richard feared his arrest and fled, eventually killing himself to evade arrest. Evonitzs wife was still at The Most Magical Place on Earth while the entire sordid situation unfolded. She was 17 years old at the time and Evonitz was 36. Inside the pocket was trace evidence that connected Evonitz to the Lisk sisters. special that premiered September 26 and is now streaming. But authorities and former co-workers said even those closest to Evonitz had no indication that he might have been hiding something. Her abductor, later identified as Richard Evonitz, told her to get into a big plastic container in the cars backseat. The only time she became animated was when she talked about the footlocker. "When he feels the urge he drives around looking for a girl 18-19 years old short in height and has brunette hair.". Gower and Evonitz had been neighbors in Columbia and she was a friend of his younger sister. He declared bankruptcy after losing the majority of his money as a result of the divorce. Their bodies were found five days later. Her sister Kati Lisk was just 12 and enjoyed playing the clarinet and drawing, local outlet The Free Lance Star reported in 2002. "We're going to do his whole life's tale," Lott said. They are recounted here in detail that some may find disturbing. Today, 19 years after her harrowing ordeal, Kara Robinson Chamberlain is married with two sons -- and 219,700 fans on TikTok, where she seeks to spread hope and encouragement to other survivors, she notes at kararobinsonchamberlain.com. He took her to his apartment, tied her, and forced her to smoke marijuana before repeatedly raping her for the next eighteen hours. Evonitz stored the footlocker in the corner of his cluttered bedroom, hidden beneath a pile of clothes. When 15-year-old Kara Robinson arrived at the Richland County Sheriffs Department on June 25, 2022, little did the police expect that she would lead them to a serial killer.
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