Seattle, Washington – A woman from Seattle recently discovered that her half-sister was the last unidentified victim of the notorious Happy Face Killer. Summer Gonzales, who was contacted by law enforcement in California about a year ago, had no idea she even had a half-sister until she received the shocking news.
The victim, whose name has not been identified, was killed sometime in the 1990s and her body was dumped on the side of a highway in Blythe County, California. The killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson, also known as The Happy Face Serial Killer, confessed to the murder in 1992, along with seven other murders he committed during a cross-country killing spree. However, the victim’s identity remained a mystery.
Gonzales expressed frustration and a strong desire for justice, stating that she wants to find the truth for her sister. She was devastated to learn about her father’s daughter being a victim of the infamous serial killer. Her father, Alfonso Saldana Gonzales, Sr., fathered at least nine children with five women, and she recalled his past as somewhat of a “ladies man.”
The Riverside District Attorney’s office recently posted a YouTube video asking for the public’s help in identifying the victim. The victim, believed to have been a frequent hitchhiker, is thought to have met Jesperson, a long-haul truck driver, at a truck stop. The killer had claimed to have killed up to 160 people during the late 1990s and was charged with killing eight women across the country.
Gonzales has been desperate for Riverside officials to release her sister’s remains to the family so they can have a proper funeral. She just wants to provide her sister with the dignity and respect she deserves. The Riverside County Sheriff Officer Investigator emphasized the significance of any information that could help identify the victim, urging the public to come forward with any relevant details.
The victim is described to be between ages 25 and 35 at the time of her death, about 5 feet 7 inches tall with a medium build, brown hair possibly dyed blonde, and a tattoo of two black dots on the side of her right thumb. The authorities are encouraging anyone with information to contact the Riverside County District Attorney’s office.