Richard forced the teenager into a plastic bin, drove her to his apartment, and tied her hands and feet. 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. Evonitz's wives were curious about the blue trunk, yet never opened it. Richard Marc Evonitz forever changed the way area residents view the community. "When he feels the urge he drives around looking for a girl 18-19 years old short in height and has brunette hair.". And that meant so much to me. It also helped forge her future career decisions. 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. she asked. Sensing no way of escape, Richard shot himself dead before he could be arrested. She freed herself from the constraints Evonitz placed on her while he slept before escaping. She was 17 years old at the time and Evonitz was 36. 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. As the investigators searched for the suspect, they soon traced his location to Sarasota, Florida. Hope Evonitz, his second wife, told her husband she wanted to know what was in the metal trunk. 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. At that point, my brain shut off my emotions. But authorities and former co-workers said even those closest to Evonitz had no indication that he might have been hiding something. 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. Age, Wife, Family, Net worth, Salary, Wiki, Bio, Why did FedEx fire him. 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. The sisters disappeared from their yard on May 1, 1997. Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts said Evonitz tied the girl up and raped her. PRIVACY POLICY. "He was just a normal person on the outside," Lott said. [3], Richard Marc Edward Evonitz was born at Providence Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina, to Joseph and Tess Ragin Evonitz. . However, little headway was made in the case until Robinson led police to Evonitz. Bluebeard's wives were curious about the locked room and eventually looked inside. She also makes use of TikTokandInstagram where she provides advice on how to heal, how to support, how to speak to victims of crime, and how to embrace a survivor mentality. Her story has also been shared on numerous television shows, including Investigation Discoverys On the Case With Paula Zahn. To everyones shock, Richard had already fled by then, seemingly after noticing Kara gone when he woke up. Maria Glod is the deputy Metro editor at The Washington Post. I just went into survival mode, she told Oxygen. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . In the past few years, he returned to South Carolina and recently moved into a small garden apartment with his 19-year-old wife. After her escape, Kara helped lead authorities to her abductors apartment. A 15-year-old kidnap survivor's escape led police to a serial killer: Richard Evonitz. 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. "They were in fear of him," Downes said. Evonitz was the most dangerous of all predators--an invisible one. Related:What Should Guests Do If an Animal at Animal Kingdom Escapes? Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! November 18, 2021 . At the police station, she spotted Evonitz's supervisor, Mike Augustine of Armstrong Compressors. Crowley remained in South Carolina after Evonitzs death. 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. Three years after Bonnie Lou Gower left Richard Evonitz, he remarried Hope Marie Crowley. Hope Evonitz resided in Caroline County at the time, and she was aware of the slayings. Friends and neighbors described the Evonitzs as a pleasant couple, especially Richard was known as someone who was friendly and loved animals. By using this site you agree to our privacy policy. The small village, near the border of Pennsylvania, was one of the filming locations used for the Netflix adaptation of Don DeLillo's White . Years later, while on the run in South Carolina, he told his sister Kristen that he had abducted and raped a 15-year-old girl, as police charged. The footlocker was symbolic of the control that Evonitz had over his two wives, said Gerard F. Downes, a criminal profiler with the FBI. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. In other news, Celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday with these 37 heartwarming quotes. This included 16-year-old Sofia Silva and 12 and 15-year-old sisters Kati and Kristin Lisk. Authorities said Evonitz has lived or traveled in California, Virginia, Florida and Texas. She was reportedly 17 years old. Only when he was ready did the safe Henry Jekyll become the wicked Edward Hyde. She began working with the Richland County Sheriff's Department as a school resource officer. 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. . They had all gone missing in Spotsylvania County, Va., more than five years before Karas abduction. [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. Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story,. I just went into survival mode, she told. Cara Robinson was abducted out of her friends yard by serial killer Richard Marc Evonitz. They were discovered deceased in a river a few days later. Following my escape, I was able to go to Virginia and meet with the families of the three girls, Robinson said. Investigators were able to track the serial killer to Sarasota, Florida, where a high-speed chase ensued. Evonitzs criminal career reportedly started the year before he tied the knot with Bonnie Lou Gower. Sofia Silva//Image Credit: RTL Zwei In 1987, Richard allegedly exposed himself and masturbated in front of a 15-year-old girl in Orange Park, Florida. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. From 1988 to 1996, Evonitz married Bonnie Lou Gower, and from 1999 till his death, he was married to Hope Marie Crowley. When she explained that her friends mum wasnt home, Evonitz moved closer and said he was handing out brochures. On May 1, 1997 Evonitz kidnapped 15 and 12 years old Kristin and Kati Lisk from their home, also in Virginia. "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.. Evonitz was born on July 29, 1963 meaning he was around 25 years old when he was married to Gower. 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. Are you watching the premiere of The Girl Who Escaped: #TheKaraRobinsonStory? When she's not planning her next Disney trip, Rebekah can be found spending time with her family, shopping for Lilly Pulitzer, buried in a good book, or doing yoga. Both bodies were found five days later in a river. Tess Ragin had been told of her son's vacation but did not believe it. Based on the evidence collected from his apartment, the police concluded that he had killed Silvia, Kristin, and Kati and intended to do the same with Kara. Have something to tell us about this article? 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. Two Richland County deputies and one FBI agent formed a team today that will work full time to reconstruct Evonitz's life. 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. His belongings, connected him to the abduction and murder of three girls. #onthisday pic.twitter.com/OIcfpFebnS. Their bodies were found five days later in the South Anna River. r/standwithusa 5 min. Another strange DNA quirk happened with the case. According to the Washington Post, he contacted his sister along the way and confessed to killing someone and committed more crimes than he can recall.. Richard Marc Evonitz forever changed the way area residents view the community. Evonitz's criminal career lasted at least 15 years. Evonitz was born on July 29, 1963 meaning he was around 25 years old when he was married to Gower. For nearly six years the Lisk/Silva task force chased 12,000 leads, obtained dozens of search warrants and considered countless "good" suspects. 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. Credit: Disney. Authorities found the fingerprints of Krista Lisk inside one of his vehicles, further incriminating him in the heinous murders. Was it some sort of uniform that he wore when committing his crimes?