Evonitz has been suspected of other murders, and confessed a number of crimes to his sister shortly before committing suicide. Lifetime's 'The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story' is a gripping crime thriller movie that delves into the actual harrowing experiences of Kara Robinson. At 15, the Spotsylvania High School freshman played soccer and had an affinity for ladybugs. They are recounted here in detail that some may find disturbing. "They knew if they did [open the trunk], bad things were going to happen.". Hope Evonitz rode with her husband on some of these trips. So he deviated from his plan. During the time of these killings, a serial killer was working in the area, Marc Evonitz. Her sister Kati Lisk was just 12 and enjoyed playing the clarinet and drawing, local outlet The Free Lance Star reported in 2002. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). During that time, she met 36-year-old Richard Marc Evonitz of Columbia, South Carolina, and love quickly blossomed between the two. After graduating from high school, Evonitz worked as a manager at a Jiffy Lube before enlisting in the US Navy. He declared bankruptcy after losing the majority of his money as a result of the divorce. 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. What they won't do is excuse him. Later, he worked at companies that manufactured compressors and grinding equipment. 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. 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. Please subscribe to keep reading. He fled, then committed suicide while surrounded by police in Florida. Following my escape, I was able to go to Virginia and meet with the families of the three girls, Robinson said. Evonitz tried to start a new business in 1999, to manufacture wheel grinders for industrial tools, but he failed. Evonitzs wife was still at The Most Magical Place on Earth while the entire sordid situation unfolded. Evonitz was sentenced to three years of probation for this offense. Evonitz married Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996, and then his second wife Hope Marie Crowley from 1999 till his death. 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. "She was so, so alert," Metts said. 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.. In his wifes absence, he abducted 15-year-old Kara Robinson from her friends yard in Columbia at gunpoint. During that time, she met 36-year-old Richard Marc Evonitz of Columbia, South Carolina, and love quickly blossomed between the two. Inside a lockbox in the apartment, they found the hints to the Lisk killings. "Mike," she asked, "was Marc really on vacation? As they released a police dog, he put the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.. The conversation took place before he killed himself after a police chase in Florida. I just went into survival mode, she told. "He was somebody who felt everything closing in on him. They also found evidence he was stalking other girls in Virginia, according to The Associated Press. "Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story. "They were in fear of him," Downes said. But that brazen kidnapper, the one operating in the clear light of day, does exist. It's never been determined if Evonitz was responsible for more than three murders. This allows us to bring you the most interesting, entertaining, and unique entertainment experiences, covering theme parks, movies, TV, video games, and special events. 20052023 JAK Schmidt, Inc. All rights reserved. Does She Have Kids. Does She Have Kids. 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. On September 9, 1996, Silva, a 16-year-old who had dreams of going to cosmetology school, sat on her family's doorstep doing homework when Evonitz kidnapped her. As the investigators searched for the suspect, they soon traced his location to Sarasota, Florida. Watch Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Tale for more information on this case and Robinsons story. When she led police back to Evonitz's apartment, he was gone. Police found her body in a pond weeks later. Only when he was ready did the safe Henry Jekyll become the wicked Edward Hyde. He was attacked by a police dog and ultimately shot himself while surrounded, rather than face the consequences of his actions. Evonitz and his second wife then moved to Columbia, where he found work at Armstrong Compressed Air Services, based 80 miles away in Spartanburg. He never stopped, and he never said he was sorry. 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. He also will host an FBI "working group" on Evonitz next year. . This helped the police track down his location. Richard forced the teenager into a plastic bin, drove her to his apartment, and tied her hands and feet. As they surrounded him, he killed himself with his gun. Related:Mother on Flight From Disney World Told to Glue Mask to Childs Face. By the time authorities arrived, Evonitz had fled, eventually making his way to Sarasota, Florida. RELATED: WHERE TO WATCH FORGOTTEN ABDUCTION ON STREAMING; Richard remarried Hope Marie Crowley. 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. Not just that, the teenager mentally noted her kidnappers doctor and dentists contact details posted on the refrigerator. I didnt look back for a second. Robinson sprinted toward a car in the parking lot and pleaded with the people inside to bring her to the police station. Authorities apprehended Evonitz in Florida three days after he kidnapped Robinson, and a high-speed chase occurred, culminating with Evonitz shooting himself and dying. Hope Evonitz wonders if the trophy box was her husband's way of trying to keep his demons under lock and key. Her decomposed body was found a month later in a creek off State Route 3 in King George County. She was. Evonitz may have gone on in his life if not for the 15-year-old he spotted as she was watering flowers in a friend's Lexington County yard June 24. 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. In 1996, Gower left Evonitz for a man in California. #onthisday pic.twitter.com/OIcfpFebnS Murderific True Crime Podcast (@MurderificBPC) July 29, 2019 Oxygen Network created a documentary about Karas ordeal and incredible survival. the New York Daily News reported in 2015. the Associated Press reported at the time. Richard T. EvonitzRichard Thomas Evonitz, 73, of Fredericksburg died on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, at his residence surrounded by his family.Survivors include his wife, Barbara Evonitz; son Richard W. Police have learned that Evonitz carefully plotted the who, where and when of his crimes. After his crimes, Fredericksburg never seemed as safe. Hope Marie Crowley Now: Where is Richard Evonitz's Wife Today? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In the two years since his death, federal, state and local investigators have tried to link Evonitz to other crimes, compiling an inch-thick timeline of his life. Richard Marc Evonitz born July 29, 1963 was a serial killer, kidnapper and rapist responsible for the deaths of three girls in Spotsylvania County, Virginia and the abduction and rape of a 15-year-old girl in Richland County, S.Carolina. [4], Evonitz was married twice, first to Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996, then to Hope Marie Crowley from 1999 until his death. However, until Robinson led investigators to Evonitz, little progress was made in the investigation. 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. Many of the police who worked on the Lisk/Silva case for nearly six years are the same ones now studying Evonitz. Richard Evonitz was reportedly married to Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996. In September 1996, Sofia Silva, 16, disappeared from her front porch in Spotsylvania County. Who is Hope Marie Crowley? Popular: Who is Vessa Rockliff -Daly Cherry Evans Wife? Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Authorities found the fingerprints of Krista Lisk inside one of his vehicles, further incriminating him in the heinous murders. When he used that route, he passed hundreds of other potential dumping sites--country roads, farm fields and logging trails. Hope Evonitz, his second wife,. Richard Marc Edward Evonitz (July 29, 1963 - June 27, 2002) was an American serial killer, kidnapper, and rapist responsible for the deaths of three teenaged girls in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, and the abduction and rape of a 15-year-old girl in Richland County, South Carolina. After her escape, Kara helped lead authorities to her abductors apartment. Guns, ropes, and other tools for murder were also found, as were notes that signaled Evonitz had his eye on other potential victims. The man held a gun to her head and threatened to shoot her if she screamed. Throughout her multi-day abduction, Kara gained her captors trust by learning details about him, including: finding out he was in the Navy, memorizing the addresses of his dentist and doctor from magnets on his fridge, and realizing a woman lived in the apartment with him. Inside Evonitzs apartment, authorities made a chilling discovery. We're going to take our time. According to The Associated Press, the notes included the addresses and descriptions of two more young females. 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. But she changed her routine that Monday. Later, they checked to see if they had overlooked him during their long investigation. 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. Lott declined to say what details have led him to believe that Evonitz was not referring to the Lisk slayings when he talked to his sister. On June 24, 2002 Evonitz kidnapped 15-year-old Kara Robinson from a yard in South Carolina. His mother described the moment she realized he had betrayed her: With her son on the run, she returned from Disney World to her home in Columbia. While Richard seemingly remained inactive for the next few years, he struck again in June 2002. 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. Make sure you join Kara Robinson Chamberlain after the premiere for a live conversation on her Instagram! Moreover, Richard admitted that he often had uncontrollable sexual urges and would look for and target teenage girls. Evonitz used metal trunk, lies to shield truth. They could not determine if it had been stolen or purchased. Richard Marc Evonitz forever changed the way area residents view the community. She reported the matter to the Richland County Sheriffs Department and took them back to his apartment complex, where a maintenance man helped them identify the residence. What do you think about Karas amazing story? Her sister Kati Lisk was just 12 and enjoyed playing the clarinet and drawing, local outlet. 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. "No signs of the monster.". 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Hope Evonitz resided in Caroline County at the time, and she was aware of the slayings. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott describes Evonitz's particular compulsion as "The Monster." When he kidnapped Kara, he was married to his second wife, Hope Marie Crowley, and she unknowingly played a crucial role in helping the teenager identify Richard. Sisterhood Of Survival: Elizabeth Smart, Kara Robinson Spearhead New Oxygen Documentary, How Kara Robinson Tried to Cope with Trauma. [2], After high school, Evonitz worked briefly as the manager of a Jiffy Lube, before joining the United States Navy. The abduction became the biggest mistake of Richard Evonitz's criminal career when Robinson escaped and eventually sent police down his path. When investigators searched Richard Evonitzs South Carolina apartment, they discovered his connections to the brutal murders of three innocent young girls in the 90s. Police records in Clay County say he "confessed both orally and written to his guilt. Police now know that Evonitz spent hours traveling the back roads of South Carolina and Virginia. Investigators were able to track the serial killer to Sarasota, Florida, where a high-speed chase ensued. A People report about Karas bravery noted: However, by the time authorities got there, Evonitz had fled. Smith said detectives found evidence in their South Carolina searches that Evonitz was stalking other girls in Spotsylvania. 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. By using this site you agree to our privacy policy. His belongings, connected him to the abduction and murder of three girls. Evonitz fooled everyone, including his family. Because it brought home the importance of what I did. Throughout her ordeal, Robinson focused on her abductor and her surroundings to gather information she could use. After sexually assaulting them, he strangled the sisters and dumped their bodies in the South Anna River. Most details that have emerged about Evonitz's life show a man who attracted little attention and was liked and respected by colleagues. He chose strangers to abduct and kill. 2d ago Robinson spoke to Elizabeth Smart from Crime Watch Daily about her kidnapping and how she managed to escape Evonitzs clutches and helped the police catch him. Richard Marc Edward Evonitz was born on July 29, 1963, at Providence Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina, to Joseph Evonitz and Tess Ragin Evonitz. "He was just a normal person on the outside," Lott said. ", "Suspect stated he has a problem with masturbating in front of girls," the report said. While her friend got ready, Robinson was watering the front lawn. They hadn't. Before being honorably discharged after eight years of service, he worked as a sonar technician and won a Good Conduct Medal. Most children are kidnapped by someone they know, per the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. When he was convicted for exposing himself in Florida at age 23, Evonitz told the arresting officer that he had uncontrollable urges. He had grown arrogant, police said. The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story. Impulse was a ready excuse for Evonitz, but he was more complicated than that. Actually, he, too, had taken a week's vacation, a secret break. With his wife gone and their Columbia apartment empty, he could play out his fantasies of domination and control. 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. 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. The film premiered on Lifetime on Saturday, February 11. Tess Ragin had been told of her son's vacation but did not believe it. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. An article about Kara's harrowing ordeal noted that she was outside watering flowers for a neighbor: She began working as an assignment editor on the local desk in 2011. Its never been established if Evonitz was involved in more than three murders. Big Changes Are Coming to Disneys Paid Genie+ Service, Michael Keatons Morbius Role Is an Easter Egg, Inside the Magic Your Ultimate Source for Themed EntertainmentCoverage, Watchmen Actors Family Speaks Out, Convinced He Was Murdered, Mandalorian Actor Facing Underage Sexual Assault Lawsuit, Woman Seen Handcuffed at Disneys Hollywood Studios, Iconic Disney Trains Left Brilliantly Vandalized at EPCOT. He then sexually assaulted and strangled them to death, dumping their bodies in the South Anna River. A high-speed car chase followed to catch Richard, resulting in him running over spike strips on the highway and being attacked by a police dog. 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? None of it contained telling DNA evidence. Investigators said they might never have stopped Evonitz had Robinson not saved her own life, reported WISTV.com. However, little headway was made in the case until Robinson led police to Evonitz. Evonitz abducted 15-year-old Kara Robinson Chamberlain three days before his death. Who is Kara Robinsons Husband? They learned later that Bonnie, his first wife, had the blanket in California. Robinson escaped his apartment after being raped and notified police. 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. Kati Lisk, her younger sister, was just 12 years old at the time and liked playing the clarinet and painting, according to the local newspaper The Free Lance Star in 2002. "Obviously, we're all anxious and want to solve this, but we're also very cautious," Smith said. " They were scenes of him, wearing the underwear and pleasuring himself. When she explained that her friends mum wasnt home, Evonitz moved closer and said he was handing out brochures. Other houses in the area where he lived will also be searched, he said. You can cancel at any time. After watching The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story, you might be looking for more details on what happened to Richard Evonitzs first and second wife. The 16-year-old Courtland High junior wanted to go to cosmetology school and loved the color purple. As they released a police dog, he put the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.. by Competitive-Club4848. He married his first wife, Bonnie Lou Gower, in 1988 but suffered a severe financial crisis after their divorce in 1996. 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,, . He was a former Sonar Technician who served in the US Navy for eight years and received two medals for good conduct. Officials said he has no other known criminal convictions. Evonitz took the girl to his apartment, where they were alone because his wife and mother were vacationing at Walt Disney World, and carried the container inside. Per a Washington Post report, she later expressed that she had no idea her husband was a. 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. Created in 2005, what started as a tiny central Florida-based website and short weekly podcast that allowed our audience to visit Walt Disney World virtually has grown into the publishing company it is today. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. "We'll take it from the time he was born and go forward. For instance, Kara noticed Hopes hairbrush lying around, with a few red hairs on it. Their bodies were found five days later. She never misses Jeopardy and alternately wishes she lived in Beast's castle or was making the Kessel Run in the Millennium Falcon. He chose Kara on the spur of the moment. [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 have permission to edit this article. Richard Marc Evonitz (July 29, 1963 - June 27, 2002) was a serial killer, kidnapper, and rapist responsible for the deaths of three girls in Spotsylvania County, Virginia and the abduction and rape of a 15 year old girl in Richland County, South Carolina. It's going to be quite extensive.". 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. After gagging her, he repeatedly raped Kara over the next eighteen hours and forced her to smoke marijuana. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. She began working with the Richland County Sheriff's Department as a school resource officer. To avoid confusion with a paternal uncle called Richard, he graduated from Irmo High School in 1980 at the age of 16. Evonitz had known his first wife since she was in the sixth grade. The investigation into Evonitz as the killer of the three girls in Virginia didnt end with his death. There is no information available on how many of the assets he actually possesses. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. Through evidence discovered after Robinsons brave escape, Evonitz was tied to the Silva and Lisk murders. Once the officers accompanied the 15-year-old to the apartment complex, a maintenance worker pointed them to Richards apartment. The footlocker also contained pornographic tapes and many pairs of female underwear, all sizes, from infant to adult. Indeed for the families involved, and for many others in the community, any review of these cases would be painful. Nevertheless, she embraced a life of privacy and continues to do so even today. The footlocker was symbolic of the control that Evonitz had over his two wives, said Gerard F. Downes, a criminal profiler with the FBI. When he abducted Kara, he did so only after placing his wife and mother on a plane for Walt Disney World. RELATED: WHERE TO WATCH FORGOTTEN ABDUCTION ON STREAMING; Richard remarried Hope Marie Crowley. He was trolling for potential victims and the best places to dispose of their bodies. 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.
Abbott Rapid Covid Test Expiration Date Extension,
Vinegar Syndrome Subscription,
Articles R