Pavlinac retracted her confession, claiming she made it to escape an abusive relationship with Sosnovske . She also seen tire tracks and broken branches. "[He said] I better not open my mouth. "Madonna, that's what she listened to all day," White said. That night, he scrawled, he saw Taunja Bennett at JBs. They now had Pavlinacs confession, Sosnovskes statement, Sosnovskes two failed polygraph tests. . With Laverne implicating herself in the crime, both she and John were arrested and charged with Taunjas murder. Cigarette butts everywhere, messy, stinky. Not a word of Laverne Pavlinacs story was true. By 5 p.m., he was under arrest for the murder of Taunja Bennett. It was as ugly as ugly could be, every detail bitterly contested. I threw her walkman and her purse into the Sandy R. I cut the buttons off her jeans . Once he developed his theory, though, he felt no hesitation at all. A Multnomah County sheriffs sergeant, he wasnt as experienced in homicide cases as Corson, but he had a good feel for people. True to form, Pavlinac revised. . . It had never been an obvious or uncomplicated murder case, but then, few are. Mike Schrunk was asking questions. I have been taking it out on different people . Bennett was found strangled to death near a scenic overlook at the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. Pavlinac answered through sobs. After both got into Pavlinacs car, they started arguing. He wanted newspapers to print his letters in full. In 1957, during a Portland corruption probe, a grand jury indicted his father Terry Schrunk, then the county sheriff. Looks like its been there some time. Could he have put the wrong people in jail? We have to do something, or we look like idiots. Bennett was dead. But when investigators were unable to match the purse and denim piece to Bennett, they confronted Pavlinac about fabricating evidence. . . Hed met Taunja Bennett at the B&I; Tavern in January 1990, Jesperson said. "I don't remember going to no gorge, dumping no body for God's sake. Truth, so elusive during an investigation, becomes fixed by a jurys verdict. Alone in his office, McIntyre wrestled with other news as well. Tell me Mac, Schrunks voice was asking. However, the truth only came to light when Keith Hunter Jesperson was arrested on an unrelated murder charge in 1995 and claimed responsibility for Taunjas murder. No news account had ever provided a hint. In February 1990, the police thought they had a massive breakthrough in Taunja Bennetts murder investigation when Laverne Pavlinac called them and implicated her partner, John Sosnovske. Bring something plastic that wont leak. He talked of seeing the dumped body from the far side of a hairpin turn, which was physically impossible. What are these letters about?. Theyd received two anonymous calls, the detectives explained. In late March, detectives had arrested Keith Jesperson, a long-haul trucker whom Winningham had been dating. For days on end in May 1994, Corson and Ingram scrambled across eastern Oregon, tracking the Bend man whose wife thought he might be the Happy Face Killer. Despite a gag order, he was still talking to journalists. How A False Confession Led To The 'Happy Face Killer' Name They never came up with anything, though. What shed seen was some red paint or tape, two spots marking the area. The search warrant had listed those items; thats where shed gotten the idea. Sosnovskes roommate called us recently, complaining about his heavy drinking. "I think what happened to mother was she was in an abusive relationship, and she was desperate, and desperate people do desperate things, not to say that it was right, but that's what I think happened," said Pavlinac's daughter Bonne McAlpine. They werent afraid to backtrack, to look, to see if they had the right people in prison. I am sure they will kill me for this. The Registry provides detailed information about every known exoneration in the United States since 1989cases in which a person was wrongly convicted of a crime and later cleared of all the charges based on new evidence of innocence. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Combined, it looked mighty compelling. Bennett. When he finished, Pavlinac realized Bennett had stopped breathing. A jury had convicted a Portland woman named Laverne Pavlinac based on her detailed confession to police that she helped her boyfriend John Sosnovske rape and kill the 23-year-old. It looked obvious to him. I killed Tanya Bennett Jan. 21, 1990 in Portland, Oregon, the note read. If Jesperson threw anything, it should still be here. Ive been through cases where cops make mistakes. Pavlinac's conviction remained, although she was also released. ., When the tape ended, McIntyre rose and pointed at Pavlinac. Maybe Laverne Pavlinac can help us, he finally decided. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing it? Listening to Ingram, McIntyre settled into a seat, fighting a vague dread. Could someone else have put Taunjas stuff out there? Schrunk put McIntyre on it right away, gave him Keith Meisenheimer as his second-chair prosecutor. Remembering the first known victim of Happy Face serial killer. As the initial investigation was relatively slow, the police decided to make the details of the case public, hoping for a tip or lead. That didnt mean he was never wrong, though. To no avail--he coughed and moved so much, they had to stop midway through the test. Well, there was a case where a woman named Laverne Pavlinac claimed she and her boyfriend, John Sosnovske, murdered another woman named Taunja Bennet in 1990. With Bennett's apparent killers behind bars, the case was put on ice. For an hour and a half, Ingram just took notes. She left with his friend Chuck Riley to have fun. Later he saw Riley in the parking lot, so he asked for a ride home. The experience shaped him. Pavlinac shook her head. When Jesperson finished, McIntyre considered. Portlandia, they called this symbol of the town. How can you ever know for sure? This case hasnt made him gunshy about his job. How A Witness Derailed The Hunt For A Killer: Laverne Pavlinac Though she was legally guilty, though her conviction would stand, Pavlinac could walk free. Dad always has worried about me because of what I have gone through in the divorce finances etc, hed written in various letters. Somethings going on up in Clark County, the district attorney began. I feel helpless. Ms. Pavlinac recanted after being handed a 10-year sentence, and both she and Mr. Sosnovske served four years in prison before the real killer confessed to the deed. Sosnovske commanded Pavlinac to drive to the Vista House monument, overlooking the gorge. For various reasons, his ex-wife couldnt function correctly; all involved in the settlement conference had recommended he take the kids. His people arent cowboys; his people dont charge up.. Im sorry for the whole situation., When it was Sosnovskes turn, he addressed not her but the judge. He was living with a girlfriend, Roberta Ellis, but she was out of town driving a long-haul truck. From news articles, she knew the spot was 1.5 miles from Vista House, before Latourell Falls. This has been an awful three months, McIntyre allowed; just ask his family and colleagues. I wanted to get those two people out of prison," he said in 1995, referring to Pavlinac and Sosnovske. Pavlinacs description of tire tracks and broken branches didnt fit with photographs or the detectives recollections. Ingram and Corson, they told her there was insufficient evidence to hold Sosnovske. They had no physical evidence, no fingerprints, DNA or blood. She went on to say that all three were in Johns car when he suddenly punched Taunja unconscious. "She slapped him. Pavlinac's son also died shortly after due to medical reasons. His dad, a Pirates fanatic, let him and a buddy use his two bleacher tickets while he sat out in the parking lot, listening to the radio. McIntyre sat in his office, studying the first anonymous letter. The real killer, however, was still a free man. Lets dig into the details and find out where John and Laverne are at present, shall we? Maybe she can take us out of this. She was so hospitable, not the typical sort they interviewed at all. Pavlinac strategically phoned the local force with details of a concerning 'conversation'. Talking about some dead girl. Through the parole officer, detectives discovered that the anonymous caller was likely to be John's 58-year-old girlfriend, Laverne Pavlinac. He liked the political aspects of the law, he liked the idea of working for himself. When he walked into the B&I;, Bennett hugged him. He offered unlimited access to Jesperson--in exchange for no death penalty. But shes still credible. Witnesses offer conflicting accounts, Mars Voltas lead singer broke with Scientology and reunited with the band. Who Killed Her? In 1990, Taunja Bennett was found dead near a scenic overlook at the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. When he came back, he offered harsh terms, not really expecting Phelan to accept. I got into a bad situation and got caught up with emotion. Police interviewed Sosnovske, who denied Pavlinacs claims. Then Jespersons appointed defense lawyer, Tom Phelan, called. By then, it was clear theyd been pursuing nothing but a divorced couples bitter dispute. Still, McIntyre wondered. Particularly since they had not one scrap of evidence pointing in any other direction. In 1995, Keith Jesperson, who was known as the Happy Face Killer, confessed to killing Bennett and gave information only the killer and the police knewthe location of Bennetts purse. Hes seen news reports, McIntyre reasoned. Over the years, Mike Schrunks staff had earned uncommonly high regard in Portland. He felt scared, and unprepared, but looking out over the playing field, he saw no other choice. While police didn't get any hard evidence, the recordings demonstrate how Pavlinac attempted to convince her boyfriend he played a role in Bennett's death. The day after the Pavlinac visit, detectives wired Jesperson to a polygraph machine. When he did, he confessed to Bennett's murder. She started offering the detectives whatever she thought they wanted, whatever would make them believe her. Go arrest her, McIntyre said. Others involved practical limitations--it was hard to imagine Sosnovske, a frail drunk with bad knees, carrying a dead body down a steep embankment. I dont know what happened.. He also sketched a smiling face atop his first page. It was still true. If Jesperson is telling the truth, he declared, heres where the purse is.. The experts findings were unequivocal: The handwriting in the Happy Face letters matched the handwriting in Jespersons letter to his brother; fingerprints on the Happy Face letters matched Jespersons; saliva retrieved from a Happy Face envelope matched Jespersons DNA type. That seven-page statement obviously wasnt true, not literally. us about an exoneration that we may have missed, Correct an error or add information about an exoneration At first, Ingram recounted, Pavlinac didnt say much. Keith Hunter Jesperson - more widely known by his nickname - turned himself in after committing a further six murders. She hadnt been able to see the odometer. After Pavlinac confessed to investigators, her daughter said she got a call from the detectives asking her to come to her mother's house right away. Most of what Jesperson related, hed already told the news media. On January 21, 1990 the body of 23-year-old Taunja Bennett was found in a remote area of the Columbia Gorge, just outside Portland, Oregon. John Sosnovske was 39 years of age and was described as an alcoholic with violent tendencies. So they ran Sosnovskes name on the computer, saw he was on probation. He placed the body in the cars backseat on top of a shower curtain, then told her to drive out the Crown Point Highway. . "I thought the sky was going to fall," she said, "But it was like nothing. Pavlinac could be heard sobbing throughout the courtroom. I didnt plan to kill her, Pavlinac sobbed. Taunja Bennett Murder: How Did She Die? Who Killed Her? - The Cinemaholic After three weeks and 70 lab hours, the state crime team had found not a single link between Jesperson and Bennett. I'll go to death row.'". "Pavlinac has selfishly engaged in an obsessive and persistent obstruction of justice which deflected the investigation at an early stage, causing it to focus on her boyfriend, Sosnovske, while the real killer remained free to kill again and again," Lipscomb wrote in 1995. A series of strange confessions Police brought. After that, Pavlinac explained, the story just snowballed. Eventually, the case was turned over to prosecutors and Pavlinac and Sosnovske were arrested in February, 1990. Convicted murderer Keith Jesperson, right, shown here at a Nov. 2, 1995, court appearance in Portland, Ore., with attorney Thomas Phelan, has recanted all his previous murder admissions. Police had never known where even to look for Bennetts purse or its contents. The first time she publicly said her real age, Cox revealed, was at a speaking engagement in January of 2019. Reports started flowing to McIntyre one after another. Then his pager flashed and beeped. To McIntyre, it looked as if she were playing craps. ". 10 Bizarre False Confessions To Horrible Murders - Listverse It wasn't long until a 58-year-old woman came forward, telling them about an alarming conversation she apparently heard her boyfriend having. Some details were incorrect, others you could glean from old newspaper articles. Later, he offered to buy her dinner. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Yes, some stuff she could get from the newspaper articles, but not everything. At Schrunks side, agreeing, stood two assistant state attorneys general and Pavlinacs defense lawyer. OK, Det. Laverne used those details as well as what she could gather from the news and concocted a story. Sosnovskes release was relatively easy: Libscomb ruled that his constitutional rights had been violated because Pavlinac, while wired for sound by the police, had tried to get him to admit guilt. When she recanted, Pavlinac said she falsely confessed because she was stuck in a volatile relationship with Sosnovske, desperately seeking a way out and wanting him in prison. What a hassle, what an irritation. She felt trapped within the confines of her toxic relationship, and believed she had to go to extreme lengths in order to distance herself from him once and for all. Hes lying. No one really paid attention to this, even though he'd signed the confession with a hand-drawn happy face. But other details Jesperson got wrong. Nor had Pavlinac. Sosnovske carried Bennetts body like a baby into the woods. I killed a woman in my truck . Just days later, she made the first anonymous call. He ordered McIntyre to give him daily briefings; he appealed for results; he told reporters, I dont want our office to do wrong. That was when she read about Taunja Bennetts murder in the news and hit upon a plan to escape her relationship. Still, detectives continued to interview Pavlinac. How can you absolutely know what the truth is? As she drove, she heard him cutting Taunjas jeans. Hes a news hound; he loves the attention. Sosnovske pleaded no contest to the killing of Taunja Bennett, believing it would steer him clear of the death sentence. Reluctantly, McIntyre reached for the phone. She inferred certain information from the questions the detectives asked her. Everyone drove back to Portland. This time they brought machetes and clippers. She was able to lead police to the spot where the body was. He knew that now. I think youve got the wrong people.. What comes next after Texas school shooting? He said he dragged the body down the embankment, but thered been no disruption to the foliage. . He knew nothing about these anonymous letters, but he knew all he wanted about the Taunja Bennett murder. But maybe Pavlinac and Sosnovske were also. Corson finally interrupted. True, shed given three different accounts, but thats how it often works. Pavlinac was credible, McIntyre decided. Feeling stuck in an abusive relationship with a boyfriend nearly 20 years her junior, the 57-year-old woman from Portland, Ore.,. All during the negotiations, hed been telling Meisenheimer they were giving away too much. If I could do anything to get them out, I would., McIntyre, although obviously bothered, did not permit himself to sound quite as disturbed as the others. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. To find out, McIntyre examined defense attorney Tom Phelans notes from his earliest conversations with his client, before the press contacts began. Nor could Schrunk or Meisenheimer. He then wrote a confession on the wall of a truck stop he was passing through, but to no avail. I want to deal.. Sometimes you end up on the wrong side., Barry Siegel is a Times national correspondent. It is difficult to turn yourself in for murder, Jesperson told him. . What was going on here? Even a baby, she observed, could have found the location of the body out in the gorge. Maybe some folks in their jobs can take a car apart, leave the parts on the driveway. I killed Miss Bennett Jan 20 1990 and left her 1 1/2 miles east of Lateral Falls on a switchback . Hes seen police reports, he wants 60 Minutes, he wants Gerry Spence. Go tell them to put it back, he joked. Each theory had its supporters. Seems like my luck has run out . Border crisis: Whats happening at the US-Mexico border? We must undo this wrong. Laverne Pavlinac, 57, a plump, gray-haired hospital worker, confessed to helping her boyfriend, John Sosnovske, 39, attack the girl. He needed an income; the Multnomah County district attorneys office was offering a $13,000-a-year internship. We think weve got the right people, he declared. She talked of him being violent during sex and having a thing about knotting rope. In January 1991, a jury had convicted Laverne Pavlinac of felony homicide; two months later, her boyfriend, John Sosnovske, had pleaded no contest to the same charge. [He said,] 'No, no. They were a study in contrasts. She was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 10 years. But it was earlier, about 10:30 p.m., and Taunja was alive still. That irritated him. A Question of Guilt - Los Angeles Times . Hed probably get what he most wanted, custody of their three young children. Do you believe that by pulling that rope tight that you caused the death of Taunja Ann Bennett?, Yeah, Pavlinac said. 5, we're diving deep into the story of Laverne Pavlinac and her ex-boyfriend, . She then described how she watched Sosnovske have sex with Bennett while he directed her to hold a rope around her neck, and that she believed she pulled the rope too tight, killing Bennett. One of the murders he confessed to was that of Taunja Bennett. Then she dropped her guard. There is no room to believe that these two people had anything to do with the murder., If the criminal justice system cant allow for the release of an innocent person when all agree she is innocent, said Pavlinacs attorney, Wendell Birkland, then the criminal system is broken., Sitting over lunch at his local Elks Club, Det. . Jesperson was dubbed the "Happy Face Killer" for the smiley face drawings he included on a letter he sent to a Portland, Oregon newspaper, in which he bragged about killing women in a spree that began in 1990. Has there ever been a case of a serial killer taking false credit for All manner of commentary has followed in the wake of Pavlinac and Sosnovskes release. McIntyre felt angry. When he returned home at 4 p.m., he headed for the shower. The second letter, sent to the Oregonian newspaper, was a little harder to dismiss. Sosnovskes conviction was set aside for violation of his civil rights. Chris Peterson to the Clark County Jail. Then his GI bill ran out at the end of his second year. Minutes later, they brought in Jesperson. On the morning of Sept. 29, to find out, McIntyre drove with Multnomah County Sheriffs Det. It was in those statements--expanded upon at trial and amplified by her defense attorney Wendell Birkland--that Pavlinacs last story gradually emerged. . In both, an informant reported overhearing Sosnovske bragging about killing Taunja Bennett. Some involved tangible evidence--the crime lab could find no physical trace of Taunjas presence in Pavlinacs car, for instance. . Once more, a person seemingly had details only the killer could know. McIntyre stared out his office window at a steady rain. . What a nightmare it has been. The evidence against them consisted primarily of Pavlinacs recorded confessions and accusations as well as her success in identifying the place the body was found. At this remote spot the embankment was steep and thick with blackberry bushes; not even God has passed by, McIntyre told himself. Schrunk argued and pleaded; McIntyre even took the stand and testified. Few knew he was a highly decorated infantry commander in World War II and Korea, for he talked little of himself. Two people got the blame so I can kill again.. He has to sell the goddamn car. It appeared to McIntyre that she was making cow eyes at her former roommate. Not a great deal is known about Bennett's background, but the 23-year-old was first reported missing on 21st January 1990. Once on trial in 1991, Laverne Pavlinac pleaded not guilty to the charges and claimed that her whole story was false as she was trying to escape her relationship. "The greatest human tragedy is that Laverne Pavlinac derailed the investigation in 1990, and in four years, Keith Jesperson killed more women," said Jim McIntyre, the Multnomah County, Oregon, prosecutor who handled the cases. She recanted her confession and said that she had made it up to escape from Sosnovske. The last thing I want to do is have the wrong person in prison.. Then, one day in mid-November, Birkland suddenly announced they were rejecting the plea deal. Whoever wrote them is claiming credit for several murders. False confession - Wikipedia McIntyre now felt certain Jesperson was involved in the crime. Not a fiber or hair strand in his car, not a flaw in his account of that night. Taunja had been seen at the B&I; Tavern the night of the murder, Sosnovske 26 miles away at JBs Lounge, and neither had possessed a car or drivers license. He considered his dad a great man. So I started something I dont know how to stop. After Taunja Bennett, I felt real bad and afraid that I would get caught. Several days later, Ms . It's thought that Pavlinac suffered abuse at the hands of her partner, John Sosnovske. The evidence is compelling, Circuit Judge Paul Lipscomb said. In midsummer of 1994, McIntyre put the case file on the Bennett murder back into storage. On Jan. 10, 1990, shed again called county probation about his drinking. Why, take Jesperson out of the picture, they still had a convincing case. I always wanted to be liked . The Craziest False Confessions In History - Grunge That made it their case again. But Pavlinac claimed she knew where she and Sosnovske had left Bennett's body in the Columbia Gorge outside of town, and took investigators to the exact remote wooded area where Bennett was found. The next morning, in a cardboard box containing Sosnovskes papers, they found a half sheet of paper with the words T. Who was this guy Jesperson? . I thought I would not do it again. 'Happy Face Killer' case tapes reveal the lengths woman went to frame By then authorities knew something about Jesperson. At the booking counter, before being led away, Pavlinac turned and gave both detectives big hugs. I can see how good, well-intentioned people can screw up. I used to support the death penalty. On Sept. 25, Phelan met in the district attorneys office with McIntyre and his second chair, Keith Meisenheimer. She also saw two small orange markers, placed by the police so they could precisely triangulate the spot. Whats the deal? Everything unfolded quickly after that. Pavlinac was found guilty for her 'crime' - being an accessory to rape and murder. Innocent Couple Released Man, Woman Served 4 Years In 'Happy Face JUSTICE STORY: Sick smiley face sealed killer's fate On Oct. 11, he began preparing to write his final report. They drove east from Vista House, then stopped. . You could tell where people had been in and out, the vehicles and everything else, limbs broke. She was frightened, she wanted to make sure they took Sosnovske away. On Oct. 24, to see if Jesperson somehow knew Pavlinac and Sosnovske, FBI agents called in by the district attorneys office administered independent polygraph exams to Jesperson and Pavlinac. Along with other stuff from her purse., McIntyre laughed darkly. As they passed where Taunjas body was found, Pavlinac pointed to almost exactly the precise spot. She couldnt protect Sosnovske anymore. He already had the kids much of the time. What the hell, he decided. A woman named Laverne Pavlinac. People took the blame and Im free.. Then theyd search the bare ground. According to Laverne, the couple then dragged the young girl into the Vista House Museum in Multnomah County, Oregon. She'd been brutally beaten and sexually assaulted before the culprit strangled her to death. Pavlinac then confessed to her. They sat down across from each other. Some were even accurate. Late that night--and then almost every night--Pavlinac paged Ingram and Corson with new information: reports on Sosnovske, expressions of fear, memories of past events. She felt trapped within the confines of her toxic relationship, and believed she had to go to extreme lengths in order to distance herself from him once and for all. Four of McIntyres five aggravated murder cases in 1991 went to trial. Pavlinac had made the whole thing up. After the verdict, though, it matters little what a Mike Schrunk or a Jim McIntyre thinks of his own 5-year-old murder case. If I killed her, I didnt mean to . He flat out couldnt act, he would advise Schrunk. Their investigation almost hinted at Johns innocence when Laverne decided to bring another twist to her story. Shes not in custody. New '20/20' Explores How 'Happy Face Killer' Got Away with - People Getting a ride home with a dead body in the back seat? Hed been lead prosecutor on that case; hed put two people in prison for killing that young woman. He slapped her. I dont believe in it as firmly anymore. Had the detectives, trying to corroborate those stories, asked questions that led and fed Pavlinac? Were not reopening an old case. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? A Canadian-born long-haul truck driver and divorced father of three, Jesperson carried out his killings over the course of five years until he turned himself in to authorities in 1995. She claimed to have found a strange purse in the trunk of her car with a piece of denim from a pair of jeans inside -- When Bennett was found, her purse was gone and her jeans were missing the fly. On Oct. 25, McIntyre and his colleagues worked through the night, preparing a 21-page memo that summarized their conclusions. This is too weird, he said. Before serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, known by his nickname "Happy Face Killer," turned himself in, authorities believed they had solved the murder of his first victim Taunja Bennett. After years of alleged abuse at the hands of her boyfriend, 58-year-old grandma Laverne Pavlinac had decided enough was enough. A funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 8, 2003, in Valley Christian Church. 2 RELEASED IN HAPPY FACE' MURDER - The Washington Post He drove the body out to Crown Point, leaving it in the woods. The purse and jeans patch were phonies. Keith Jesperson was at the bar where Taunja Bennett was the night before her murder. Hardheaded, volatile, a pit bull, but honorable and conscientious--that was McIntyres professional reputation. McIntyre thought the two men complemented each other. Pavlinac had become obsessed with details of the crime during interrogation by police. Most critical, the logistics didnt seem right. A lady in Bend had called him, saying the Happy Face Killers handwriting looked an awful lot like her estranged husbands. Theyd also fixed on a suspect.