The chilling true story behind Happy Face, explained
The true story behind Happy Face begins with the life of Keith Hunter Jesperson, a long-haul trucker who murdered at least eight women between 1990 and 1995. Known as the "Happy Face Killer," Jesperson earned his moniker after signing letters to media and law enforcement with a smiley face drawing, as per The Independent on March 18, 2025.
Jesperson’s killing spree spanned across multiple states including Oregon, Washington, Florida, and Wyoming, targeting vulnerable women he met along his trucking routes. His first known victim, Taunja Bennett, was killed in January 1990, a crime that initially led to false confessions by two people, according to a People report on March 19, 2025.
The Happy Face series, premiering on Paramount+, is told through the perspective of Jesperson’s daughter, Melissa G. Moore, who was a teenager when she discovered her father’s horrifying double life.
As reported by People, Moore has since become an advocate for families affected by violent crime. The show draws from her memoir Shattered Silence and her Happy Face podcast, spotlighting the complex aftermath of Jesperson’s crimes on his family and the families of his victims.
Keith Hunter Jesperson, called the Happy Face killer, murdered several women across multiple states while working as a truck driver in the 1990s
Happy Face is based on the true story of Keith Hunter Jesperson, a Canadian-born long-haul truck driver turned serial killer who murdered multiple women across the US during the early 1990s. Jesperson became known as the "Happy Face Killer" after signing several anonymous letters and confessions to the media with a smiley face drawing, according to The New York Daily News, August 30, 2020.
Born in 1955 in Chilliwack, Canada, Jesperson’s early life was marked by reports of violence and animal cruelty, as documented by A&E’s Monster In My Family. After moving to Selah, Washington, Jesperson's violent tendencies escalated, and following a troubled marriage, he began his killing spree in 1990.
His first known victim was Taunja Bennett, whom he r*ped and murdered near Portland, Oregon. As per People, the false confessions by two people and their convictions prompted Jesperson to leave confessional notes with a signature smiley face, seeking recognition for the crime.
Over the next five years, Keith Hunter Jesperson murdered at least eight women, most of whom were vulnerable individuals he encountered along his trucking routes, including s*x workers and hitchhikers. Among the confirmed victims were Suzanne L. Kjellenberg, Laurie Ann Pentland, Cynthia Lyn Rose, Patricia Skiple, Angela May Subrize, and Julie Winningham, Jesperson’s last known victim.
Authorities discovered Winningham’s body in Washington State in March 1995, leading to Jesperson’s arrest after a receipt with his name was found at her residence, as reported by the Associated Press, March 1995.
Following his arrest, Jesperson confessed to the killings in letters and to investigators. The statement, according to 20/20, was noted by People.
“I have been a killer for five years and have killed eight people,” he reportedly confessed.
The Happy Face Killer later revealed he was motivated by a sense of control and the thrill of evading law enforcement.
Jesperson is now incarcerated at the Oregon State Penitentiary, where he is serving several life terms.
His daughter, Melissa G. Moore, was a teenager when she learned of his crimes. Moore has since worked to support others affected by similar circumstances and has detailed her experience in her book Shattered Silence and through her Happy Face podcast.
The case continues to evolve, as investigators still seek to identify all of Jesperson’s victims. For example, authorities in Riverside County, California, are still working to put a name to “Claudia,” a woman Jesperson killed in 1992 near Blythe. Despite his confession, her true identity remains unknown, according to CNN on January 9, 2024.
The real-life horrors behind Happy Face are now the subject of the new Paramount+ series, focusing on Moore’s story and the hidden toll of living in the shadow of Jesperson’s crimes.
Stay tuned for more updates.
