The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the final victim of Keith Hunter Jesperson, also known as the Happy Face Killer. Recent advancements in DNA technology have brought investigators closer than ever to uncovering the identity of the woman, who has ties to Santa Barbara County. Jesperson confessed to the slaying of this woman, referred to as “Claudia,” and seven others in Portland, Oregon, and later to Riverside County deputies. The woman’s body was discovered on Aug. 30, 1992, along Highway 95, 7 miles north of Blythe, California.
Authorities have identified the woman’s father as Alfonso Sandana Gonzales, a Santa Barbara resident who has since passed away. Gonzales was known to have traveled extensively, including to Santa Barbara, Washington, and Oregon. Investigators believe that Gonzales was residing in Santa Barbara at the time of the woman’s conception and may have other relatives in the area. Additionally, they suspect that the woman’s maternal side of the family has connections to Louisiana or southeast Texas.
While several half-siblings of the victim have been identified, none are biological matches to the victim’s mother and have not been able to assist in her identification. Jesperson pleaded guilty to the woman’s murder in 2010 and was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison in Indio. Now, the Riverside County Regional Cold Case Homicide Team is seeking the public’s help in identifying the woman.
District Attorney Mike Hestrin stated, “Our goal is to identify this victim and provide closure to her family, wherever they may be. We are hopeful someone hearing any of these details may remember anything that could help us reunite this woman with the family who may have been looking for her for over three decades.” The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office is urging anyone with leads, no matter how insignificant they may seem, to report them to the Cold Case Hotline or by emailing coldcaseunit@rivcoda.org. They also recommend that anyone who believes they are relatives of individuals involved in this case or other unsolved homicides consider contacting GedMatch for DNA comparison.
In conclusion, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the last victim of the Happy Face Killer. The woman’s body was found in 1992, and recent DNA advancements have brought investigators closer than ever to establishing her identity. The office is urging anyone with information to come forward to help bring closure to the victim’s family.