LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The final unidentified victim of serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, also known as “The Happy Face Killer,” may have had ties to Las Vegas. This revelation comes from investigators with the Riverside County, California District Attorney’s Office, who have been working to solve the mystery of the victim known only as “Claudia” for decades.
Jesperson, who confessed to killing “Claudia” and seven other women, pleaded guilty to the murder in 2010 and was sentenced to life in prison. Now, on the 15th anniversary of that conviction, investigators are renewing their appeal for public assistance in identifying her.
According to interviews with Jesperson, it is believed that the victim may have been living in or was familiar with Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside County. She also had ties to Las Vegas and southern Nevada, and was a frequent hitchhiker and cigarette smoker. The killer, who was a long-haul trucker at the time, claims to have picked her up outside Victorville along the I-15.
Despite DNA analysis and forensic investigation leading the District Attorney’s Office to “Claudia’s” biological father, who had passed away, her true identity remains a mystery. Investigators are now urging anyone who may have information about Claudia or the case to come forward. Her DNA has also been entered into the CODIS system, and those who believe they may be related to the victim are urged to contact GedMatch for a DNA comparison.
The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office Cold Case Hotline at (951) 955-5567 or email coldcaseunit@rivcoda.org are available for anyone with information regarding the case. Despite this push for information, “Claudia’s” true identity and the details surrounding her murder remain unknown, leaving her family still searching for closure.