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Serial Killers & Murderous Minds

SERIAL KILLER: The Happy Face Killer Pt. 1

Serial Killers & Murderous Minds

Crime House

True Crime

4.5712 Ratings

🗓️ 14 July 2025

⏱️ 50 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Before he became the Happy Face Killer, Keith Jesperson was a bullied kid, an animal abuser, and a man spiraling out of control. In Part 1, we unpack the warning signs—from his violent fantasies to the moment he crossed the line and committed his first brutal murder.

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Transcript

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0:00.0

Hi, Crime House community. It's Vanessa Richardson. Looking for another Crime House original podcast to add to your rotation, you will love Clues with Morgan Absher and Kalyn Moore.

0:12.8

Every Wednesday, Morgan and Kalin dig into the world's most notorious crimes, clue by clue, from serial killers to shocking murders.

0:21.5

They follow the trail of clues, break down the evidence, and debate the theories.

0:26.3

It's like hanging out with your smart and true crime-obsessed friends.

0:29.8

Listen to clues on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

0:47.3

Music. or wherever you listen to podcasts. Everyone has a dark side.

0:51.3

That part of our personalities that's a little meaner, pettier, or more selfish than

0:57.0

we'd like to admit. Most of us are able to keep those aspects of ourselves under control,

1:02.6

or find healthy ways to express them, through therapy, exercise, or even just blowing off steam

1:09.2

with our friends. But some people have dark sides they can't control.

1:14.6

People like Keith Jesperson.

1:17.6

Throughout his life, Keith felt terrible impulses to hurt, to maim, to kill.

1:24.6

For a while, he managed to control these urges, but when his life started to unravel,

1:31.0

Keith couldn't repress those feelings any longer. And although he became known as the happy-face

1:37.5

killer, he only left terror in his wake.

2:01.6

The human mind is powerful. It shapes how we think, feel, love, and hate. But sometimes it drives people to commit the unthinkable.

2:05.6

This is Killer Minds, a crimehouse original.

2:08.6

I'm Vanessa Richardson.

2:10.6

And I'm Dr. Tristan Engels.

2:12.6

Every Monday and Thursday we uncover the darkest minds in history,

2:16.6

analyzing what makes a killer.

2:19.5

Crime House is made possible by you. Please rate, review, and follow Killer Minds. To enhance your

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