whod been taken from their homes in Virginia years earlier: Sofia Silva, 16, in 1996, and sisters Kristin, 15, and Kati Lisk, in 1997. The footlocker was symbolic of the control that Evonitz had over his two wives, said Gerard F. Downes, a criminal profiler with the FBI. Following my escape, I was able to go to Virginia and meet with the families of the three girls, Robinson said. He was married twice. In an August 2002 interview, the young widow stated, He was my husband, he is still my husband, and I love him dearly. Once the investigation concluded, Hope chose to remain in South Carolina and stood by her husbands family following his death. Her sister Kati Lisk was just 12 and enjoyed playing the clarinet and drawing, local outlet. When he used that route, he passed hundreds of other potential dumping sites--country roads, farm fields and logging trails. Throughout her multi-day abduction, Kara gained her captors trust by learning details about him, including: finding out he was in the Navy, memorizing the addresses of his dentist and doctor from magnets on his fridge, and realizing a woman lived in the apartment with him. Hope Evonitz, his second wife,. Usually, Evonitz was more careful. Read More:Who is Kara Robinsons Husband? That was two years ago. This made Richard a primary suspect in the murder investigation. Also Read: Actor: Arno Greeff Age, Parents, Brother, Wikipedia -Biography, Ethnicity, Family, Height, Net worth, Birthday. A few days later, they were found dead in a river. But perhaps that pain will be bearable if these newly revealed facts help us to understand how a man capable of performing these misdeeds could live among us. RELATED: WHERE TO WATCH FORGOTTEN ABDUCTION ON STREAMING; Richard remarried Hope Marie Crowley. They are recounted here in detail that some may find disturbing. However, until Robinson led investigators to Evonitz, little progress was made in the investigation. the New York Daily News reported in 2015. the Associated Press reported at the time. He pulled a gun. The man held a gun to her head and threatened to shoot her if she screamed. Tess Ragin had been told of her son's vacation but did not believe it. ", "Suspect stated he has a problem with masturbating in front of girls," the report said. The film premiered on Lifetime on Saturday, February 11. His wife and mother were out of town on a trip to Walt Disney World, according to a 2002 Washington Post article. #onthisday pic.twitter.com/OIcfpFebnS Murderific True Crime Podcast (@MurderificBPC) July 29, 2019 They hadn't. If she had picked the simple lock, as police later did, she would have found evidence of her husband's crimes. As they released a police dog, he put the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.. Born in July 1963 in Columbia, South Carolina, Richard Marc Evonitz was the oldest of Joseph and Tess Ragin Evonitzs three children. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). "Of all the people in my 24 years that I've ever investigated, he's probably the most evil," said Dempsey of the King George Sheriff's Office. This February, a derailed train carrying hazardous materials has upended the lives of those living in East Palestine. He used his mother's car when he abducted Kara. Not just that, the teenager mentally noted her kidnappers doctor and dentists contact details posted on the refrigerator. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! After sexually assaulting them, he strangled the sisters and dumped their bodies in the South Anna River. "We're going to do his whole life's tale," Lott said. [6], On May 1, 1997, Evonitz abducted sisters Kristin, 15, and Kati Lisk, 12, from their front lawn after school. He was honorably discharged and received medals, including the Navy Achievement Medal, which is given for leadership. On June 24, 2002 Evonitz kidnapped 15-year-old Kara Robinson from a yard in South Carolina. Cara Robinson was abducted out of her friends yard by serial killer Richard Marc Evonitz. You can cancel at any time. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. Lifetime's 'The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story' is a gripping crime thriller movie that delves into the actual harrowing experiences of Kara Robinson. As per the news reported, Marie was a loyal wife to her husband. To avoid confusion with a paternal uncle called Richard, he graduated from Irmo High School in 1980 at the age of 16. When police interviewed Hope Evonitz after her husband's death, they said she was controlled and emotionless. According to The Associated Press, the notes included the addresses and descriptions of two more young females. The couple was in Mexico to celebrate Silva's 40th birthday when Gere was diagnosed with . On one of those trips in Hanover County, he discovered an isolated bridge over the South Anna River on State Route 738. On May 1, 1997 Evonitz kidnapped 15 and 12 years old Kristin and Kati Lisk from their home, also in Virginia. "He would not even discuss it with her," said Capt. "She was able to give us information down to the exactness of what was in the apartment.". Police are not sure. Eventually, the Columbia native tied the knot with Hope Marie Crowley in 1999. Lifetimes The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story is a gripping crime thriller movie that delves into the actual harrowing experiences of Kara Robinson. Evonitz collected the tools of rape and murder and hid them in plain sight. Sofia Silva, 16; Kristin Lisk and her sister Kati Lisk, Kristin Lisk was a 15-year-old who was finishing up her first year of high school and like playing soccer. He was arrested a month later when his ship returned to port. What Should Guests Do If an Animal at Animal Kingdom Escapes? Richard Evonitz. She began working as an assignment editor on the local desk in 2011. From 1988 to 1996, Evonitz married Bonnie Lou Gower, and from 1999 till his death, he was married to Hope Marie Crowley. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott describes Evonitz's particular compulsion as "The Monster." This helped the police track down his location. Evonitz was in the Navy and was married twice to much younger wives, with both living unaware of his crimes. Richard Marc Evonitz forever changed the way area residents view the community. Created in 2005, what started as a tiny central Florida-based website and short weekly podcast that allowed our audience to visit Walt Disney World virtually has grown into the publishing company it is today. Evonitz took Robinson to his apartment, where he restrained her, drugged her, and sexually assaulted her. On June 24, 2002, 15-year-old Kara Robinson was at a friends house in Lexington County, South Carolina preparing for a day at the lake. Birth date from SSDI as Marc E Evonitz, SSN 251-04-4170. Does She Have Kids. The kidnapper took Robinson to his apartment, where he repeatedly sexually assaulted her and held her captive for 18 hours. They had all gone missing in Spotsylvania County, Va., more than five years before Karas abduction. Inside Evonitzs apartment, authorities made a chilling discovery. Was it some sort of uniform that he wore when committing his crimes? Richard Marc Edward Evonitz (July 29, 1963 June 27, 2002) was an American serial killer, kidnapper, and rapist responsible for the deaths of three teenaged girls in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, and the abduction and rape of a 15-year-old girl in Richland County, South Carolina. However, that brazen kidnapper, the one who operates in broad daylight, does exist. "If he kept everything locked in there, maybe it wouldn't come out again," she said. Yet the water seemed to draw him. What they won't do is excuse him. And while Evonitz was described by those who knew him as a well-respected, married Navy veteran who was twice awarded the Navy Good Conduct Medal, the 38-year-old had actually been in trouble with the law before, for masturbating in front of a teen girl, The Washington Post reported. The man held a gun to her head and threatened to shoot her if she screamed. "From what we've been able to discern, there were no signals, no signs," Lott said. LIKE BLUEBEARD, the character in the old European fable, Marc Evonitz had a secret life hidden behind lock and key. Impulse was a ready excuse for Evonitz, but he was more complicated than that. In other news, Celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday with these 37 heartwarming quotes. After her escape, Kara helped lead authorities to her abductors apartment. Kara was forced into a storage bin, where she amazingly kept her wits about her, remembering the turns the vehicle, a green Pontiac Firebird, took and even memorizing the storage bins serial number. I just went into survival mode, she told Oxygen. At 15, the Spotsylvania High School freshman played soccer and had an affinity for ladybugs. 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That was how he planned it. Evonitz was suspected of additional killings, and soon before committing suicide, he confessed to his sister to a dozen atrocities. What do you think about Karas amazing story? It seemed that Evonitz delighted in outsmarting police, in making his crimes as daring as possible. Richard Evonitz was reportedly married to Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996. she asked. Once the officers accompanied the 15-year-old to the apartment complex, a maintenance worker pointed them to Richards apartment. Richard Marc Evonitz was a devoted spouse who delighted in working with animals and amusing people. The man behind the wheel was Richard (Marc) Evonitz, 38, who was prowling the neighborhood for his next victim after murdering three girls Sofia Silva, 16, and sisters Kristin, 15, and Kati Lisk, 12 years earlier. Actor Tom Sizemore's family is currently "deciding end of life matters" after receiving updates from doctors, according to a statement given to CNN from Sizemore's manager Charles Lago . It was his preference, a well-developed appetite. The conversation took place before he killed himself after a police chase in Florida. l "Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story. He forced her to watch the evening news to see if there was a report of her kidnapping. "Why would you do such a thing?" This confirmed to the police that Richard was the one who had sexually assaulted and killed Silvia, Kristin, and Kati in 1996 and 1997. During that time, she met 36-year-old Richard Marc Evonitz of Columbia, South Carolina, and love quickly blossomed between the two. Inside a lockbox in the apartment, they found the hints to the Lisk killings. She is expected to be alive with her age close to 41. Per a Washington Post report, she later expressed that she had no idea her husband was a. Crowley was working as a waitress at Aunt Sarahs Pancake House in Massaponax when they met. But when she escaped, Richard feared his arrest and fled, eventually killing himself to evade arrest. Age, Family, Husband, Net worth, Wiki, Bio, Height, Birthday, Following Robinsons escape, Evonitz left his residence and traveled to Florida. [7], On June 24, 2002, Evonitz abducted 15-year-old Kara Robinson Chamberlain from a friend's yard in Columbia, South Carolina, after holding a gun to her head and then forcing her into a plastic bin. During that time, she met 36-year-old Richard Marc Evonitz of Columbia, South Carolina, and love quickly blossomed between the two. was twice awarded the Navy Good Conduct Medal, the 38-year-old had actually been in trouble with the law before, for masturbating in front of a teen girl, The Washington Post reported. Silva, a 16-year-old with ambitions of attending cosmetology school, was doing homework on her familys doorway on September 9, 1996, when Evonitz abducted her. Bluebeard's wives were curious about the locked room and eventually looked inside. In the late 90s, Hope Marie Crowley was a 17-year-old waitress working at a pancake joint in Massaponax, Virginia. The bridge was four miles from U.S. 1 and 31 miles from his home near Massaponax Baptist Church in Spotsylvania. In the late 90s, Hope Marie Crowley was a 17-year-old waitress working at a pancake joint in Massaponax, Virginia. In Columbia, he worked at an air compressor company and lived blissfully with Hope, who doted on him. She began working with the Richland County Sheriff's Department as a school resource officer. He filed for bankruptcy in 1997, unable to keep up with bills following a divorce, and had a house foreclosed in 1999 following a failed business venture, but at the time of his death, Evonitz had been working at an air-compressor company since moving to South Carolina a few years earlier. Hope Marie Crowley Now: Where is Richard Evonitz's Wife Today? This included 16-year-old Sofia Silva and 12 and 15-year-old sisters Kati and Kristin Lisk. Big Changes Are Coming to Disneys Paid Genie+ Service, Michael Keatons Morbius Role Is an Easter Egg, Inside the Magic Your Ultimate Source for Themed EntertainmentCoverage, Watchmen Actors Family Speaks Out, Convinced He Was Murdered, Mandalorian Actor Facing Underage Sexual Assault Lawsuit, Woman Seen Handcuffed at Disneys Hollywood Studios, Iconic Disney Trains Left Brilliantly Vandalized at EPCOT. After two days, Kara launched her daring escape while Evonitz slept: Kara said: There was a solid 30 seconds of me looking at the door and thinking, how am I going to do this?'. When Virginia officers looked through his Columbia, S.C., apartment, they searched for an afghan they knew he owned in Spotsylvania. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. "She was so, so alert," Metts said. On June 27, 2002, police finally caught up with him in Florida, where he led them on a high-speed chase, and finally cornered him,, . Following his service in the Navy, Evonitz worked for a number of companies that supplied compressors and grinding machines. He was attacked by a police dog and ultimately shot himself while surrounded, rather than face the consequences of his actions. Authorities said Evonitz has lived or traveled in California, Virginia, Florida and Texas. Evonitz's two sisters grew up in the same household, and neither caused the heartaches he did. Her abductor, later identified as Richard Evonitz, told her to get into a big plastic container in the cars backseat. We don't know if this is our guy. Her sister Kati Lisk was just 12 and enjoyed playing the clarinet and drawing, local outlet The Free Lance Star reported in 2002. Evonitzs criminal career reportedly started the year before he tied the knot with Bonnie Lou Gower. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. In broad daylight, Robinson was abducted by a stranger who had pulled up in his car and approached her, ostensibly to hand her some magazines . Known as Marc to avoid confusion with a paternal uncle also named Richard, he graduated from Irmo High School in 1980 at age 16. Gere, 73, is "feeling much better," Silva wrote. He forcefully held Kara in his Kara Robinsons Story Comes Up In Law Enforcement Career, How Kara Robinson Tried to Cope with Trauma, Kara Robinson Didnt Want People to Feel Sorry for Her, In broad daylight, Robinson was abducted by a stranger who had pulled up in his car and approached her, ostensibly to hand her some magazines, she told. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Neighbors in Columbia said he was friendly and quiet. "He was someone who just blends in. She never misses Jeopardy and alternately wishes she lived in Beast's castle or was making the Kessel Run in the Millennium Falcon. Richard Marc Evonitz, was born on July 29, 1963 in Columbia, South Carolina. In 1987 he ran into trouble with the law when he exposed himself to a 15-year-old girl and he was arrested one month later when his ship returned to port. Maria Glod is the deputy Metro editor at The Washington Post. [3], Richard Marc Edward Evonitz was born at Providence Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina, to Joseph and Tess Ragin Evonitz. When Kara Robinson escaped her captor, Richard Evonitz, she helped police uncover a serial killer. They were scenes of him, wearing the underwear and pleasuring himself. Kristen and Jennifer, his two daughters, were born in 1968 and 1971, respectively, and he was the first of three children. He had at least two handguns, a plastic tub for his victims, a pair of handcuffs that he reinforced with wire, and a 2-by-4 with ropes and eyebolts that he used for bondage. By the time authorities arrived, Evonitz had fled, eventually making his way to Sarasota, Florida. Have something to tell us about this article? So he deviated from his plan. He filed for bankruptcy in 1997 after a divorce left him unable to pay his expenses, and the property was foreclosed on in 1999 after a failed business endeavor, although Evonitz had been working at an air-compressor firm since moving to South Carolina a few years before his death. Staff writers Patricia Davis and Josh White and researcher Bobbye Pratt in Washington contributed to this report. He entered a plea of no contest and was sentenced to three years' probation. "Just like an animal, he stalks his victims, waits for the right time and takes them," Downes said. There were additional guns, ropes, and other murder equipment discovered, as well as notes indicating that Evonitz was on the lookout for other victims. The footlocker also contained a white dress shirt, carefully folded. Does She Have Kids? Evonitz took the girl to his apartment, where they were alone because his wife and mother were vacationing at Walt Disney World, and carried the container inside. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Eventually, she began befriending Robert and winning his confidence, even offering to sweep his apartment floor. Nevertheless, the detectives found a big locker in the apartment containing several news clippings related to Silvia, Kristin, and Katis unsolved murders. As the investigators searched for the suspect, they soon traced his location to Sarasota, Florida. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Police were puzzled by the underwear. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. In 1987, Richard allegedly exposed himself and masturbated in front of a 15-year-old girl in Orange Park, Florida. ", One exception that investigators have focused on is Evonitz's 1988 conviction for exposing himself to a teenager and her toddler sister in Florida. Their bodies were found five days later. Actually, he, too, had taken a week's vacation, a secret break. 'The Monster' Richard Marc Evonitz was a rapist and a stalker, and he may be worse. The only time she became animated was when she talked about the footlocker. She shared with People: It was one of the most important things thats ever happened to me, she says. . A high-speed car chase followed to catch Richard, resulting in him running over spike strips on the highway and being attacked by a police dog. When Evonitz looked for her, she was not there. ", But he added, "This is the best lead we've had out of the 12,000 leads to come out.". His violence didn't burst from within him unexpectedly. Kara now a 35-year-old motivational speaker miraculously escaped, ultimately leading police to the would-be murderers Columbia, South Carolina apartment. It's never been determined if Evonitz was responsible for more than three murders. You can view a clip below: Today, Kara runs a website, where she offers hope and encouragement to other survivors.. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! As a result, it should be under $100,000 USD. In his secret footlocker police found scraps of paper, old envelopes, anything he could find, on which he had written directions to potential victims' houses and descriptions of young girls. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Her loyalness was reflected when she disagreed with believing her husband's acts. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Kara said: At the same time he put a gun up to the right side of my neck and to come with him or he would shoot me., Related:Woman Seen Handcuffed at Disneys Hollywood Studios. The next morning, he slept beside Kara on his bed when she somehow managed to free herself and escape the apartment. He then sexually assaulted and strangled them to death, dumping their bodies in the South Anna River. The 39-year-old killed himself following a police chase in Florida that same year. Robinson escaped his apartment after being raped and notified police. [5], Evonitz is suspected of a 1994 abduction and rape and a 1995 rape in Spotsylvania, Virginia. In Spotsylvania, Maj. Howard Smith said the Lisk-Silva Task Force -- composed of FBI agents, state police and Spotsylvania and King George County deputies -- has been doubled in size and also will try to learn "everything this guy has done in the last 10 or 15 years.". Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Police also were puzzled to find holes cut in the crotch of many of the pieces. Hope Evonitz wonders if the trophy box was her husband's way of trying to keep his demons under lock and key. When he abducted and killed his first victim, Sofia Silva, his first wife was on holiday in California. "When he feels the urge he drives around looking for a girl 18-19 years old short in height and has brunette hair.". In September 1996, Sofia Silva, 16, disappeared from her. Based on the evidence collected from his apartment, the police concluded that he had killed Silvia, Kristin, and Kati and intended to do the same with Kara. Stranger abductions are extremely rare, yet the image of a mysterious stranger taking children in broad daylight has left an indelible impression on the public mind. Read More: Who is Kara Robinsons Husband? This four-part series is based on interviews with investigators and members of Evonitzs family, and a review of public documents from Florida, South Carolina and Virginia. At that point, my brain shut off my emotions. But that brazen kidnapper, the one operating in the clear light of day, does exist. Gower and Evonitz had been neighbors in Columbia and she was a friend of his younger sister. . Investigators suspected the the murders were linked to Silva's, The New York Daily News reported. A serial killer abducted 15-year-old Kara Robinson in 2002, forced her into his vehicle and restrained her inside his Columbia, South Carolina, home.. She was reportedly 17 years old. They were discovered deceased in a river a few days later. Kara said: That was probably the fastest my heart was beating the entire time I was there. There is not any information on how he spent his early day. In one swift movement, she moved the items [that were blocking the doorway], shoved the vacuum cleaner into the closet and slammed it shut, opened the front door and ran out. "But with us, there was a level of trust. After Kara escaped from Evonitz in Columbia, police realized that they had never heard his name before. Their bodies were found five days later in the South Anna River. Age, Wife, Family, Net worth, Salary, Wiki, Bio, Why did FedEx fire him. Police found her body in a pond weeks later. By matching the countless DNA samples found in Richards apartment and car with the ones found on his three victims, the investigators concluded that he was the one who had murdered them years ago and intended to do the same with Kara. Kristin Lisk was a 15-year-old soccer player who was finishing her freshman year of high school. Besides, the DNA samples collected from the apartment also matched the ones found on the three victims. His name appeared on only one list, a list of newly issued Spotsylvania County business licenses. Popular: Who is Vessa Rockliff -Daly Cherry Evans Wife? Three years after Bonnie Lou Gower left Richard Evonitz, he remarried Hope Marie Crowley. "I just wanted him to sit across from me and look in my eyes, she said, and know that picking me was the greatest mistake he ever made.. "They knew if they did [open the trunk], bad things were going to happen.". When he abducted Kara, he did so only after placing his wife and mother on a plane for Walt Disney World. The 12-year-old Spotsylvania Middle School student played clarinet and hoped to be a cartoonist. Authorities found the fingerprints of Krista Lisk inside one of his vehicles, further incriminating him in the heinous murders.