Israel Keyes ~ Unhinged Cross Country Serial Killer ~ Arrest & Aftermath

We have met the victims and we have learned about Israel's crime spree. We learned about how methodical he was; how he planned for months, even years to commit murders; so why did he get sloppu with the killing of his last victim Samantha Koenig???

Demanding rabsom money to be deposited inot Smantha's account would be the downfall for Keyes. The police were obviously tracking him throughout the southwest side of the United States. There was a very controversial debate between the law enforcement's decision to not release the video footage of him at the ATMs.

Keyes was arrested by Texas Highway Patrol Corporal Bryan Henry and Texas Ranger Steven Rayburn in the parking lot of the Cotton Patch Café in Lufkin, Texas, on the morning of March 13, 2012; after a BOLO had been released for his vehicle that had been spotted on the ATM cameras. 

Authorities played it smart, and pulled him over when he went slightly over the speed limit; this gave them the right to search his car when they noticed there was money in his car that was stained with the ink that explodes on money stolen from a bank. They discovered Samantha Koenig's bank card and cellphone in the car; which put the final nail in his coffin, so to speak.

Keyes was extradited to Alaska, where he tried to say the phone and card ended up in his car by someone who walked by his car. He was charged with fraudl but eventually confessed to killing Samantha Koenig. He obtained a Federal Public Defender, and Keyes was indicted and his trial was scheduled to begin in March 2013.

Over the next several months, Israel Keyes would speak repeatedly to investigators.

He willingly confessed to some of his crimes, makign it known that he wanted to be executed within the year. He begged to avoid publicity because he worried about how this would affect his family, especially his daughter. Let it be known that he pretty much stopped cooperating when his name was revealed to the public. 

(On Wednesday, May 23, 2012, Keyes attempted to escape during a routine hearing, using wood shavings from a pencil to pick his cuffs. US Marshals used a taser to subdue him).

There had been talk that some of his file could not be released due to national security concerns. Keyes' military experience and obsessive interest in explosives, suggest he MAY have had ties to violent extremist groups.

(Note this is just speculation and no one can confirm it).

Unfortunately, it looks like the families and loved ones of Israel Keyes' victims will never see true justice in the deaths of their loved ones...

While being held in jail, waiting for his triall Israel Keyes was held in Anchorage Correctional Complex. He somehow obtained a razor blade; and committed suicide on December 2, 2012. He had slit his wrists and attempted to strangle himself. He left a parting note (a suicide note, if you will). It offered no clues about other victims.

AFTERMATH

In 2020, the FBI released the drawings of eleven skulls and one pentagram, which had been drawn in blood and found underneath Keyes's bed after his suicide. One of the drawings included the phrase "WE ARE ONE" written at the bottom. The FBI believes the number of skulls correlates with the total number of his victims.

For now, that is all we know on the case of Israel Keyes, the unhinfed cross country serial killer. Did he murder 3 or 11 people... or are there far more victims out there??? I will update if there is anything new to add.