Kristin Lisk was a 15-year-old who was finishing up her first year of high school and like playing soccer. She is expected to be alive with her age close to 41. At that point, my brain shut off my emotions. That was two years ago. Moreover, Richard admitted that he often had uncontrollable sexual urges and would look for and target teenage girls. As she looked at them, he forced her at gunpoint into a green plastic storage container in the car's trunk. We don't know if this is our guy. Meanwhile, discovering her escape, Evonitz fled to Florida. Most children are kidnapped by someone they know, per the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Evonitz mentioned only scant details about that killing, but it was enough to determine that he was not referring to the slayings of three Spotsylvania County, Va., girls, Lott said. Law enforcement officials spent three hours today searching the house where Evonitz lived in Spotsylvania in 1996 and 1997, Smith said. To everyones shock, Richard had already fled by then, seemingly after noticing Kara gone when he woke up. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Evonitz used metal trunk, lies to shield truth. Two men she stopped in the parking lot took her to a sheriff's station. The Associated Press stated at the time that investigators quickly discovered proof that Evonitz was responsible for the killings of three girls in Virginia: Sofia Silva, 16, Kristin Lisk, and her sister Kati Lisk. "They were in fear of him," Downes said. As a result, it should be under $100,000 USD. Inside his apartment they found a locked foot-locker with newspaper clippings about the unsolved murders of three girls: Sofia Silva and sisters Kati and Kristin Lisk. She would have recognized the souvenir. Hope Evonitz wonders if the trophy box was her husband's way of trying to keep his demons under lock and key. Evonitz fooled everyone, including his family. Also Read: Actor: Arno Greeff Age, Parents, Brother, Wikipedia -Biography, Ethnicity, Family, Height, Net worth, Birthday. That was how he planned it. Her decomposed body was found five weeks later in a creek in King George, Virginia, yet the police could not comprehend the cause of death and the killers identity. ", One exception that investigators have focused on is Evonitz's 1988 conviction for exposing himself to a teenager and her toddler sister in Florida. Nevertheless, the couple tied the knot in 1999 and moved into a small garden apartment in Columbia, South Carolina. So he deviated from his plan. Guns, ropes, and other tools for murder were also found, as were notes that signaled Evonitz had his eye on other potential victims. As they released a police dog, he put the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.. Hope Evonitz resided in Caroline County at the time, and she was aware of the slayings. They learned later that Bonnie, his first wife, had the blanket in California. After his time in the U.S. Navy ended, he settled down in South Carolina and began. Three years after Bonnie Lou Gower left Richard Evonitz, he remarried Hope Marie Crowley. Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts said Evonitz tied the girl up and raped her. The next morning, he slept beside Kara on his bed when she somehow managed to free herself and escape the apartment. 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, wrote the New York Daily News. Two Richland County deputies and one FBI agent formed a team today that will work full time to reconstruct Evonitz's life. The New York Daily News said that investigators thought the deaths were related to Silvas. Evonitz was born on July 29, 1963 meaning he was around 25 years old when he was married to Gower. After graduating high school and briefly working as a Manager for Jiffy Lube, he joined the Navy. He then sexually assaulted and strangled them to death, dumping their bodies in the South Anna River. . Friends and neighbors described the Evonitzs as a pleasant couple, especially Richard was known as someone who was friendly and loved animals. To Evonitz, they were scouting expeditions. Through evidence discovered after Robinsons brave escape, Evonitz was tied to the Silva and Lisk murders. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. ", "Suspect stated he has a problem with masturbating in front of girls," the report said. The case never went cold, because the task force never stopped working. Before being honorably discharged after eight years of service, he worked as a sonar technician and won a Good Conduct Medal. Police describe his victims as "low-risk," meaning that they did nothing to put themselves in danger. When investigators searched Richard Evonitzs South Carolina apartment, they discovered his connections to the brutal murders of three innocent young girls in the 90s. To learn more about Kara Robinson, watch Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story, on Oxygen. Cara Robinson was abducted out of her friends yard by serial killer Richard Marc Evonitz. "He would not even discuss it with her," said Capt. Richard Evonitz. She was reportedly 17 years old. Kara now a 35-year-old motivational speaker miraculously escaped, ultimately leading police to the would-be murderers Columbia, South Carolina apartment. Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/ReutersAlex Murdaugh, the once-prominent member of a legal dynasty in South Carolina's Lowcountry, has been convicted of murdering his wife and son in June 2021.Murdaugh, 54, was found guilty of all four counts against him on Thursday in connection with the deaths of his 52-year-old wife, Maggie, and their 22-year-old son, Paul, near the . After her escape, Kara helped lead authorities to her abductors apartment. He was a former Sonar Technician who served in the US Navy for eight years and received two medals for good conduct. During the time of these killings, a serial killer was working in the area, Marc Evonitz. Evonitzs criminal career reportedly started the year before he tied the knot with Bonnie Lou Gower. They are recounted here in detail that some may find disturbing. Learn more about Kara Robinsons story here: True Crime Daily, Copyright 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy |. But due to the lack of evidence, both cases remained cold for several years until June 24, 2002, when Richard abducted 15-year-old Kara Robinson at gunpoint from her friends front yard in Columbia. Evonitz was born on July 29, 1963 meaning he was around 25 years old when he was married to Gower. According to the New York Daily News, her elder sister was inside but had not heard anything. Serial killer, Richard Marc Evonitz, killed himself while surrounded by police in June 2002. Ultimately, as noted earlier, Kara led detectives to Evonitzs apartment, but he had already fled. Lifetime brought The Kara Robinson Story to screens this February, a chilling true crime story of how a teenager escaped the clutches of serial killer Richard Evonitz. The image of the shadowy stranger snatching children in broad daylight made a lasting impact on the collective consciousness, but the truth is stranger abductions are very rare. When she led police back to Evonitz's apartment, he was gone. She was 17 years old at the time and Evonitz was 36. 0. As the detectives investigated further, they discovered that after fleeing his Columbia apartment, he had allegedly called some relatives and cryptically stated his crimes. Evonitz abducted 15-year-old Kara Robinson Chamberlain three days before his death. But what happened to the man who abducted her? They will focus on possible links between Evonitz and unsolved crimes. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). 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. Richard Marc Evonitz, was born on July 29, 1963 in Columbia, South Carolina. by Competitive-Club4848. Investigators suspected the the murders were linked to Silva's, The New York Daily News reported. Once the police closed in on him on June 27, a high-speed car chase followed, ending with him shooting himself dead to avoid arrest. 2d ago [8][9], On February 11, 2023, Lifetime released a television film called The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story. Kara said: That was probably the fastest my heart was beating the entire time I was there. 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. Police were puzzled by the underwear. Richard had separated from his first wife, Bonnie Lou Gower, in 1996 and was considerably older than Hope. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. She began working with the Richland County Sheriff's Department as a school resource officer. It was then that Evonitz drove up and started chatting to her under the pretense of selling magazines -- before pointing a gun at her and forcing her into a Rubbermaid container in the back of his car, the New York Daily News reported in 2015. Its never been established if Evonitz was involved in more than three murders. 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 . pic.twitter.com/PJBCnblMux. She shared with People: It was one of the most important things thats ever happened to me, she says. "He was someone who just blends in. ago. When police interviewed Hope Evonitz after her husband's death, they said she was controlled and emotionless. According to the New York Daily News, Evonitz pulled up and began conversing with her under the guise of selling magazines, before brandishing a gun at her and forcing her into a Rubbermaid container in the back of his car. Life is imitating art in East Palestine, Ohio, as the aftermath of a derailed train is drawing parallels with Netflix's White Noise. He also will host an FBI "working group" on Evonitz next year. On one of those trips in Hanover County, he discovered an isolated bridge over the South Anna River on State Route 738. Kristen and Jennifer, his two daughters, were born in 1968 and 1971, respectively, and he was the first of three children. Today, 19 years after her harrowing ordeal, Kara Robinson Chamberlain is married with two sons -- and 219,700 fans on, , where she seeks to spread hope and encouragement to other survivors, she notes at. 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. Richard Evonitz died on June 27, 2002, at the age of 38. "End of Trial Fails To End Uncertainty; Family Seeks Justice in '96 Va. Killings, While Man Wants to Clear His Name" Washington Post, September 4, 2005 Ian Shapira and Maria Glod, List of serial killers in the United States, "As Police Closed In, Evonitz Admitted Crimes to Sister", "Lifetime Partners Again with Elizabeth Smart on "The Kara Robinson Story", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Evonitz&oldid=1142021837, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using infobox person with multiple spouses, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, The Spotsylvania Serial killer, Lisk/Silva Killer, Bonnie Lou Gower (1988-1996), Hope Marie Crowley (1999-his death), This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 03:03. Staff writers Patricia Davis and Josh White and researcher Bobbye Pratt in Washington contributed to this report. Kristin and Katis bodies were found five days later, and the police reportedly found a strand of Sofias hair on the older Lisk sisters body. Law enforcement officials said he was born and raised near Columbia and attended Irmo High School before joining the Navy. November 18, 2021 . Richard Gere's wife, Alejandra Silva, shared more updates on the actor's health after he was hospitalized during the couple's vacation in Mexico. Investigators were able to track the serial killer to Sarasota, Florida, where a high-speed chase ensued. Richard Marc Evonitz was a devoted spouse who delighted in working with animals and amusing people. She freed herself from the constraints Evonitz placed on her while he slept before escaping. Following his service in the Navy, Evonitz worked for a number of companies that supplied compressors and grinding machines. On May 1, 1997, the sisters vanished from their yard. When he and his wife-to-be Hope Crowley moved from Virginia to Columbia in 1999, they . The case was first regarded as a missing person case rather than an abduction until Silva was discovered dead in a marsh five weeks later. Florida Man Arrested After Threatening to Blow Up Homes of Disney Executives, Mother on Flight From Disney World Told to Glue Mask to Childs Face. In the late 90s, Hope Marie Crowley was a 17-year-old waitress working at a pancake joint in Massaponax, Virginia. 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 . He took her to his apartment, raped her, forced her to smoke marijuana, and tied her to his bed. The murders remained unsolved until 2002, when Evonitz abducted and raped a girl in South Carolina. None of it contained telling DNA evidence. Just consider Richard Evonitz, the serial killer who abducted Kara Robinson, the subject of the new Oxygen special "Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story.". 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 Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story, a two-hour Oxygen special that premiered September 26 and is now streaming. A 15-year-old kidnap survivor's escape led police to a serial killer: Richard Evonitz. The conversation took place before he killed himself after a police chase in Florida. They will interview friends, co-workers and relatives and track Evonitz's frequent travels from state to state in a search for links to similar unsolved crimes in those areas. Investigators soon found evidence that Evonitz was responsible for the murders of three girls in Virginia:Sofia Silva, 16; Kristin Lisk and her sister Kati Lisk, the Associated Press reported at the time. At this point, Evonitz was serving in the US Navy and the couple were based between California and Maine. Crowley was working as a waitress at Aunt Sarah's . Hope Marie Crowley was taken aback when she learned that her husband was a criminal. She began working with the Richland County Sheriff's Department as a school resource officer. When he was convicted for exposing himself in Florida at age 23, Evonitz told the arresting officer that he had uncontrollable urges. This made Richard a primary suspect in the murder investigation. However, until Robinson led investigators to Evonitz, little progress was made in the investigation. Police now know that Evonitz spent hours traveling the back roads of South Carolina and Virginia. Elizabeth Smart serves as an executive producer.[10]. Hope Marie Crowley Now: Where is Richard Evonitz's Wife Today? According to The Associated Press, the notes included the addresses and descriptions of two more young females. #onthisday pic.twitter.com/OIcfpFebnS. In May 1997, 15-year-old Kristin Lisk and her 12-year-old sister, Kati, vanished from their front yard in Spotsylvania. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! A WARNING: Evonitz's sexual obsessions are key to understanding him. The pursuit of Evonitz began when the 15-year-old he kidnapped at gunpoint managed to escape from handcuffs and slip out of his apartment in Columbia on Tuesday morning. Evonitz was in the Navy and was married twice to much younger wives, with both living unaware of his crimes. The footlocker also contained pornographic tapes and many pairs of female underwear, all sizes, from infant to adult. When he kidnapped Kara, he was married to his second wife, Hope Marie Crowley, and she unknowingly played a crucial role in helping the teenager identify Richard. 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. On September 9, 1996, Silva, a 16-year-old who had dreams of going to cosmetology school, sat on her family's doorstep doing homework when . Gere, 73, is "feeling much better," Silva wrote. He was a stranger to them. Richard Marc Evonitz committed suicide after being apprehended by the police 20 years ago. Three years after Bonnie Lou Gower left Richard Evonitz, he remarried Hope Marie Crowley. Make sure you join Kara Robinson Chamberlain after the premiere for a live conversation on her Instagram! At that point, my brain shut off my emotions. Kara said the driver didnt seem creepy or scary as he approached her and asked if her parents were home. With his wife gone and their Columbia apartment empty, he could play out his fantasies of domination and control. Richard forced the teenager into a plastic bin, drove her to his apartment, and tied her hands and feet. special that premiered September 26 and is now streaming. Richard Marc Edward Evonitz was born on July 29, 1963, at Providence Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina, to Joseph Evonitz and Tess Ragin Evonitz. To avoid confusion with a paternal uncle called Richard, he graduated from Irmo High School in 1980 at the age of 16. When she's not planning her next Disney trip, Rebekah can be found spending time with her family, shopping for Lilly Pulitzer, buried in a good book, or doing yoga. [4], Following his stint in the Navy, Evonitz worked steadily at businesses that sold compressors and grinding equipment. Unexpectedly, this unhealthy behavior gradually turned animalistic, and he resorted to kidnapping, sexual abuse, and even murder to satisfy his depravities. Ginny and Georgia star Katie Douglas stars as Kara Robinson. Smith said detectives found evidence in their South Carolina searches that Evonitz was stalking other girls in Spotsylvania. He served as a sonar technician and received a Good Conduct Medal before being honorably discharged after eight years of service. With the help of two men in a car in the apartment complex, she reached the nearby police station and reported everything. From that knowledge, this community may gain some insight into how such crimes could be prevented in the future. Evonitz tried to start a new business in 1999, to manufacture wheel grinders for industrial tools, but he failed. Furthermore, the police found a lockbox containing news clippings and notes related to Kati, Kristin, and Sofias murders, along with writings mentioning the locations near their houses. 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?'. Police have learned that Evonitz carefully plotted the who, where and when of his crimes. As he drove from his South Carolina home to Georgia and into Florida last week, Richard Evonitz knew he was only a few steps ahead of police trying to arrest him in the rape of a 15-year-old. There is not any information on how he spent his early day. This February, a derailed train carrying hazardous materials has upended the lives of those living in East Palestine. Related:Mandalorian Actor Facing Underage Sexual Assault Lawsuit. The man held a gun to her head and threatened to shoot her if she screamed. Does She Have Kids? They could not determine if it had been stolen or purchased. Deep within some of the tapes were scenes that Evonitz recorded. She was eventually able to escape and share information with authorities. Her loyalness was reflected when she disagreed with believing her husband's acts. 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,, . Her sister Kati Lisk was just 12 and enjoyed playing the clarinet and drawing, local outlet The Free Lance Star reported in 2002. Glod previously worked at the Montgomery Journal in Maryland. Related:Mother on Flight From Disney World Told to Glue Mask to Childs Face. Per the article, Kara said, From that moment I kind of realized that he would probably not let me go and it would be up to me to get out and escape. In the late 90s, Hope Marie Crowley was a 17-year-old waitress working at a pancake joint in Massaponax, Virginia. Robinson has publicly spoken about the terrifying ordeal, years before the Lifetime true crime movie aired. I want to know why he didnt get me.. Born in July 1963 in Columbia, South Carolina, Richard Marc Evonitz was the oldest of Joseph and Tess Ragin Evonitzs three children. He was horrified and disgusted with himself. Her abductor, later identified as Richard Evonitz, told her to get into a big plastic container in the cars backseat. This included one of Richards sisters, to whom he reportedly confessed the three murders. She was. The man held a gun to her head and threatened to shoot her if she screamed. During that time, she met 36-year-old Richard Marc Evonitz of Columbia, South Carolina, and love quickly blossomed between the two. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Inside the Magic. He believed he could do whatever he wanted. Sensing a connection between the murders, the police theorized that the Spotsylvania County victim had also been raped and killed similarly. r/standwithusa 5 min. "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.. Her sister Kati Lisk was just 12 and enjoyed playing the clarinet and drawing, local outlet. Years later, while on the run in South Carolina, he told his sister Kristen that he had abducted and raped a 15-year-old girl, as police charged. 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. He forced her to watch the evening news to see if there was a report of her kidnapping. : r/standwithusa. Dawn was breaking when Evonitz fell asleep and Robinson recognized her chance to flee. Her brave act led the police to identify Richard as a serial killer who had murdered three other girls during the 90s. Robinson explained to Crime Watch Daily that Evonitzs wife was a key to identifying him. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the majority of children are abducted by someone they know. When Virginia officers looked through his Columbia, S.C., apartment, they searched for an afghan they knew he owned in Spotsylvania. Sensing that there was no escape, he began calling relatives with cryptic confessions. Kristian Bruun stars as Richard Evonitz in the terrifying film. Yet the water seemed to draw him. On June 24, 2002, Robinson, then 15, was watering the plants at a friend's home in Colombia, South Carolina, when her friend went inside. Kara Robinson Chamberlain, a kidnapping survivor, now reaches thousands of viewers on TikTok with her advice about overcoming trauma. According to The Associated Press, the notes included the addresses and descriptions of two more young females. Their bodies were found five days later in the South Anna River. "We're going to do his whole life's tale," Lott said. Evonitz's wife was still at The Most Magical Place on Earth while the entire sordid situation unfolded. At the time of Kara's abduction and subsequent sexual assault, Evonitz's wife of three years, Hope Marie Crawley, was visiting Walt Disney World Resort. We don't want to rush things. "When he feels the urge he drives around looking for a girl 18-19 years old short in height and has brunette hair.". Evonitz stored the footlocker in the corner of his cluttered bedroom, hidden beneath a pile of clothes. We're going to take our time. Please subscribe to keep reading. He chose Kara on the spur of the moment. He pulled a gun. Investigators said they might never have stopped Evonitz had Robinson not saved her own life, The investigation into Evonitz as the killer of the three girls in Virginia didnt end with his death. Police think while his 20-year-old wife was on vacation, Mr. Evonitz kidnapped a 15-year-old girl at gunpoint on June 24, forced her to his vehicle, drove her to his Columbia apartment and. As per the news reported, Marie was a loyal wife to her husband. After playing a key role in solving Evonitzs other murders, Kara was able to meet the families of both Sofia and the Lisk sisters. 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.. He married his first wife, Bonnie Lou Gower, in 1988 but suffered a severe financial crisis after their divorce in 1996. The abduction became the biggest mistake of Richard Evonitz's criminal career when Robinson escaped and eventually sent police down his path. Evonitz was in the Navy and was married twice to much younger wives, with both living unaware of his crimes. Indeed for the families involved, and for many others in the community, any review of these cases would be painful. However, little headway was made in the case until Robinson led police to Evonitz. Related:What Should Guests Do If an Animal at Animal Kingdom Escapes? On June 24, 2002, Hope and Richards mother were away on vacation at Disneyland, California. Later, authorities identified him as the LiskSilva killer. [5], Evonitz is suspected of a 1994 abduction and rape and a 1995 rape in Spotsylvania, Virginia. She realized that a woman with red hair lived with Evonitz when she was abucted. 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 . "Just like an animal, he stalks his victims, waits for the right time and takes them," Downes said. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. For more on this case and Robinson's story, watch"Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story.". "No signs of the monster.". Evonitz made scouting trips and careful notes of what he saw. she asked. During that time, she met 36-year-old Richard Marc Evonitz of Columbia, South Carolina, and love quickly blossomed between the two.
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