Crowley was working as a waitress at Aunt Sarah's . Richard Marc Evonitz forever changed the way area residents view the community. Richard had separated from his first wife, Bonnie Lou Gower, in 1996 and was considerably older than Hope. As per the news reported, Marie was a loyal wife to her husband. Kara said: That was probably the fastest my heart was beating the entire time I was there. Richard Marc Evonitz (July 29, 1963 - June 27, 2002) was a serial killer, kidnapper, and rapist responsible for the deaths of three girls in Spotsylvania County, Virginia and the abduction and rape of a 15 year old girl in Richland County, South Carolina. "But with us, there was a level of trust. She freed herself from the constraints Evonitz placed on her while he slept before escaping. To Evonitz, they were scouting expeditions. Evonitz's wives were curious about the blue trunk, yet never opened it. Richard Marc Evonitz, was born on July 29, 1963 in Columbia, South Carolina. Now, if you wish to learn more about Hope, heres what we found! Just consider Richard Evonitz, the serial killer who abducted Kara Robinson, the subject of the new Oxygen special "Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story.". Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Richard Evonitz. It's going to be quite extensive.". "He was somebody who felt everything closing in on him. Downes and other detectives are familiar with the psychological labels that have been attached to Evonitz, terms like bipolar, hebephile, fantasy-driven or psychopath. "No signs of the monster.". That was two years ago. In his wifes absence, he abducted 15-year-old Kara Robinson from her friends yard in Columbia at gunpoint. The footlocker also contained a white dress shirt, carefully folded. However, unknown to her and their family, Richard had a sinister side and abducted, raped, and murdered three young girls between 1996 and 1997 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. 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. 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. 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. On one of those trips in Hanover County, he discovered an isolated bridge over the South Anna River on State Route 738. Next year, the FBI will invite law enforcement officers from places where Evonitz lived or traveled to be part of an investigators working group in Quantico. They also found evidence he was stalking other girls in Virginia, according to The Associated Press. The small village, near the border of Pennsylvania, was one of the filming locations used for the Netflix adaptation of Don DeLillo's White . After his time in the U.S. Navy ended, he settled down in South Carolina and began. Consider serial murderer Richard Evonitz, the subject of the upcoming Oxygen special Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story, who kidnapped 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 . Evonitz was born on July 29, 1963 meaning he was around 25 years old when he was married to Gower. Richard Marc Evonitz forever changed the way area residents view the community. Born in July 1963 in Columbia, South Carolina, Richard Marc Evonitz was the oldest of Joseph and Tess Ragin Evonitzs three children. Richard Marc Evonitz was a devoted spouse who delighted in working with animals and amusing people. Per a Washington Post report, she later expressed that she had no idea her husband was a. Meanwhile, 20-year-old Hope Marie Evonitz (ne Crowley) was utterly devastated by her husbands death and the shocking revelations made by the police, yet she refused to believe he had done anything wrong. Screenshot from True Crime Daily YouTube, Teen survives abduction by serial killer, now thrives in law enforcement. PRIVACY POLICY. He believed he could do whatever he wanted. Richard served as a Sonar Technician for eight years before receiving two Good Conduct Medals and an honorable discharge. Police are not sure. The 12-year-old Spotsylvania Middle School student played clarinet and hoped to be a cartoonist. Two men she stopped in the parking lot took her to a sheriff's station. The abduction became the biggest mistake of Richard Evonitz's criminal career when Robinson escaped and eventually sent police down his path. They prefer a much simpler label: predator. Age, Family, Husband, Net worth, Wiki, Bio, Height, Birthday, Following Robinsons escape, Evonitz left his residence and traveled to Florida. 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,, . She suffered a panic attack when Evonitz put her back in the container while he called his wife, who was at Walt Disney World with his mother. At the time of Karas abduction and subsequent sexual assault, Evonitzs wife of three years, Hope Marie Crawley, was visiting Walt Disney World Resort. He spoke about Evonitz last year at a meeting of the International Homicide Investigators Association in Las Vegas. Evonitz's wives were curious about the blue trunk, yet never opened it. According to the Associated Press, one of the females depicted in the notes told The Free Lance-Star, Its sort of alarming that this person was out there staring at me. Im curious as to why he didnt see me. There were additional guns, ropes, and other murder equipment discovered, as well as notes indicating that Evonitz was on the lookout for other victims. They hadn't. Indeed for the families involved, and for many others in the community, any review of these cases would be painful. He had grown arrogant, police said. We are not able to find his account on social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram. By then, Richard had already fled, but Kara could identify the hairbrush with Hopes hair, which became crucial evidence in the investigation. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Does She Have Kids? While her friend got ready, Robinson was watering the front lawn. However, little headway was made in the case until Robinson led police to Evonitz. Richard Evonitz was reportedly married to Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996. According to the Washington Post, he contacted his sister along the way and confessed to killing someone and committed more crimes than he can recall.. 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. l "Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story. 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. Evonitz was in the Navy and was married twice to much younger wives, with both living unaware of his crimes. He was attacked by a police dog and ultimately shot himself while surrounded, rather than face the consequences of his actions. An article about Kara's harrowing ordeal noted that she was outside watering flowers for a neighbor: . Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story,. Because of that, we do not have any information about how he was on the social media platform or his lifestyle. No one answered the door today, and Evonitz's sister and mother have declined to comment. Bluebeard hid the bodies of his murdered wives behind one of the locked doors in his castle. There were additional guns, ropes, and other murder equipment discovered, as well as notes indicating that Evonitz was on the lookout for other victims. Police say now that those closest to him--his wives, sisters, mother, friends and co-workers--had no idea he was a killer. Sensing no way of escape, Richard shot himself dead before he could be arrested. 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. ", One exception that investigators have focused on is Evonitz's 1988 conviction for exposing himself to a teenager and her toddler sister in Florida. His mother described the moment she realized he had betrayed her: With her son on the run, she returned from Disney World to her home in Columbia. Evonitz's criminal career reportedly started the year before he tied the knot with Bonnie Lou Gower. Related: 'Mandalorian' Actor Facing Underage Sexual Assault Lawsuit. We focus on bringing you all things fun so you can plan your theme park vacation, enjoy Disney at home, and more. At this point, Evonitz was serving in the US Navy and the couple were based between California and Maine. The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story. Most details that have emerged about Evonitz's life show a man who attracted little attention and was liked and respected by colleagues. His name appeared on only one list, a list of newly issued Spotsylvania County business licenses. You can cancel at any time. 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. I want to know why he didnt get me.. But she changed her routine that Monday. Evonitz fooled everyone, including his family. . Richard Evonitz died on June 27, 2002, at the age of 38. This confirmed to the police that Richard was the one who had sexually assaulted and killed Silvia, Kristin, and Kati in 1996 and 1997. Evonitz stored the footlocker in the corner of his cluttered bedroom, hidden beneath a pile of clothes. Inside Evonitzs apartment, authorities made a chilling discovery. Through evidence discovered after Robinsons brave escape, Evonitz was tied to the Silva and Lisk murders. He forcefully held Kara in his 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. After playing a key role in solving Evonitzs other murders, Kara was able to meet the families of both Sofia and the Lisk sisters. Her brave act led the police to identify Richard as a serial killer who had murdered three other girls during the 90s. In Columbia, he worked at an air compressor company and lived blissfully with Hope, who doted on him. Evonitz married Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996, and then his second wife Hope Marie Crowley from 1999 till his death. When investigators searched Richard Evonitzs South Carolina apartment, they discovered his connections to the brutal murders of three innocent young girls in the 90s. 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. Related:Watchmen Actors Family Speaks Out, Convinced He Was Murdered. WARNING: Content of a disturbing nature ahead. When police interviewed Hope Evonitz after her husband's death, they said she was controlled and emotionless. 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?'. I knew if I woke him up and wasnt successful [in getting out] that would probably be when I would get hurt, and when his sadistic nature would kick in [she feared being shot in the back]., Related:Florida Man Arrested After Threatening to Blow Up Homes of Disney Executives. Life is imitating art in East Palestine, Ohio, as the aftermath of a derailed train is drawing parallels with Netflix's White Noise. Related:Mandalorian Actor Facing Underage Sexual Assault Lawsuit. 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. Popular: Who is Vessa Rockliff -Daly Cherry Evans Wife? "From what we've been able to discern, there were no signals, no signs," Lott said. Evonitz has been suspected of other murders, and confessed a number of crimes to his sister shortly before committing suicide. By Daniel S. Levine - February 26, 2023 03:04 pm EST. Her decomposed body was found a month later in a creek off State Route 3 in King George County. Richard forced the teenager into a plastic bin, drove her to his apartment, and tied her hands and feet. He was married twice. Investigators said they might never have stopped Evonitz had Robinson not saved her own life, reported WISTV.com. Credit: Disney. Police were puzzled by the underwear. Because I felt like, Wow, Im actually giving these families something that they never wouldve gotten without me. Just the closure of knowing that the person responsible for their daughters death is no longer here..