Read More: Who is Kara Robinsons Husband? [4], Evonitz was married twice, first to Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996, then to Hope Marie Crowley from 1999 until his death. ", ON THE WEB: For previous stories in this series, visit fredericksburg.com, To reach JIM HALL: 540/374-5433 jhall@freelancestar.com. Inside the Magic consists of multiple writers & videographers living near both Disneyland and Walt Disney World theme parks and around the world. Authorities said Evonitz pulled up in his mother's green Pontiac Firebird and offered to sell her some magazines. [2], In January 1987, Evonitz exposed himself and masturbated in front of a 15-year-old girl in Orange Park, Florida. To avoid confusion with a paternal uncle called Richard, he graduated from Irmo High School in 1980 at the age of 16. Oxygen Network created a documentary about Karas ordeal and incredible survival. The couple was in Mexico to celebrate Silva's 40th birthday when Gere was diagnosed with . 'The Monster' Richard Marc Evonitz was a rapist and a stalker, and he may be worse. The New York Daily News said that investigators thought the deaths were related to Silvas. Evonitz tried to start a new business in 1999, to manufacture wheel grinders for industrial tools, but he failed. Throughout her ordeal, Robinson focused on her abductor and her surroundings to gather information she could use. His first wife was Bonnie Lou Gower and his second wife was Hope Marie Crowley. I want to know why he didnt get me.. 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.". The crime took place in September 1996. 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. (function(e,t,n,r){var i=n.currentScript,s=null;if(i)s=i;else{var o=n.getElementsByTagName(r),u=o.length-1;for(var a=u;a>=0;a--)if(o[a].getAttribute("rel")==="skimlinks-ref-banner"){s=o[a];break}}s&&setTimeout(function(){var i=e[t]||(e[t]=[]),o={"imageUrl":"/banners/img/referral/higher_commissions/728X90.gif","wid":"07","creativeId":60710,"color":"grey","size":"728X90","domainId":"1601785","publisherId":137930,"bannerUrl":"/banners/js/referral/referral_banner.min.js","cdnUrl":"https://s.skimresources.com"};if(i.length===0){var u=n.createElement(r);u.src=o.cdnUrl+o.bannerUrl,u.async=!0,s.parentNode.insertBefore(u,s)}i.push({el:s,config:o})})})(this,"__skimlinksBanners",document,"script"); CONTACT US | ADVERTISE ON ITM For instance, Kara noticed Hopes hairbrush lying around, with a few red hairs on it. His belongings, connected him to the abduction and murder of three girls. She was 17 years old at the time and Evonitz was 36. Evonitz was born on July 29, 1963 meaning he was around 25 years old when he was married to Gower. He chose Kara on the spur of the moment. She joined The Post in 1997 as a two-year intern covering policing and courts in Loudoun County, Va. She later covered local and national education. 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. Lifetimes thriller movie The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story chronicles how Kara courageously escaped her captors home after being abducted and assaulted for eighteen hours, eventually helping the police identify him and his past crimes. While searching his apartment, they found evidence connecting him to all three murders,according to the Free Lance Star. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). 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. At that point, my brain shut off my emotions. Inside was a copy of The Free Lance-Star from 1997, with front-page news of the disappearance of the Lisk sisters. With the help of two men in a car in the apartment complex, she reached the nearby police station and reported everything. The secret was out, the monster exposed," Lott said. Crowley was working as a waitress at Aunt Sarahs Pancake House in Massaponax when they met. 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 . pic.twitter.com/zcsbeDwBv4. Her older sister was inside but hadn't heard a thing, according to the New York Daily News. They were scenes of him, wearing the underwear and pleasuring himself. He was trolling for potential victims and the best places to dispose of their bodies. We're going to take our time. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Evonitz was born on July 29, 1963 meaning he was around 25 years old when he was married to Gower. Evonitz was in the Navy and was married twice to much younger wives, with both living unaware of his crimes. Law enforcement officials said he was born and raised near Columbia and attended Irmo High School before joining the Navy. Kristen and Jennifer, his two daughters, were born in 1968 and 1971, respectively, and he was the first of three children. She also makes use of TikTokandInstagram where she provides advice on how to heal, how to support, how to speak to victims of crime, and how to embrace a survivor mentality. Her story has also been shared on numerous television shows, including Investigation Discoverys On the Case With Paula Zahn. Richard Marc Evonitz committed suicide after being apprehended by the police 20 years ago. But she changed her routine that Monday. Three years after Bonnie Lou Gower left Richard Evonitz, he remarried Hope Marie Crowley. An article about Karas harrowing ordeal noted that she was outside watering flowers for a neighbor: when a car drove past and came back moments later, pulling into the driveway. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. They will focus on possible links between Evonitz and unsolved crimes. Following his service in the Navy, Evonitz worked for a number of companies that supplied compressors and grinding machines. When he abducted Kara, he did so only after placing his wife and mother on a plane for Walt Disney World. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Her body was found five weeks later in a King George County creek. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}. Gower and Evonitz had been neighbors in Columbia and she was a friend of his younger sister. Deep within some of the tapes were scenes that Evonitz recorded. To everyones shock, Richard had already fled by then, seemingly after noticing Kara gone when he woke up. A 15-year-old kidnap survivor's escape led police to a serial killer: Richard Evonitz. By using this site you agree to our privacy policy. [8][9], On February 11, 2023, Lifetime released a television film called The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story. By the time authorities arrived, Evonitz had fled, eventually making his way to Sarasota, Florida. She was reportedly 17 years old. She would have recognized the souvenir. She was 17 years old at the time and Evonitz was 36. [5], Evonitz is suspected of a 1994 abduction and rape and a 1995 rape in Spotsylvania, Virginia. He was honorably discharged and received medals, including the Navy Achievement Medal, which is given for leadership. He chose strangers to abduct and kill. Actually, he, too, had taken a week's vacation, a secret break. Robinson spoke to Elizabeth Smart from Crime Watch Daily about her kidnapping and how she managed to escape Evonitzs clutches and helped the police catch him. He was arrested a month later when his ship returned to port. They argue that many people grow up in toxic surroundings and don't become serial killers. On May 1, 1997, Richard kidnapped 15-year-old Kristin Lisk and her 12-year-old sister, Kathryn Kati Lisk, from their front lawn after school. They had all gone missing in Spotsylvania County, Va., more than five years before Karas abduction. 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. Officials said he has no other known criminal convictions. Related:Mother on Flight From Disney World Told to Glue Mask to Childs Face. That was two years ago. She was. Evonitz fled after finding her gone and was tracked by the police to Sarasota, Florida. He was a stranger to them. Are you watching the premiere of The Girl Who Escaped: #TheKaraRobinsonStory? 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. Because of that, we do not have any information about how he was on the social media platform or his lifestyle. The film starred Katie Douglas as Kara Robinson, Cara Buono as Debra Robinson, and Kristian Bruun as Richard Evonitz. Their bodies were found five days later. 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. Ultimately, as noted earlier, Kara led detectives to Evonitzs apartment, but he had already fled. What they won't do is excuse him. Known as Marc to avoid confusion with a paternal uncle also named Richard, he graduated from Irmo High School in 1980 at age 16. If she had picked the simple lock, as police later did, she would have found evidence of her husband's crimes. 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. she asked. Neighbors in Columbia said he was friendly and quiet. 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. Throughout her ordeal, Robinson focused on her abductor and her surroundings to gather information she could use. The next morning, he slept beside Kara on his bed when she somehow managed to free herself and escape the apartment. In 1987, Richard allegedly exposed himself and masturbated in front of a 15-year-old girl in Orange Park, Florida. At the police station, she spotted Evonitz's supervisor, Mike Augustine of Armstrong Compressors. "Just like an animal, he stalks his victims, waits for the right time and takes them," Downes said. A few days later, they were found dead in a river. He used his mother's car when he abducted Kara. "When he feels the urge he drives around looking for a girl 18-19 years old short in height and has brunette hair.". Credit: Disney. Smith said detectives found evidence in their South Carolina searches that Evonitz was stalking other girls in Spotsylvania. "She was so, so alert," Metts said. 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. Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts said Evonitz tied the girl up and raped her. He also will host an FBI "working group" on Evonitz next year. Evonitz's wives were curious about the blue trunk, yet never opened it. This allows us to bring you the most interesting, entertaining, and unique entertainment experiences, covering theme parks, movies, TV, video games, and special events. When he and his wife-to-be Hope Crowley moved from Virginia to Columbia in 1999, they . In 2010, Robinson graduated from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. Richard Marc Evonitz, was born on July 29, 1963 in Columbia, South Carolina. She never misses Jeopardy and alternately wishes she lived in Beast's castle or was making the Kessel Run in the Millennium Falcon. Lott declined to say what details have led him to believe that Evonitz was not referring to the Lisk slayings when he talked to his sister. They prefer a much simpler label: predator. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. In the past few years, he returned to South Carolina and recently moved into a small garden apartment with his 19-year-old wife. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. During the time of these killings, a serial killer was working in the area, Marc Evonitz. 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. Make sure you join Kara Robinson Chamberlain after the premiere for a live conversation on her Instagram! Moreover, Richard admitted that he often had uncontrollable sexual urges and would look for and target teenage girls. The murders remained unsolved until 2002, when Evonitz abducted and raped a girl in South Carolina. At the time of Karas abduction and subsequent sexual assault, Evonitzs wife of three years, Hope Marie Crawley, was visiting Walt Disney World Resort. But that brazen kidnapper, the one operating in the clear light of day, does exist. "He was someone who just blends in. He forcefully held Kara in his apartment and sexually assaulted her repeatedly for eighteen hours, but luckily, she escaped the following morning. Eventually, the Columbia native tied the knot with Hope Marie Crowley in 1999. Still, Evonitz left no witnesses or clues. "They were in fear of him," Downes said. Pic- survivor Kara Robinson Richard Marc Evonitz born July 29, 1963 was a serial killer, kidnapper andrapistresponsible for the deaths of three girls inSpotsylvania County, Virginiaand the abduction and rape of a 15-year-old girl inRichland County, S.Carolina. 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. On one of those trips in Hanover County, he discovered an isolated bridge over the South Anna River on State Route 738. He entered a plea of no contest and was sentenced to three years' probation. Investigators suspected the the murders were linked to Silva's, The New York Daily News reported. He took her to his apartment, raped her, forced her to smoke marijuana, and tied her to his bed. What Should Guests Do If an Animal at Animal Kingdom Escapes? Each week investigators from the FBI, the Virginia State Police and at least two local sheriff's offices met at the FBI office in Fredericksburg to plot strategy. He was a former Sonar Technician who served in the US Navy for eight years and received two medals for good conduct. Screenshot from True Crime Daily YouTube, Teen survives abduction by serial killer, now thrives in law enforcement. Most children are kidnapped by someone they know, per the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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?'. WARNING: Content of a disturbing nature ahead. The kidnapper took Robinson to his apartment, where he repeatedly sexually assaulted her and held her captive for 18 hours. His name appeared on only one list, a list of newly issued Spotsylvania County business licenses. 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. We don't want to rush things. 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,, . Their bodies were found five days later in the South Anna River. His violence didn't burst from within him unexpectedly. This helped the police track down his location. As a result, it should be under $100,000 USD. Who is Kara Robinsons Husband? In other news, Celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday with these 37 heartwarming quotes. There is no information available on how many of the assets he actually possesses. As Spotsylvania detectives await results of DNA and other scientific tests to determine whether Evonitz killed Sofia Silva, 16, in September 1996, and Kati Lisk, 12, and her sister, Kristin, 15, in May 1997, investigators are just now beginning to piece together the past of this seemingly normal man -- a husband who was twice awarded the Navy Good Conduct Medal during an eight-year service career -- to see if he really was a lifelong predator who kept his crimes secret. Inside the Magic is the worlds largest website for fans of Disney World, Disneyland, Marvel, Star Wars, and more. Richard Evonitz was married to Crowley from 1999 until his death on June 27, 2002. Before being honorably discharged after eight years of service, he worked as a sonar technician and won a Good Conduct Medal. Inside Evonitzs apartment, authorities made a chilling discovery. Hope Evonitz rode with her husband on some of these trips. This made Richard a primary suspect in the murder investigation. Evonitz took Robinson to his apartment, where he restrained her, drugged her, and sexually assaulted her. When Evonitz looked for her, she was not there. Along the way, he called his sister and confessed to killing someone and committing "more crimes than he can remember," according to the Washington Post. Investigators were able to track the serial killer to Sarasota, Florida, where a high-speed chase ensued. 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. "Obviously, we're all anxious and want to solve this, but we're also very cautious," Smith said. " I just went into survival mode, she told Oxygen. Richard Evonitz died on June 27, 2002, at the age of 38. ago. Besides, the DNA samples collected from the apartment also matched the ones found on the three victims. He was married twice. He forced her to watch the evening news to see if there was a report of her kidnapping. He was attacked by a police dog and ultimately shot himself while surrounded, rather than face the consequences of his actions. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Actor: Arno Greeff Age, Parents, Brother, Wikipedia -Biography, Ethnicity, Family, Height, Net worth, Birthday, Who is Vessa Rockliff -Daly Cherry Evans Wife? The film premiered on Lifetime on Saturday, February 11. Later, when he fled from police after Kara's escape, he stole license plates and shaved his goatee to hide his identity. 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. Evonitz collected the tools of rape and murder and hid them in plain sight. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the majority of children are abducted by someone they know. This confirmed to the police that Richard was the one who had sexually assaulted and killed Silvia, Kristin, and Kati in 1996 and 1997. In September 1996, Sofia Silva, 16, disappeared from her. Hope Marie Crowley Now: Where is Richard Evonitz's Wife Today? The conversation took place before he killed himself after a police chase in Florida. In 2002, the 15-year-old's life took a devastating flip after being kidnapped by Richard Evonitz from her good pal's dwelling in Columbia, South Carolina. 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. From all accounts, officials said, Evonitz exhibited no violent behavior in childhood, and he got along well in the Navy and at work. ", One exception that investigators have focused on is Evonitz's 1988 conviction for exposing himself to a teenager and her toddler sister in Florida. Another strange DNA quirk happened with the case. "From what we've been able to discern, there were no signals, no signs," Lott said. Steve Dempsey of the King George County Sheriff's Office and a member of the task force that investigated the 1996 and '97 slayings of three Spotsylvania County girls: Sofia Silva and Kristin and Kati Lisk. The only time she became animated was when she talked about the footlocker. 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. A WARNING: Evonitz's sexual obsessions are key to understanding him. As they released a police dog, he put the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.. She is expected to be alive with her age close to 41. While her friend got ready, Robinson was watering the front lawn. During that time, she met 36-year-old Richard Marc Evonitz of Columbia, South Carolina, and love quickly blossomed between the two. It seemed that Evonitz delighted in outsmarting police, in making his crimes as daring as possible. "He was somebody who felt everything closing in on him. Bluebeard hid the bodies of his murdered wives behind one of the locked doors in his castle. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Nevertheless, she embraced a life of privacy and continues to do so even today. 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. 0. 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. [4], Following his stint in the Navy, Evonitz worked steadily at businesses that sold compressors and grinding equipment. An article about Kara's harrowing ordeal noted that she was outside watering flowers for a neighbor: Evonitz hid the souvenirs of his crimes in a locked footlocker in his bedroom. 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. 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. Inside a lockbox in the apartment, they found the hints to the Lisk killings. Evonitz made scouting trips and careful notes of what he saw. When Virginia officers looked through his Columbia, S.C., apartment, they searched for an afghan they knew he owned in Spotsylvania. Her loyalness was reflected when she disagreed with believing her husband's acts. Evonitz abducted 15-year-old Kara Robinson Chamberlain three days before his death. Related:Watchmen Actors Family Speaks Out, Convinced He Was Murdered. Police have learned that Evonitz carefully plotted the who, where and when of his crimes. Police initially treated it as a missing persons case instead of an abduction -- until Silva was found about five weeks later, dead in a swamp. Evonitz's criminal career reportedly started the year before he tied the knot with Bonnie Lou Gower. When arrested a month later, he pleaded no contest to the charge of a charge of lewd and lascivious behavior in the presence of a child and was ordered three years of probation. 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. 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. Per a Washington Post report, she later expressed that she had no idea her husband was a murderer, though he did allegedly confess to his sister just prior to his death. Elizabeth Smart serves as an executive producer.[10]. He then sexually assaulted and strangled them to death, dumping their bodies in the South Anna River. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Evonitz married Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996, and then his second wife Hope Marie Crowley from 1999 till his death. According to the New York Daily News, her elder sister was inside but had not heard anything. RELATED: WHERE TO WATCH FORGOTTEN ABDUCTION ON STREAMING; Richard remarried Hope Marie Crowley. Popular: Who is Vessa Rockliff -Daly Cherry Evans Wife? Evonitz was sentenced to three years of probation for this offense. Was it some sort of uniform that he wore when committing his crimes? When Kara Robinson escaped her captor, Richard Evonitz, she helped police uncover a serial killer. 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. He spoke about Evonitz last year at a meeting of the International Homicide Investigators Association in Las Vegas. He forcefully held Kara in his #onthisday pic.twitter.com/OIcfpFebnS. Evonitz was born on July 29, 1963 meaning he was around 25 years old when he was married to Gower. 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. Birth date from SSDI as Marc E Evonitz, SSN 251-04-4170. Unexpectedly, this unhealthy behavior gradually turned animalistic, and he resorted to kidnapping, sexual abuse, and even murder to satisfy his depravities. Evonitz's two sisters grew up in the same household, and neither caused the heartaches he did. I just ran, she said. Richard Marc Evonitz, was born on July 29, 1963 in Columbia, South Carolina. Once the officers accompanied the 15-year-old to the apartment complex, a maintenance worker pointed them to Richards apartment. The 12-year-old Spotsylvania Middle School student played clarinet and hoped to be a cartoonist. When investigators searched Richard Evonitzs South Carolina apartment, they discovered his connections to the brutal murders of three innocent young girls in the 90s. Kara said the driver didnt seem creepy or scary as he approached her and asked if her parents were home. Thankfully, Kara exhibited immense bravery despite her trauma and managed to escape Richards house the following day. Richard Evonitz was reportedly married to Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996. Downes and other detectives are familiar with the psychological labels that have been attached to Evonitz, terms like bipolar, hebephile, fantasy-driven or psychopath. 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.