Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie
"Depending on what you believe, hundreds of mysterious drownings across the United States could very well be connected." — Brett
"To Kevin, this is instantly suspicious, because with the witnesses who saw Patrick being followed, and then his body being found face up, none of the facts so far seem to add up to Kevin." — Ashley Flowers
"They genuinely believe that 40 young men across 11 states have all been murdered by this mysterious assailant." — Ashley Flowers
This episode of Crime Junkie investigates the complex and controversial "Smiley Face Killer" theory. It begins by detailing the 1997 disappearance and suspicious drowning death of Patrick McNeal in New York City. Detective Kevin Ganon, who initially handled the missing person case, harbored doubts about the official ruling of accidental drowning due to inconsistencies in witness statements, the body's recovery position, and decomposition timelines. His suspicions were amplified when, within 15 months, two more young men, Lawrence Andrews and Joshua Bender, were found drowned in the East River and Hudson River, respectively, under eerily similar circumstances.
The narrative then shifts to Douglas Lee Gilbertson, a criminal justice professor, who independently began researching a series of drownings of young college-aged men in the Midwest. He identified striking commonalities in victim profiles, geographical proximity to Interstate 94, and specific timing of disappearances. Eventually, Gilbertson's research intersected with that of Kevin Ganon and retired detective Anthony Duarte, who had also been investigating similar cases. The three formed an alliance, becoming convinced that these were not isolated accidents but the work of a serial killer or multiple perpetrators operating across several states.
The theory posits that these killers drug their victims, often with GHB, to make them compliant before causing their deaths and staging them to appear as accidental drownings. A recurring, though inconsistent, element cited as a potential signature is a "smiley face" graffiti symbol found near some of the crime scenes. Despite presenting their findings publicly in 2008, law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, have largely dismissed the theory due to a lack of concrete evidence, inconsistent linking of cases, and the varied nature of the alleged smiley face markings. The episode concludes by acknowledging the ongoing debate, the lingering questions, and the impact of this theory on the pursuit of justice for the victims and their families.