In the two years since his death, federal, state and local investigators have tried to link Evonitz to other crimes, compiling an inch-thick timeline of his life. He was arrested a month later when his ship returned to port. Two days after Robinsons bold escape, she found out that Evonitz had killed himself. EXCLUSIVE: Kara Robinson Chamberlain was 15 when serial killer Richard Evonitz kidnapped her at gunpoint and took her back to his home while his wife was at Walt Disney World What do you think about Karas amazing story? "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.. After Richard Evonitz was discharged from the Navy, the couple moved to Fredericksburg. She had no idea that he had used it to wrap the bodies of the Lisk and Silva girls. Evonitz used metal trunk, lies to shield truth. Just consider Richard Evonitz, the serial killer who abducted Kara Robinson, the subject of the new Oxygen special "Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story.". ago. Authorities apprehended Evonitz in Florida three days after he kidnapped Robinson, and a high-speed chase occurred, culminating with Evonitz shooting himself and dying. 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 . Read More: Who is Kara Robinsons Husband? Also Read: Actor: Arno Greeff Age, Parents, Brother, Wikipedia -Biography, Ethnicity, Family, Height, Net worth, Birthday. According to The Associated Press, the notes included the addresses and descriptions of two more young females. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. 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.. 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. Birth date from SSDI as Marc E Evonitz, SSN 251-04-4170. Evonitz was cornered by police in Florida where he then killed himself. Downes and other detectives are familiar with the psychological labels that have been attached to Evonitz, terms like bipolar, hebephile, fantasy-driven or psychopath. After gagging her, he repeatedly raped Kara over the next eighteen hours and forced her to smoke marijuana. Eventually, she began befriending Robert and winning his confidence, even offering to sweep his apartment floor. #onthisday pic.twitter.com/OIcfpFebnS Murderific True Crime Podcast (@MurderificBPC) July 29, 2019 She would have recognized the souvenir. 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. If she had picked the simple lock, as police later did, she would have found evidence of her husband's crimes. Related: 'Mandalorian' Actor Facing Underage Sexual Assault Lawsuit. "She was so, so alert," Metts said. Later the authorities would prove he killed at least 3 . She was eventually able to escape and share information with authorities. Evonitz's two sisters grew up in the same household, and neither caused the heartaches he did. Evonitz hid the souvenirs of his crimes in a locked footlocker in his bedroom. "We'll take it from the time he was born and go forward. In the past few years, he returned to South Carolina and recently moved into a small garden apartment with his 19-year-old wife. #onthisday pic.twitter.com/OIcfpFebnS. While Richard seemingly remained inactive for the next few years, he struck again in June 2002. 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 abducted 15-year-old Kara Robinson Chamberlain three days before his death. For some reason, she did not walk at her regular time. The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story. Her sister Kati Lisk was just 12 and enjoyed playing the clarinet and drawing, local outlet. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the majority of children are abducted by someone they know. 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. His first wife was Bonnie Lou Gower and his second wife was Hope Marie Crowley. They prefer a much simpler label: predator. Later, when he fled from police after Kara's escape, he stole license plates and shaved his goatee to hide his identity. "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. He had at least two handguns, a plastic tub for his victims, a pair of handcuffs that he reinforced with wire, and a 2-by-4 with ropes and eyebolts that he used for bondage. His name appeared on only one list, a list of newly issued Spotsylvania County business licenses. There is no information available on how many of the assets he actually possesses. He was horrified and disgusted with himself. Was it some sort of uniform that he wore when committing his crimes? LIKE BLUEBEARD, the character in the old European fable, Marc Evonitz had a secret life hidden behind lock and key. He forced her to watch the evening news to see if there was a report of her kidnapping. Throughout her ordeal, Robinson focused on her abductor and her surroundings to gather information she could use. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! He was trolling for potential victims and the best places to dispose of their bodies. ", "Suspect stated he has a problem with masturbating in front of girls," the report said. Kristin Lisk was a 15-year-old who was finishing up her first year of high school and like playing soccer. Sisterhood Of Survival: Elizabeth Smart, Kara Robinson Spearhead New Oxygen Documentary, How Kara Robinson Tried to Cope with Trauma. The couple was in Mexico to celebrate Silva's 40th birthday when Gere was diagnosed with . Inside was a copy of The Free Lance-Star from 1997, with front-page news of the disappearance of the Lisk sisters. The kidnapper took Robinson to his apartment, where he repeatedly sexually assaulted her and held her captive for 18 hours. They hope to understand him and connect him to other crimes he may have committed. 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. 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. Ultimately, as noted earlier, Kara led detectives to Evonitzs apartment, but he had already fled. After watching The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story, you might be looking for more details on what happened to Richard Evonitzs first and second wife. Hope Marie Crowley was taken aback when she learned that her husband was a criminal. No one answered the door today, and Evonitz's sister and mother have declined to comment. He served as a sonar technician and received a Good Conduct Medal before being honorably discharged after eight years of service. He declared bankruptcy after losing the majority of his money as a result of the divorce. While her friend got ready, Robinson was watering the front lawn. 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. Two Richland County deputies and one FBI agent formed a team today that will work full time to reconstruct Evonitz's life. He was attacked by a police dog and ultimately shot himself while surrounded, rather than face the consequences of his actions. He was a stranger to them. Richard Evonitz was reportedly married to Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996. Today, 19 years after her harrowing ordeal, Kara Robinson Chamberlain is married with two sons -- and 219,700 fans on TikTok, where she seeks to spread hope and encouragement to other survivors, she notes at kararobinsonchamberlain.com. She began working as an assignment editor on the local desk in 2011. Evonitz was in the Navy and was married twice to much younger wives, with both living unaware of his crimes. The 39-year-old killed himself following a police chase in Florida that same year. Authorities said Evonitz pulled up in his mother's green Pontiac Firebird and offered to sell her some magazines. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. Their bodies were found five days later. Indeed for the families involved, and for many others in the community, any review of these cases would be painful. "Of all the people in my 24 years that I've ever investigated, he's probably the most evil," said Dempsey of the King George Sheriff's Office. For more on this case and Robinson's story, watch"Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story.". It's never been determined if Evonitz was responsible for more than three murders. 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. Evonitz's criminal career reportedly started the year before he tied the knot with Bonnie Lou Gower. The murders remained unsolved until 2002, when Evonitz abducted and raped a girl in South Carolina. They also found evidence he was stalking other girls in Virginia, according to The Associated Press. 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. Robinson, then 15, was watering plants at a friends house in Colombia, South Carolina, on June 24, 2002, when her companion walked inside. "It is kind of scary that some guy was out there looking at me, one of the girls described in the notes told the The Free Lance-Star, according to the AP report. Most children are kidnapped by someone they know, per the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Who is Hope Marie Crowley? Consider serial murderer Richard Evonitz, the subject of the upcoming Oxygen special Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story, who kidnapped Kara Robinson. But perhaps that pain will be bearable if these newly revealed facts help us to understand how a man capable of performing these misdeeds could live among us. "We had a couple of fights about the footlocker," Hope Evonitz said in a recent interview with The Free Lance-Star. He then sexually assaulted and strangled them to death, dumping their bodies in the South Anna River. Two men she stopped in the parking lot took her to a sheriff's station. 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? Richard had separated from his first wife, Bonnie Lou Gower, in 1996 and was considerably older than Hope. After his crimes, Fredericksburg never seemed as safe. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}. Police also were puzzled to find holes cut in the crotch of many of the pieces. Kara said: That was probably the fastest my heart was beating the entire time I was there. In 2010, Robinson graduated from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, reported WISTV.com. I just ran, she said. "Just like an animal, he stalks his victims, waits for the right time and takes them," Downes said. Kara Robinson was abducted by serial killer Richard Evonitz from her friend's yard in 2002. That was how he planned it. Her loyalness was reflected when she disagreed with believing her husband's acts. They argue that many people grow up in toxic surroundings and don't become serial killers. He took her to his apartment, raped her, forced her to smoke marijuana, and tied her to his bed. As she looked at them, he forced her at gunpoint into a green plastic storage container in the car's trunk. Metts said the girl led detectives to the apartment and picked Evonitz out of a photo array. Nevertheless, she embraced a life of privacy and continues to do so even today. Three years after Bonnie Lou Gower left Richard Evonitz, he remarried Hope Marie Crowley. After his time in the U.S. Navy ended, he settled down in South Carolina and began. [8][9], On February 11, 2023, Lifetime released a television film called The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story. And while Evonitz was described by those who knew him as a well-respected, married Navy veteran who was twice awarded the Navy Good Conduct Medal, the 38-year-old had actually been in trouble with the law before, for masturbating in front of a teen girl, The Washington Post reported. We focus on bringing you all things fun so you can plan your theme park vacation, enjoy Disney at home, and more. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. When Virginia officers looked through his Columbia, S.C., apartment, they searched for an afghan they knew he owned in Spotsylvania. He would not be able to join them, he said, because he had to work. They hadn't. As the detectives investigated further, they discovered that after fleeing his Columbia apartment, he had allegedly called some relatives and cryptically stated his crimes. In his secret footlocker police found scraps of paper, old envelopes, anything he could find, on which he had written directions to potential victims' houses and descriptions of young girls. At the time of Karas abduction and subsequent sexual assault, Evonitzs wife of three years, Hope Marie Crawley, was visiting Walt Disney World Resort. Age, Family, Husband, Net worth, Wiki, Bio, Height, Birthday, Following Robinsons escape, Evonitz left his residence and traveled to Florida. You can cancel at any time. Cara Robinson was abducted out of her friends yard by serial killer Richard Marc Evonitz. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . Her older sister was inside but hadn't heard a thing, according to the New York Daily News. As they released a police dog, he put the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.. None of it contained telling DNA evidence. "He was someone who just blends in. There were additional guns, ropes, and other murder equipment discovered, as well as notes indicating that Evonitz was on the lookout for other victims. After her escape, Kara helped lead authorities to her abductors apartment. "Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story. Through evidence discovered after Robinsons brave escape, Evonitz was tied to the Silva and Lisk murders. While her friend got ready, Robinson was watering the front lawn. The 16-year-old Courtland High junior wanted to go to cosmetology school and loved the color purple. Bluebeard's wives were curious about the locked room and eventually looked inside. But that brazen kidnapper, the one operating in the clear light of day, does exist. . 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. In 2010, Robinson graduated from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. She shared with People: It was one of the most important things thats ever happened to me, she says. Still, Evonitz left no witnesses or clues. In the late 90s, Hope Marie Crowley was a 17-year-old waitress working at a pancake joint in Massaponax, Virginia. Robinson explained to Crime Watch Daily that Evonitzs wife was a key to identifying him. After graduating from high school, Evonitz worked as a manager at a Jiffy Lube before enlisting in the US Navy. The small village, near the border of Pennsylvania, was one of the filming locations used for the Netflix adaptation of Don DeLillo's White . Kara said: At the same time he put a gun up to the right side of my neck and to come with him or he would shoot me., Related:Woman Seen Handcuffed at Disneys Hollywood Studios. Evonitz has been suspected of other murders, and confessed a number of crimes to his sister shortly before committing suicide. PRIVACY POLICY. She freed herself from the constraints Evonitz placed on her while he slept before escaping. Evonitz's wife was still at The Most Magical Place on Earth while the entire sordid situation unfolded. the New York Daily News reported in 2015. the Associated Press reported at the time. Read More:Who is Kara Robinsons Husband? 0. In other news, Celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday with these 37 heartwarming quotes. To avoid confusion with a paternal uncle called Richard, he graduated from Irmo High School in 1980 at the age of 16 and was known as Marc. In 1987, Richard allegedly exposed himself and masturbated in front of a 15-year-old girl in Orange Park, Florida. Richard Evonitz was reportedly married to Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996. 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. . Unexpectedly, this unhealthy behavior gradually turned animalistic, and he resorted to kidnapping, sexual abuse, and even murder to satisfy his depravities. Evonitz was the most dangerous of all predators--an invisible one. She was 17 years old at the time and Evonitz was 36. by Competitive-Club4848. 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. 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. 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. Evonitz fooled everyone, including his family. 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 . The information shed stored in her head proved invaluable in confirming his identity. Known as Marc to avoid confusion with a paternal uncle also named Richard, he graduated from Irmo High School in 1980 at age 16. On June 24, 2002, 15-year-old Kara Robinson was at a friend's house in Lexington County, South Carolina preparing for a day at the lake. "They knew if they did [open the trunk], bad things were going to happen.". The sisters disappeared from their yard on May 1, 1997. Later, when examining Evonitz's pornographic tape collection, they found out why. 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. [4], Evonitz was married twice, first to Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996, then to Hope Marie Crowley from 1999 until his death. whod been taken from their homes in Virginia years earlier: Sofia Silva, 16, in 1996, and sisters Kristin, 15, and Kati Lisk, in 1997. He described another girl in the same neighborhood: her appearance, how she walked each day on certain streets, how her parents were gone during the day, how she entered her home through a rear door. 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. They were discovered deceased in a river a few days later. Smith said detectives found evidence in their South Carolina searches that Evonitz was stalking other girls in Spotsylvania. Later, they checked to see if they had overlooked him during their long investigation. Hope Marie Crowley Now: Where is Richard Evonitz's Wife Today? 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. 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. But when she escaped, Richard feared his arrest and fled, eventually killing himself to evade arrest. 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. At that point, my brain shut off my emotions. Sensing no way of escape, Richard shot himself dead before he could be arrested. Related:Mother on Flight From Disney World Told to Glue Mask to Childs Face. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! They will focus on possible links between Evonitz and unsolved crimes. Her brave act led the police to identify Richard as a serial killer who had murdered three other girls during the 90s. The kidnapper took Robinson to his apartment, where he repeatedly sexually assaulted her and held her captive for 18 hours. She realized that a woman with red hair lived with Evonitz when she was abucted. With his wife gone and their Columbia apartment empty, he could play out his fantasies of domination and control. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Moreover, Richard admitted that he often had uncontrollable sexual urges and would look for and target teenage girls. Inside the pocket was trace evidence that connected Evonitz to the Lisk sisters. 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. 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. This helped the police track down his location. In the late 90s, Hope Marie Crowley was a 17-year-old waitress working at a pancake joint in Massaponax, Virginia. ", ON THE WEB: For previous stories in this series, visit fredericksburg.com, To reach JIM HALL: 540/374-5433 [email protected]. Silva, a 16-year-old with ambitions of attending cosmetology school, was doing homework on her familys doorway on September 9, 1996, when Evonitz abducted her. [3], Richard Marc Edward Evonitz was born at Providence Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina, to Joseph and Tess Ragin Evonitz. [5], Evonitz is suspected of a 1994 abduction and rape and a 1995 rape in Spotsylvania, Virginia. His belongings, connected him to the abduction and murder of three girls. But his crimes were "high-risk," in the sense that he abducted victims from busy suburban neighborhoods in the middle of the day. From all accounts, officials said, Evonitz exhibited no violent behavior in childhood, and he got along well in the Navy and at work. Following my escape, I was able to go to Virginia and meet with the families of the three girls, Robinson said. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! [2], In January 1987, Evonitz exposed himself and masturbated in front of a 15-year-old girl in Orange Park, Florida. Richard Evonitz. 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. Learn more about Kara Robinsons story here: True Crime Daily, Copyright 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy |. (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 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.