Let’s Dive into the Smiley Face Killer

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Exploring the Smiley Face Killer

By Jamie Thompson
Updated: November 5, 2020
Originally Published: November 5, 2020

Trigger Warning: Violence

In a world where facts and logic should reign, one can’t ignore the chilling narrative surrounding the Smiley Face Killer. Recently, I tuned into a podcast titled Crime Junkie, particularly its 13th episode, “Conspiracy: The Smiley Face Killer.” Like several other true crime podcasts such as Criminal and Serial, this episode captivated me.

The podcast delves into over 40 unsolved murders of young white and Asian men, all sharing a disturbing pattern: death by drowning. Each victim was reportedly under the influence of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), commonly referred to as the “date rape drug.” To add to the sinister nature of these cases, a smiley face was often discovered near the bodies, marking the killer’s presence.

Serial killers typically display specific patterns in their crimes. According to the FBI, serial murder involves two or more killings separated by time, and most are sexually motivated. Though rare, serial killings account for less than one percent of annual homicides. When we think of notorious serial killers, names like Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer come to mind. Bundy, who confessed to multiple murders across different states in the ’70s, and Dahmer, who admitted to killing 17 people in Milwaukee, are infamous for their heinous acts. Samuel Little, who claimed to have murdered 93 individuals over 35 years, adds to this chilling list.

Just because the details of these 40 murders vary, it doesn’t negate the possibility of a serial killer’s involvement. Science and common sense suggest that the Smiley Face Killer may have left behind a recognizable pattern similar to that of other known serial killers. Unlike Bundy and Dahmer, however, we lack a clear suspect in these cases, only various theories.

These killings occurred from 2005 to 2017, always involving college-aged white or Asian men found drowned, intoxicated, and with GHB in their systems. Smiley face graffiti was often discovered nearby. Notably, Nile Cappello from Rolling Stone pointed out that the CDC reported accidents and suicides as the leading causes of death among white males under 44. This data may explain why investigators often deemed these deaths “accidental drownings,” neglecting the presence of GHB.

In their book, Case Studies in Drowning Forensics, NYPD detective Kevin Gannon and criminal justice professor Dr. Lee Gilbertson analyze six of these cases. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Bruce Vielmetti highlights that Gannon and his colleague Anthony Duarte believe many college-aged men found drowned since 1997 may have been victims of a coordinated group, leaving smiley face symbols near the water.

By the end of the podcast, I was left perplexed by the notion that these murders represent a conspiracy. I don’t believe in the theory of a group of serial killers, the so-called Smiley Face Serial Killers. I think that justice must be sought for the victims’ families, and that only one individual is responsible for these tragic deaths. Yet, the lingering question remains: who could it be?

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Summary: The Smiley Face Killer phenomenon involves a series of drownings of young men, often attributed to a single perpetrator, but some theorize a group is responsible. The presence of GHB in the victims and smiley face graffiti near their bodies raises questions about the nature of these deaths. The podcast “Crime Junkie” examines these cases, leaving listeners to ponder the true identity of the killer.