Did “The Happy Face Killer” Hide His Victims’ Trinkets in a Hermiston Hotel?

Keith Hunter Jesperson, a.k.a. "The Happy Face Killer”, is a convicted serial killer who killed eight women between 1990 and 1995 while he traveled across the United States as a long-haul trucker. His nickname was born from his happy face signature on confession letters to the media and authorities.

My wife and I are watching the “Happy Face” series on Amazon Prime. The series is based on true events, which means they used what I like to call “Hollywood modifications" to enhance the story.

Fact or Fiction: Trinkets Hidden by the Happy Face Killer found in a Hermiston Hotel?

For those of us living in the Pacific Northwest, we can’t help but be drawn into the series, not only because of the eeriness behind the gruesome story, but we can identify and connect with the towns and cities highlighted in the show. One of those towns, Hermiston, Oregon, is only a 30-minute drive from my hometown, Tri-Cities, Washington.

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In Season 1, Episode 6, Keith Jesperson privately tells his granddaughter that he stashed some of his victims' personal belongings, like earrings and clothing, behind a vent cover in room 17 at a hotel in Hermiston, Oregon. The granddaughter was intrigued by the admission and, without telling anyone, made a trip to the now-closed hotel to look for the trinkets. According to the series, Jesperson planned to present the personal items to the families of the women he killed if/when he ever got caught - as a way to apologize and/or give closure.

Secrets in Hermiston: Did The Happy Face Killer Hide Evidence in a Hotel in Hermiston?

In the series, the granddaughter wasn’t able to locate any items. So, the question arises: did the Happy Face Killer hide his victims’ items? And, did he hide some of them at a Hotel in Hermiston, Oregon?

After scouring the internet, I wasn’t able to confirm any truth to the Hermiston hotel mentioned in the show. There is no evidence that the Happy Face Killer hid victims’ personal belongings or trinkets at all. Yes, he disposed of personal items to hide their identification, such as Taunaja Bennett’s purse, which he disposed of in the Columbia River Gorge, but as for the Hermiston hotel? No, Hermiston was just a town that was likely along his trucking route.

How many people did the Happy Face Killer admit to killing?

Jesperson has been tied to the murders of eight women, but he claims to have killed over 160 people. He remains behind bars at the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem and is, surprisingly, eligible for parole in the year 2063. That would make him 108 years old.