Before being honorably discharged after eight years of service, he worked as a sonar technician and won a Good Conduct Medal. [8][9], On February 11, 2023, Lifetime released a television film called The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story. 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. The pursuit of Evonitz began when the 15-year-old he kidnapped at gunpoint managed to escape from handcuffs and slip out of his apartment in Columbia on Tuesday morning. 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. So he deviated from his plan. Richard Evonitz was reportedly married to Bonnie Lou Gower from 1988 to 1996. Members of the task force have tracked down some of the tag numbers he mentioned in notes and will be interviewing their owners to see if anyone remembers seeing him. 5 chilling details about Kara Robinson's kidnapper Richard Evonitz Evonitz hid the souvenirs of his crimes in a locked footlocker in his bedroom. Both bodies were found five days later in a river. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! "He was somebody who felt everything closing in on him. Besides, the DNA samples collected from the apartment also matched the ones found on the three victims. I just went into survival mode, she told Oxygen. That was two years ago. He married his first wife, Bonnie Lou Gower, in 1988 but suffered a severe financial crisis after their divorce in 1996. The man held a gun to her head and threatened to shoot her if she screamed. Though Hope does not publicly share many details about herself and has a minimal presence on social media, official records state that she is now in her 40s and resides in West Columbia, South Carolina. Watch Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Tale for more information on this case and Robinsons story. 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. Her sister Kati Lisk was just 12 and enjoyed playing the clarinet and drawing, local outlet The Free Lance Star reported in 2002. Richard Evonitz Obituary (2014) - Fredericksburg, VA - The Free Lance 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.. Three years after Bonnie Lou Gower left Richard Evonitz, he remarried Hope Marie Crowley. From 1988 to 1996, Evonitz married Bonnie Lou Gower, and from 1999 till his death, he was married to Hope Marie Crowley. This helped the police track down his location. As per the news reported, Marie was a loyal wife to her husband. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He married his first wife, Bonnie Lou Gower, in 1988 but suffered a severe financial crisis after their divorce in 1996. You can view a clip below: Today, Kara runs a website, where she offers hope and encouragement to other survivors.. 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. 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?'. He was attacked by a police dog and ultimately shot himself while surrounded, rather than face the consequences of his actions. ", "Suspect stated he has a problem with masturbating in front of girls," the report said. From all accounts, officials said, Evonitz exhibited no violent behavior in childhood, and he got along well in the Navy and at work. At the police station, she spotted Evonitz's supervisor, Mike Augustine of Armstrong Compressors. Next year, the FBI will invite law enforcement officers from places where Evonitz lived or traveled to be part of an investigators working group in Quantico. In the late 90s, Hope Marie Crowley was a 17-year-old waitress working at a pancake joint in Massaponax, Virginia. He was horrified and disgusted with himself. Police describe his victims as "low-risk," meaning that they did nothing to put themselves in danger. For more on this case and Robinson's story, watch"Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story.". On June 24, 2002, Robinson, then 15, was watering the plants at a friend's home in Colombia, South Carolina, when her friend went inside. Richard Marc Evonitz committed suicide after being apprehended by the police 20 years ago. The abduction became the biggest mistake of Richard Evonitz's criminal career when Robinson escaped and eventually sent police down his path. It was his preference, a well-developed appetite. ", ON THE WEB: For previous stories in this series, visit fredericksburg.com, To reach JIM HALL: 540/374-5433 jhall@freelancestar.com. He then sexually assaulted and strangled them to death, dumping their bodies in the South Anna River. 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. Who is Kara Robinsons Husband? Evonitzs wife was still at The Most Magical Place on Earth while the entire sordid situation unfolded. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the majority of children are abducted by someone they know. Keeping a dark side under lock and key - Fredericksburg.com He filed for bankruptcy in 1997 after a divorce left him unable to pay his expenses, and the property was foreclosed on in 1999 after a failed business endeavor, although Evonitz had been working at an air-compressor firm since moving to South Carolina a few years before his death. Does She Have Kids. Sofia Silva//Image Credit: RTL Zwei In 1987, Richard allegedly exposed himself and masturbated in front of a 15-year-old girl in Orange Park, Florida. To learn more about Kara Robinson, watch Escaping Captivity: The Kara Robinson Story, on Oxygen. Downes and other detectives are familiar with the psychological labels that have been attached to Evonitz, terms like bipolar, hebephile, fantasy-driven or psychopath. They also found evidence he was stalking other girls in Virginia, according to The Associated Press. According to The Associated Press, the notes included the addresses and descriptions of two more young females. 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. Does She Have Kids. 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. [2], In January 1987, Evonitz exposed himself and masturbated in front of a 15-year-old girl in Orange Park, Florida. Only when he was ready did the safe Henry Jekyll become the wicked Edward Hyde. Inside a lockbox in the apartment, they found the hints to the Lisk killings. We don't want to rush things. But Evonitz eventually fell asleep, and Robinson was able to slip out of her restraints and make a run for it. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Hope Evonitz rode with her husband on some of these trips. She would have recognized the souvenir. You have permission to edit this article. According to the Free Lance-Star, they discovered evidence linking him to all three killings while investigating his residence. "We're going to do his whole life's tale," Lott said. 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. 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 Evonitz kidnapped her. Later, authorities identified him as the LiskSilva killer. For nearly six years the Lisk/Silva task force chased 12,000 leads, obtained dozens of search warrants and considered countless "good" suspects. From that knowledge, this community may gain some insight into how such crimes could be prevented in the future. He declared bankruptcy after losing the majority of his money as a result of the divorce. In 1987 he ran into trouble with the law when he exposed himself to a 15-year-old girl and he was arrested one month later when his ship returned to port. This confirmed to the police that Richard was the one who had sexually assaulted and killed Silvia, Kristin, and Kati in 1996 and 1997. Authorities found the fingerprints of Krista Lisk inside one of his vehicles, further incriminating him in the heinous murders. They could not determine if it had been stolen or purchased. Sensing no way of escape, Richard shot himself dead before he could be arrested. Eventually, the Columbia native tied the knot with Hope Marie Crowley in 1999. After sexually assaulting them, he strangled the sisters and dumped their bodies in the South Anna River. The conversation took place before he killed himself after a police chase in Florida. After gagging her, he repeatedly raped Kara over the next eighteen hours and forced her to smoke marijuana. Oxygen Network created a documentary about Karas ordeal and incredible survival. Make sure you join Kara Robinson Chamberlain after the premiere for a live conversation on her Instagram! . They also found evidence he was stalking other girls in Virginia, according to. Her abductor, later identified as Richard Evonitz, told her to get into a big plastic container in the cars backseat. An article about Kara's harrowing ordeal noted that she was outside watering flowers for a neighbor: Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. According to The Associated Press, the notes included the addresses and descriptions of two more young females. Glod previously worked at the Montgomery Journal in Maryland. He pulled a gun. Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts said Evonitz tied the girl up and raped her. Hope Marie Crowley Now: Where is Richard Evonitz's Wife Today? Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Have something to tell us about this article? Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! The footlocker also contained pornographic tapes and many pairs of female underwear, all sizes, from infant to adult. 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. At the time of Karas abduction and subsequent sexual assault, Evonitzs wife of three years, Hope Marie Crawley, was visiting Walt Disney World Resort. Related:Mandalorian Actor Facing Underage Sexual Assault Lawsuit. Metts said the girl led detectives to the apartment and picked Evonitz out of a photo array. Kara now a 35-year-old motivational speaker miraculously escaped, ultimately leading police to the would-be murderers Columbia, South Carolina apartment. Later, when examining Evonitz's pornographic tape collection, they found out why. There were additional guns, ropes, and other murder equipment discovered, as well as notes indicating that Evonitz was on the lookout for other victims. "They knew if they did [open the trunk], bad things were going to happen.". 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. 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 served as a sonar technician and received a Good Conduct Medal before being honorably discharged after eight years of service.

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