Yates was different things to different people. He told me, `Through all those years, Linda and I are the best of friends.' As reported by The Cinemaholic, Linda Yates was at work when she received a call telling her the body of Melody Ann Murfin was found buried in the backyard. But evidence ties Yates to the deaths of 11 more women killed since 1996 in Spokane and Tacoma, says Spokane County Sheriff Mark Sterk. He stays in College Place, home of Walla Walla College. A special homicide task force set up in 1997 to investigate the deaths of Spokane prostitutes is still folloing leads in other unsolved slayings in the region, Spokane County Sheriff's Sgt. Another thought he planned to be a pilot in Spokane. ", When Yates was a teenager, the only fast-food restaurant in Oak Harbor was Kow Korner, where burgers cost 19 cents. September 1999 - Investigators interview Yates in connection with the serial slayings. The Truth About The Spokane Killer's Childhood. [15], Heather Louise Hernandez Unlike many serial killers, Robert Lee Yates Jr. was known throughout his community as a family man.He and his wife, Linda, had five children together and were still married at the time of his arrest. As an adult, he was a man's man, a soldier. Whidbey Island is full of Youderians. "I still love you dad, even though you did this," she said as her father looked away. When Linda Brewer tied the knot with Robert Lee Yates, she thought she was marrying a big-hearted military hero. His son, Doug Yates, announced his father's passing on social media . When she confronted him about his unusual behavior, she learned Robert Yates used his credit card multiple times to book a hotel where customers paid by the hour. Hernandez had only recently come to the area and within a few weeks was arrested twice for prostitution. [33][34][32][20], Linda Marie Maybin Despite his outward appearance, something sinister was lurking under the surface of the killer's seemingly ordinary exterior. While there, he wrote a letter to the local newspaper, defending the National Rifle Association, the Second Amendment and the right to own a weapon. September 1996 - Yates is hired to assemble circuit boards at Pantrol, a Spokane company. Meets Shirley Nylander from Fall City. She started using methamphetamine and became involved in prostitution. Sometime in mid-May 1998, Melody Murfin, 43, went missing. As a kid, Bobby Yates liked peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches. Her e-mail address is kbarker@seattletimes.com, Keiko Morris' phone message number is 425-745-7804. Just before he pulled into Kaiser, police pulled him over. Police say he drove his 1977 white Corvette down East Sprague Avenue and picked up prostitutes. The couple went on to have four daughters and one son. I know him too well," says Al Gatti, who met Yates in sixth grade in Oak Harbor, then a town of fewer than 5,000 people on Whidbey Island anchored in the Navy and farming. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Gatti last saw Yates the same month in Tacoma, when he was in town for training. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. [44], After searching the Corvette, police discovered blood that they linked to Jennifer Joseph, and DNA from Yates that they then tied to 12 other victims. He had been . A white Corvette had been identified as the vehicle in which one of the victims had last been seen. "I want to know why, like anybody else," Linda Yates said she asked her husband. Robert Lee Yates Jr. kept trying to hold his life together. A single parent. If he were convicted in those two deaths, the 15 victims would exceed the 14 that Richard Ramirez, Southern California's "Night Stalker," was convicted of killing, and the total of Henry Lee Lucas, convicted in Texas of 13 murders. Growing up in North Ca Island County Sheriff Mike Hawley last month said hes investigating Yates in connection with two more unsolved homicides and a missing person. Once, Yates told Gatti that what ticked him off about his religion was he couldn't eat the pork spare ribs at a local buffet. McClenahan also struggled with heroin, and was arrested early November for forging a check during a binge. Most of Yates' victims were women involved in drugs and prostitution in Spokane. Yates has actually confessed to 14 killings, but will plead guilty to only 13. He flew helicopters and once shot a pig from one. He served a total of 21.5 years in the military. The kids thought it was Shakespeare. The case renewed debate about the state's death penalty laws. I didnt love him like a wife should. Scott, who had a history of drugs and prostitution, died of a gunshot wound to the head, likely in September or October. On Sunday, November 1, 2020 Robert Yates, loving husband and father of two children passed away at the age of 85. "Boys aren't attached to their mothers like girls are," he says. The victim was Melody Ann Murfin, and Robert claimed that he planted her there because he wanted to see her every day. She said her father hit her all the time. He told me most marriages, they have their ups and downs. A stand-up guy, say his high-school friends. Although he denied having an affair, Linda was not convinced. Gatti's lottery number came up, and he went to war. On June 14, 1996, Shannon Zielinski, 38, was found shot in the head in Mead. He learned to be an instructor pilot for the OH-58, the Kiowa, at the time the Army's primary observation helicopter. He said, "I pray that God will right the wrongs that I have committed and that justice will bring closure.". He is married and a father of five. The company has supplied not only the Roush and Yates teams, but also . She was buried beneath his bedroom window. } At Yates' trial, it was revealed that even after she was shot in the head, Mercer had chewed through two of the bags before succumbing to her injuries. [51][50], In July 2015, the Washington Supreme Court once again rejected an effort by Yates to overturn his conviction and death sentence. Her husband, who grew up in Oak Harbor and is still under investigation for deaths there, had no answer. Yates contributions to NASCAR are diverse and significant. "I don't believe it. April 1997 - He joins the Washington National Guard as a Chief Warrant Officer 4, assigned to A Company, 1st Battalion, 185th Aviation, a component unit of the 66th Aviation Brigade Headquarters at Fort Lewis near Tacoma. The loss of their main breadwinner has been a financial hardship for the family, she said. . After Joseph's parent's divorce, she dropped out of high school and moved to Tacoma. 1d4chan elector counts > capresso coffeeteam ts troubleshooting > robert lee yates son kyle. "It all turned into a big joke after a while. #inline-recirc-item--id-922979d6-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-922979d6-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { He even worked as an usher in a movie theater, says Gatti, who started logging after he got back from the war. Here's how. The family settled in . Profile from Radford University Dept of Psychology students, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robert_Lee_Yates&oldid=1152090421, Crimes against sex workers in the United States, People convicted of murder by Washington (state), Prisoners sentenced to death by Washington (state), United States Army personnel of the Gulf War, Violence against women in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 April 2023, at 03:59. She moved back to her home town, Walla Walla. At the urging of Bobby Allison's son, Davey, Yates bought the operation and renamed it Robert Yates Racing. Detectives are still investigating the killings. The prosecution sought the death penalty for the deaths of Melinda L. Mercer in 1997, and Connie Ellis in 1998, which were thought to be linked to the killings in Spokane County. Yates is a force to be reckoned as the former #1 in the world pickleball player. Robert Yates' wife Linda was stunned to learn she was married to a serial killer. SeattlePi reports Linda also noticed Robert was making an unusual number of withdrawals from their bank account and as a result, they were "running out of money." In 2002, Yates was convicted of killing two women in Pierce County and sentenced to death, but it was commuted to life without parole after the Washington Supreme Court ruled capital punishment unconstitutional in 2018. His son, Doug Yates made the announcement Monday. But those close to the case say its not really about lineage. He's played longer than most as he started in his teenage years. Authorities seized the Corvette. Shortly after, women began disappearing from the streets . 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"[10][1], Patrick Allen Oliver and Susan Patricia Savage He could one minute he could be real easygoing, and go into a room and come out and be a totally whole different person. Even his daughters alleged in an interview that their father was a strict disciplinarian, who was emotionally and physically abusive towards them if they did not follow his instructions exactly. Robert Yates Sr. told The Spokesman-Review newspaper that his son, then 6, was molested by an 11-year-old boy. There were rumblings that a serial killer might be loose in Spokane, but nothing official. "He didn't go along with the trend, when everyone was growing their hair long.". He admitted slapping one of his daughters because she was disrespectful. Seattle Times staff reporter Susan Gilmore contributed to this report. They wanted a barbecue after more than a month of eating Army food, says Dennis Mills, who later served with Yates. Marelle Sturrock, 35, was found in the couple's home on Jura Street, Glasgow, on Tuesday morning , prompting a police search for her fianc, 36-year-old David Yates in connection with her death. In September 1998, Pantrol laid off two people, including Yates. : 2022121 robert lee yates son kyle 2022121 robert lee yates son kyle It didn't hurt a damn thing. Admitted killer Robert Yates, Jr. was sentenced to 408 years in prison Thursday for the murders of 13 women, killings he admitted in a plea bargain that allowed . He liked cars, especially muscle cars. Linda Yates left Robert Yates for one month early in their marriage and again for one year in the mid 1980s. In a 2000 interview, Linda Yates admitted how painful it was to learn her husband of 24 years was a serial killer and how difficult the situation was for their entire family. He says the prostitute is a friend's daughter he's driving home. However, they described him as "a loving, caring, and sensitive son, a fun-loving and giving brother, an understanding, generous, and dedicated father, who enjoys playing ball, fishing and camping with his kids.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The newlyweds moved to College Place, where they enrolled in Walla Walla College, a Seventh-day Adventist school. They still haven't found a gun, although Robert Yates had a hunting license and helped his daughter through a gun-safety course last year. He married Kay (Harrison) Barnes August 4, 1979. Former landlords in College Place don't remember him. [3], In October 1977, Yates enlisted in the United States Army, where he became certified to fly civilian transport airplanes and helicopters. As reported by The Seattle Times, Yates, who may have killed as many as 18 people, was ultimately sentenced to death. She says she never exchanged more than 10 words with Linda Yates, who stayed at home with the children. August 1974 - Yates' and Nylander's divorce is official. In addition to serving in the United States military for 18 years, Yates was married for 24 years and had five children. While speaking to Dateline, she stated, When youre so close to somebody you dont see it. Moreover, when she was initially informed of Roberts acts, she said that there was a history of murdering in the Yates family. [5] Many of his subsequent victims were sex workers working along East Sprague Avenue who had substance abuse issues, and Yates would often do drugs with them and other sex workers. The bankruptcy petition lists their two-story home on Spokanes South Hill as the familys biggest asset. 1970 - Robert Lee Yates graduates from Oak Harbor High School. Yates, born in Anacortes, sits now on the other side of the state, in jail on a $1.5 million bond. Joels widow did not want a longer term. March 1999 - He applies to fly helicopters for the only air ambulance service in Spokane. The couple had a son and then a daughter. April 18, 2000 - Yates is arrested on the way to work. The house has been assessed at $113,000. About one in 40 soldiers in the Army is an aviator. Most Facebook users can now claim settlement money. Joined choir his senior year, baffling Al Gatti. All had ties to prostitution or drugs or lived on the streets. He's driving a Honda Civic. Teenagers cruised the downtown strip in their cars; they called it "dragging the gut.". "Do you have any idea what it's like to go to a cemetery for a family reunion for 25 years?" She was considered a victim of the same killer, due to her history and association with other victims, but her body was not discovered until six months after Yates' arrest and subsequent confession. Her e-mail address is kmorris@seattletimes.com, ------------------------------------------------------------. He drilled for seven hours a day with two students. The bankruptcy revealed the couple had $136,000 in assets and $475,000 in liabilities at the time of Robert's arrest. 1990. From 1975 to 1998, he is known to have murdered at least 11 women in Spokane. Robert Lee Yates led an evil double life. Acquaintances say Yates grew tired of the Army. In March 1999, Yates tried to get a job flying helicopters for Spokane's air-ambulance service, but no positions were available. Linda Yates had grown up in the Eastern Washington town. Yates retired from the military after 18 years and rented a home with his family in a maze of Spokane subdivisions. 2. He wasn't thin. As reported by Kitsap Sun, Yates' family described him as "a loving, caring and sensitive son, a fun-loving and giving brother, [and] an understanding, generous and dedicated father.". [29][30][31][32][20], Sunny Gail Oster Two days later, his middle daughter complains to police that her father "hits me all the time." All of his victims died of gunshot wounds to the head or heart. On the day of his arrest, law enforcement officials entered their house early in the morning to search for evidence of his crimes. Yates was born on May 27, 1952, and grew up in Oak Harbor, Washington[1] in a middle-class family. At the time Yolanda Sapp, Nickie Lowe and Kathy Brisbois were found, police linked them to a single killer, investigators have said. [2], Yates graduated from Oak Harbor High School in 1970. / CBS. Another co-worker who still works at Kaiser says Yates was meticulous. On the surface, Yates seemed like a fairly "normal" man. The couple had faced multiple problems in their marriage and even separated for some time. Yates refuses to give a blood sample for a DNA test. He earned several commendation and service medals during his military career, including the US Army Master Aviator Badge. Jay Inslee essentially halted the state's death penalty by refusing to sign any execution orders. January 1999 - He's told the misdemeanor charge for striking his daughter will be dropped if he doesn't do anything similar for two years. He is one of hundreds interviewed and asked for blood samples. 1965 - Anna Mae Yates and Robert Lee Yates Sr. are baptized into Seventh-day Adventist Church in Oak Harbor. European newspapers call him the "notorious Washington Ripper." 1 employee killed, 2 injured at Tennessee Volkswagen plant Her death didn't seem to affect Yates much, Gatti says. The victims in Spokane and Skagit County had been involved in drugs or prostitution. He has five children, (four daughters and one son), with his second wife Linda, whom he married in 1976. May 1974 - Nylander files for divorce. Yates retired from NASCAR at the end of the 2007 season, turning over ownership of Robert Yates Racing to his son. He sweats, police say. The youngest - the only boy - is now 11. [46], The 2002 death sentence was appealed on grounds that Yates believed his 2000 plea bargain to be "all-encompassing", and that a life sentence for 13 murders and a death sentence for two constituted "disproportionate, freakish, wanton and random" application of the death penalty. "He was always neat as a pin," says Barbara Youderian, Ernest's wife. Six months later, Linda gave birth to a daughter. Last September, they called him into the office. Yates was stationed in various countries outside the continental United States, including Germany, and later Somalia and Haiti during the United Nations peacekeeping missions of the 1990s. In 1975, he was hired by the Washington State Department of Corrections to work as a correction officer at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. He didn't remember his friend's name. He takes an advanced aviator course. [23][24][20][25], Shawn Lynette Johnson Obviously, this was a shocking revelation for the wife. "We were in a pinch for instructors, and Bob filled the position nicely," says Rick Ponder, his boss. June 1974 - Yates and Linda Brewer, of Benton County, apply in Walla Walla County for a marriage license. He lasts four months. On August 1, 1998, Christine Smith filed a police report for assault and robbery after she was hit in the head during a sex act. This would allow them to retain certain assets while selling off property to repay their debts. In March 1996, the tail end of another reduction in Army forces, Yates accepted a special incentive that allowed him to continue receiving 45 percent of his normal pay, probably about $20,000 a year. Oster, a mother of two, was last seen in October; she disappeared the day after completing a drug treatment program. Mr. Kyle Stephan Yates, 44, of LaGrange passed away Sunday, March 10, 2013 at his home. Among them was Jennifer Joseph, who was last spotted in a car resembling a white Corvette, a white man at the wheel. He chose to go to Skagit Valley Community College with Gatti, about 28 miles from home. The case prompted legislators to propose making it easier to seek capital punishment by adding "serial killing" to the list of aggravating circumstances in which the death penalty may be applied. "He has disgraced and dishonored every uniform he ever wore," said John Joseph, father of Jennifer Joseph, killed in 1997. On August 26, 1997, Jennifer Joseph, 16, was found shot in the head in a field in Spokane. He and his wife, Linda, had five children together and were still married at the time of his arrest. The couple filed a bankruptcy petition under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. Summers, he worked with Gary Berner harvesting peas, making $1.80 an hour. The Army hasn't yet released a complete time line of Yates' duty, but state records show he returned to Washington state at least once. And I said, Oh my God. I turned ice cold," Linda Yates said. On December 26, 1997, the bodies of Shawn McClenahan, 39, and Laurie Wason, 31, were found in a gully in Spokane. However, Seattle Times reports his death sentence was commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole following the Washington Supreme Court's decision to abolish capital punishment. He almost had enough credits to be a junior there. In late 1999, Linda caught her husband burning credit card statements in the fireplace. Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty for Serial Killer", "State high court upholds death penalty for Yates", "State Supreme Court grants Yates stay of execution", "Serial killer Robert Yates Jr. seeks federal appeal of death sentence", "Washington state to suspend death penalty by governor's moratorium", "Inslee halts executions in state while he is governor", "Supreme Court rejects serial killer Yates' petition to overturn death sentence", "List of inmates whose sentences are changed from death row to life in prison". At the sentencing hearing, relatives of the victims some sobbing and clutching family members or displaying pictures of the dead addressed the court, and Yates himself had a chance to speak. Also under investigation are the deaths of Darrin Wade Gehrke, 23, in 1995 and the disappearance of Linda Fisher Moran, 27, in December 1976. Smith also told police the man told her he was a National Guard helicopter pilot and had five children. He ended his letter, "Do not seek what seems like the simple solution, because it isn't.". Anna Mae and her first husband had two daughters. : 2022121 retroarch forwarder switch 2020 2022121 retroarch forwarder switch 2020 Once, he decided to go for a run and ended up in Coupeville, 10 miles down the road. display: none; These dates are when their bodies were found, not necessarily when they were killed. Linda even confronted her husband after she found evidence of an extra-marital affair in 1999. Given the publicity surrounding the arrest, Fasy is likely to seek a change of venue to move the case out of Spokane County but wonders whether his client will be able to get a fair trial anywhere in Washington state. Yates was 20 when he married Shirley Nylander. - by Sarah Firth. Kyle was born October 23, 1968 in Warner Robins, GA, son of the late Vernon Wendell Yates and Stephanie Suzanne Rikard Yates. In the early years of the marriage, Linda handled the family's finances and paid all the bills. May 27, 1952 - Born in Anacortes to Anna Mae and Robert Lee Yates. Yates and others in the helicopter landed, gutted the pig and put it in the back of the helicopter. Yates was 22. For obvious reasons, Roberts incarceration was quite tough on the family, financially speaking. All 18 women used drugs, worked as prostitutes or lived on the streets. Two days later, his middle daughter Amber, then 19, showed up at the county jail lobby. [4], Yates' first murders were committed in 1975, when he shot and killed two college students who were picnicking. Detectives are still investigating, taking the house apart, piece by piece, looking for evidence. He had lived in LaGrange most of his life and attended Baptist Tabernacle Church. And after their five kids came along, he was a doting dad who enjoyed fishing and camping trips. He left for work about 6 a.m. on April 18, driving his Honda Civic. A family guy. He didn't eat pork. The next day, he was charged in Spokane County District Court with killing Jennifer Joseph. All of these women were shot and dumped in remote areas. [45] On September 19, 2002, Yates was convicted of those murders and subsequently sentenced to death by lethal injection on October 3, 2002. The petition states that Yates and his wife have assets of more than $136,000 and liabilities totaling $475,000. If anything, Linda thought her husband may have been having an affair. He told a neighbor he thought he'd be a bus driver. However, she has been very open about her relationship with Robert and the aftermath of his arrest and conviction. "I didn't get to know him that much," says Mary Nylander, Shirley's mother. Chris Oliver, brother of victim Patrick Oliver, who was killed in Walla Walla in 1975, asked Yates. She was shot once in the head and had three plastic bags covering her head. Some of them were found in days, others in months. Those who do recall a quiet boy who turned in assignments when they were due, the average Joe, the pitcher. [50] His case was further complicated by Washington Governor Jay Inslee's 2013 declaration that he would not sign death warrants for anyone on death row while he is in office. Copyright 2000 Associated Press. For the third time in 20 years, an entire familys tribal status is being questioned. Women's bodies started showing up along the Spokane River in 1990. A heck of a teacher, say Army subordinates. Gatti and Yates hunted deer together. "Especially when he said he was going hunting, and he was dressed up nice and had cologne on," she told "Dateline." He was pulled over near Hangman Valley, where a body had been found three weeks before and another body was found a month later. Youderian said if he had ever had children he would want them to "come up as good" as Robert. He wasn't fat. Yates leaves Walla Walla College without a degree. Police discovered bullet fragments in her hair; Smith was unaware that she was actually shot. And lasting. February 22 - Body of Yolanda Sapp (African American, 26) prostitute . He had a dog named Lassie. Six months after moving to Spokane, Yates found a job at Pantrol, a tiny company that makes circuit boards. [5], In 2001 Yates was charged in Pierce County, Washington, with the murders of two additional women. 1980 - Yates attends a warrant-officer basic course to become a helicopter pilot. As reported by HeraldNet, law enforcement officials descended on the family's home, forcing Linda and her children to leave with little warning. Wason, who was last seen on November 3, was the devoted mother of a 12-year-old son until a relapse with heroin unravelled six years of sobriety; she began working as a prostitute to fund her addiction. She . "He never used any profanity. Two months later, the day after Thanksgiving, he was cited for speeding in his Corvette. Yates is to be arraigned there for two more murders not covered by the plea deal for which he could ultimately face execution. Yates, who has five children, offered no explanation for the killings. October 16, 2000 / 3:42 PM / CBS. Yates replaced Sadler with an unproven an probably undeserving rookie in David Gilliland. Yates was admitted to the New York bar in 1760 and thereafter resided in Albany. Ceremonia de Programa de Posgrado y Doctorado Sbado, 29 de abril | 10 a.m., Boettcher Commons Orden de la Procesin. In early September 1994, Yates came to Walla Walla. His oldest daughter moved out. The next year, Robert Lee Yates signed up with the Army. He had a powerful arm and perfect control with a baseball. "The worst thing I know about Bob is he wouldn't play football his senior year," says Berner, now a dentist. He is charged with killing Jennifer Joseph, a 16-year-old prostitute. He then joined the Army National Guard in April 1997, and served three years until his arrest in April 2000. The four youngest children enroll in the public school system. The couple went on to have four daughters and one son. The remarks came Tuesday after a boy, 13, was shot in a suspected drive-by shooting Saturday. Investigators from 30 states and two countries have called about him, wondering if he can be linked to their unsolved killings. They fished, hiked and built rafts. She previously worked as a hairdresser in Spokane, but fell into drugs and prostitution six years after she moved, following the death of her son, who was waiting for a heart transplant. It seems like Linda and her children continue to live a quiet life in the state of Washington. In October 1998, the final body linked to the serial killing was found, in Tacoma. He mostly chose sex workers as his victims, and they died as a result of gunshot wounds. Yates was charged with misdemeanor assault. niraj shah house osterville, nancy twine net worth, ryan crowley gofundme,