The Smiley face murder theory is a theory advanced by two retired New York City detectives,
Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte, that a number of young men found dead in bodies of water
across several Midwestern American states over the last decade did not accidentally
drown, as concluded by law enforcement agencies, but were victims of a serial killer or killers.
The term smiley face became connected to the alleged murders when it was made public that
the police had discovered graffiti depicting a smiley face near locations where they think
the killer dumped the bodies in at least a dozen of the cases.
The response of law enforcement investigators and other experts to Gannon and Duarte's theory
has been largely skeptical.
Gannon and Duarte's investigation
As recently as 2008, Gannon and Duarte were examining evidence going back to the late
1990s that they believe connects the deaths of 40 or more college-age males, whose dead
bodies were found in water in 11 states, often after leaving parties or bars where they were
drinking.
The men, according to the former detectives, often fit a profile of being popular, athletic,
and good students, and most were white.
Gannon and Duarte have theorized that the young men were all murdered, either by an
individual or by an organized group of killers.
The term smiley face became connected to the alleged murders when it was made public that
Gannon and Duarte had discovered graffiti depicting a smiley face near locations where
they think the killer dumped the bodies in at least a dozen of the cases.
Reception of the theory Other police forces that have investigated
the deaths dispute the conclusion that the cases are linked.
The La Crosse, Wisconsin police department, which was in charge of eight of the investigations,
released an official statement reiterating their original conclusions that the deaths
were accidental drownings of inebriated men and stating that no smiley face symbols were
found in connection with any of these cases.
The Center for Homicide Research in Minneapolis, Minnesota has recently published a research
brief that also attempts to scientifically refute the theory.
In March 2009, Lee Gilbertson, a criminal justice faculty member at St. Cloud State
University, voiced his support for the theory on an episode of Larry King Live which discussed
the alleged murders.
Criminal profiler Pat Brown calls the serial killer theory "ludicrous", arguing that the
evidence does not fit what is known about serial killers.
Brown also believes that the smiley face images found in some of the cases are likely nothing
more than coincidences based upon making a guess at where the body entered the water
and searching a wide area until an example of smiley face graffiti can be found.
"It's not an unusual symbol," she told Matt Smith of the Minneapolis-based newspaper City
Pages.
"If you look in an area five miles square, I bet you could find a smiley face."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued the following statement:
"...The FBI has reviewed the information about the victims provided by two retired police
detectives, who have dubbed these incidents the “Smiley Face Murders,” and interviewed
an individual who provided information to the detectives.
To date, we have not developed any evidence to support links between these tragic deaths
or any evidence substantiating the theory that these deaths are the work of a serial
killer or killers.
The vast majority of these instances appear to be alcohol-related drownings.
The FBI will continue to work with the local police in the affected areas to provide support
as requested..."
Ruben Rosario of the Pioneer Press questions the motives of Kevin Gannon.
He states that Gannon has failed to provide any factual evidence that a group of killers
exists, and that others, like reporter Kristi Piehl, and some of the parents of the young
men, who were at first encouraged by Gannon, now wonder if he isn't actually hurting the
families who are trying to get over the loss of a child.
One of the parents, Bill Szostak, and Rosario even speculate that Gannon is out for either
money or the notoriety and press attention.
Another parent, Kathy Geib, is working with Piehl and others, but their main goal now
is just to get police to take a compulsory second look at cases of alcohol-related drownings.
References
External links Nationwide Investigations - Gannon and Duarte's
official web site