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{{Short description|American criminologist (1944–2021)}} |
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{{BLP sources|date=November 2013}} |
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{{infobox person |
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{{notability|Biographies|date=September 2013}} |
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| name = Robert David Keppel |
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'''Robert David Keppel''' (born 15 June 1944) is a retired American law enforcement officer and detective best known for his work investigating [[serial killer]]s [[Ted Bundy]] and [[Gary Ridgway]]. |
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| birth_date = June 15 1944 |
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| death_place = |
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| death_date = June 14 2021 (age 76) |
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| education= [[Washington State University]] |
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| occupation= {{hlist|Criminologist|detective|professor|author}} |
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}} |
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'''Robert David Keppel''' (June 15, 1944 – June 14, 2021) was an American law enforcement officer and detective. He was also an associate professor at the [[University of New Haven]] and [[Sam Houston State University]]. Keppel was known for his contributions to the investigations of [[Ted Bundy]] and [[Gary Ridgway]], and also assisted in the creation of HITS, the Homicide Investigation Tracking System. |
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Keppel grew up in [[Spokane, Washington]], and graduated from Central Valley High School in 1962, where he was a star athlete. He attended [[Washington State University]] in [[Pullman, Washington]], on an athletic scholarship. |
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After playing freshman [[basketball]] at WSU, in his next three years of college, he elected to concentrate on High Jumping in Track and Field. Although he was only 5'11", he was an outstanding collegiate High Jumper. He just missed making America's 1964 [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] team as a high jumper. After he graduated from college, he high-jumped 7 feet. |
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He earned a B.S. in Police Science and Administration at Washington State in 1966, and his M.A. in 1967. In 1979 he received a Master of Education degree from Seattle University. In 1992 he received his [[Ph.D.]] in [[Criminal Justice]] from the [[University of Washington]].<ref>[http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-psychology-of-serial-killer-investigations-robert-d-keppel/1111894147?ean=9780080515397 Meet the Author, Robert Keppel]</ref> |
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Robert Keppel was raised in [[Spokane, Washington]], where he attended Central Valley High School. After graduating, he went on to attend [[Washington State University]], where he competed in the high jump.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Ramsland|first=Katherine|date=Spring 2012|title=Robert D. Keppel: Consulting Detective|journal=The Forensic Examiner|volume=21|pages=52–55|via=EBSCOhost}}</ref> Keppel was inspired by his father to pursue criminal justice, in hopes to become a police chief.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://magazine.wsu.edu/2009/09/30/anatomy-of-murder-robert-keppel-66-police-science-67-ma-police-science/|title=Anatomy of Murder: Robert Keppel '66 Police Science, '67 MA Police Science {{!}} Washington State Magazine {{!}} Washington State University|website=magazine.wsu.edu|language=en-US|access-date=2018-05-09}}</ref> He went on to receive his master's degree in police science and administration.<ref>[http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-psychology-of-serial-killer-investigations-robert-d-keppel/1111894147?ean=9780080515397 Meet the Author, Robert Keppel]</ref> Following graduation in 1966, Keppel worked for the [[King County Sheriff's Office]] before being drafted as an Army drill sergeant and a captain in the [[Vietnam War]] from 1967 to 1974.<ref name=":0" /> |
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==Career== |
==Career== |
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The "Ted Murders" marked the beginning of Robert Keppel's career as a detective. Witnesses from [[Lake Sammamish State Park]] provided information regarding a man named "Ted" who had talked to two young women that were declared missing.<ref name=":0" /> During the investigation, Keppel narrowed down a large list of suspects until he was left with 25, including [[Ted Bundy]]. He confronted Bundy, but Bundy dismissed the conversation. Before Keppel could speak with him again, Bundy had already been arrested and fled custody.<ref name=":0" /> |
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Keppel first encountered the "Ted Murders" just one week after beginning work as a homicide detective. He investigated Bundy and his crimes extensively and continued a correspondence with him from the time of his initial imprisonment to his [[death penalty|execution]] in 1989, at one point consulting him in order to form a [[offender profiling|profile]] of the then at-large [[Gary Ridgway|Green River Killer]]. Keppel was able to get Bundy to confess to several unsolved murders in the weeks leading up to his execution. |
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After moving on from the "Ted Murders," Keppel decided to return to a doctorate program at [[University of Washington]].<ref name=":0" /> While completing this 12-year program, he took the position as chief investigator for Washington State Attorney General's office.<ref name=":0" /> In this position, he investigated other crimes like the disappearance of Captain Rolf Neslund, and the death of Donna Howard.<ref name=":0" /> |
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Bundy was sent a paperback copy of [[Thomas Harris]]' ''[[Red Dragon (novel)|Red Dragon]]'' — which depicts the relationship between a detective and an incarcerated serial killer — when it was revealed that Harris was in attendance for a portion of Bundy's 1979 Miami "Chi Omega" murder trial, and incorporated several elements of Bundy's case evidence into the plot of the novel (most notably the bite-mark exhibits and related testimony). Harris also based the relationship between [[FBI]] trainee [[Clarice Starling]] and serial killer [[Hannibal Lecter]] in his 1988 novel ''[[The Silence of the Lambs (novel)|The Silence of the Lambs]]'' upon interviews between Keppel and Bundy concerning the Green River Killer.<ref>[http://www.houstonianonline.com/news/view.php/673329/A-real-life-Silence-of-the-Lambs A real life Silence of the Lambs]</ref> |
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Keppel was asked to assist in the Green River Task Force for the investigation of a set of murders in Washington. By 1984, [[Ted Bundy]] began writing letters to Robert Keppel in hopes to help in the investigation of the [[Gary Ridgway|Green River Killer]].<ref name=":0" /> This correspondence led to interviews between the two, which resulted in Bundy confessing to his unidentified crimes days before his execution.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> |
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With [[forensic psychology|forensic psychologist]] and criminal profiler [[Richard Walter (psychologist)|Richard Walter]], Keppel published an article that groups serial killers into four distinct sub-types: power-assertive, power-reassurance, anger-retaliatory, and anger-excitation or [[Sadomasochism|sadism]]. Walter and Keppel also created the [[Homicide Investigation Tracking System]] (H.I.T.S.), which provides crime and offender characteristics for law enforcement. |
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==Later life== |
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| ⚫ | Keppel retired as chief criminal investigator for the Washington State Attorney General's Office in 1995. He joined the faculty of [[Seattle University]]. {{As of|2004}}, Keppel was an associate professor of [[criminal justice]] at [[Sam Houston State University]], and taught there via [[teleconference]].<ref name=":0" /> In 2007, Keppel joined the [[University of New Haven]] as an associate professor of [[criminal justice]].<ref name=":0" /> |
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| ⚫ | Keppel was author of ''The Riverman: Ted Bundy and I Hunt for the Green River Killer'', made into a [[The Riverman|made-for-TV movie of the same name]] in 2004, starring [[Bruce Greenwood]] as Keppel and [[Cary Elwes]] as Bundy.<ref>{{Citation|last=Eagles|first=Bill|title=The Riverman|date=2004-09-06|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0304636/|others=Bruce Greenwood, Sam Jaeger, Sarah Manninen|access-date=2018-05-09}}</ref> He was also the author of many textbooks regarding [[criminal justice]] and related topics. |
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==Works== |
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The Psychology of Serial Killer Investigations: The Grisly Business Unit |
* ''The Psychology of Serial Killer Investigations: The Grisly Business Unit'' (with William Birnes) (2003; {{ISBN|0124042600}}) |
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(with William Birnes) (2003) {{ISBN|0124042600}} |
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* ''Forensic Pattern Recognition: From Fingerprints to Tool Marks'' (with Katherine M. Brown and Kristen M. Welch) (2006; {{ISBN|978-0132329484}}) |
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==Later life== |
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| ⚫ | Keppel retired as chief criminal investigator for the Washington State Attorney General's Office. He joined the faculty of |
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* ''Profiling: Principles, Processes, Practicalities'' (with David V. Canter) (2010; {{ISBN|9780131192768}}) |
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| ⚫ | Keppel |
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==References== |
==References== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/profiling/keppel1/1.html Crime Library interview] |
* [http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/profiling/keppel1/1.html Crime Library interview] |
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{{Ted Bundy}} |
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* [http://www.cjcenter.org/vitas/Keppel.pdf Keppel's Curriculum Vitae (in PDF format)] |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Keppel, Robert}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Keppel, Robert}} |
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[[Category:1944 births]] |
[[Category:1944 births]] |
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[[Category:American police detectives]] |
[[Category:American police detectives]] |
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[[Category:Washington State University alumni]] |
[[Category:Washington State University alumni]] |
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[[Category:University of New Haven faculty]] |
[[Category:University of New Haven faculty]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:People from Spokane, Washington]] |
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[[Category:Ted Bundy]] |
[[Category:Ted Bundy]] |
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[[Category:American criminologists]] |
[[Category:American criminologists]] |
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Latest revision as of 11:34, 24 June 2023
Robert David Keppel | |
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| Born | June 15 1944 |
| Died | June 14 2021 (age 76) |
| Education | Washington State University |
| Occupations |
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Robert David Keppel (June 15, 1944 – June 14, 2021) was an American law enforcement officer and detective. He was also an associate professor at the University of New Haven and Sam Houston State University. Keppel was known for his contributions to the investigations of Ted Bundy and Gary Ridgway, and also assisted in the creation of HITS, the Homicide Investigation Tracking System.
Early life
[edit]Robert Keppel was raised in Spokane, Washington, where he attended Central Valley High School. After graduating, he went on to attend Washington State University, where he competed in the high jump.[1] Keppel was inspired by his father to pursue criminal justice, in hopes to become a police chief.[2] He went on to receive his master's degree in police science and administration.[3] Following graduation in 1966, Keppel worked for the King County Sheriff's Office before being drafted as an Army drill sergeant and a captain in the Vietnam War from 1967 to 1974.[1]
Career
[edit]The "Ted Murders" marked the beginning of Robert Keppel's career as a detective. Witnesses from Lake Sammamish State Park provided information regarding a man named "Ted" who had talked to two young women that were declared missing.[1] During the investigation, Keppel narrowed down a large list of suspects until he was left with 25, including Ted Bundy. He confronted Bundy, but Bundy dismissed the conversation. Before Keppel could speak with him again, Bundy had already been arrested and fled custody.[1]
After moving on from the "Ted Murders," Keppel decided to return to a doctorate program at University of Washington.[1] While completing this 12-year program, he took the position as chief investigator for Washington State Attorney General's office.[1] In this position, he investigated other crimes like the disappearance of Captain Rolf Neslund, and the death of Donna Howard.[1]
Keppel was asked to assist in the Green River Task Force for the investigation of a set of murders in Washington. By 1984, Ted Bundy began writing letters to Robert Keppel in hopes to help in the investigation of the Green River Killer.[1] This correspondence led to interviews between the two, which resulted in Bundy confessing to his unidentified crimes days before his execution.[1][2]
Later life
[edit]Keppel retired as chief criminal investigator for the Washington State Attorney General's Office in 1995. He joined the faculty of Seattle University. As of 2004[update], Keppel was an associate professor of criminal justice at Sam Houston State University, and taught there via teleconference.[1] In 2007, Keppel joined the University of New Haven as an associate professor of criminal justice.[1]
Keppel was author of The Riverman: Ted Bundy and I Hunt for the Green River Killer, made into a made-for-TV movie of the same name in 2004, starring Bruce Greenwood as Keppel and Cary Elwes as Bundy.[4] He was also the author of many textbooks regarding criminal justice and related topics.
Works
[edit]- Serial Murder: Future Implications for Police Investigations (1989; ISBN 0932930840)
- Signature Killers (with William Birnes) (1997; ISBN 0671001302)
- Murder: A Multidisciplinary Anthology of Readings (with Joseph Weis) (1999)
- The Psychology of Serial Killer Investigations: The Grisly Business Unit (with William Birnes) (2003; ISBN 0124042600)
- The Riverman: Ted Bundy and I Hunt for the Green River Killer (with William Birnes) (1995; ISBN 0671867636 / Revised after Ridgeway confessions, 2004; ISBN 9780671867638)
- Offender Profiling (2006; ISBN 075938875X)
- Forensic Pattern Recognition: From Fingerprints to Tool Marks (with Katherine M. Brown and Kristen M. Welch) (2006; ISBN 978-0132329484)
- Serial Violence: Analysis of Modus Operandi and Signature Characteristics of Killers (with William Birnes) (2008; ISBN 9781420066326)
- Profiling: Principles, Processes, Practicalities (with David V. Canter) (2010; ISBN 9780131192768)
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Ramsland, Katherine (Spring 2012). "Robert D. Keppel: Consulting Detective". The Forensic Examiner. 21: 52–55 – via EBSCOhost.
- ^ a b "Anatomy of Murder: Robert Keppel '66 Police Science, '67 MA Police Science | Washington State Magazine | Washington State University". magazine.wsu.edu. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
- ^ Meet the Author, Robert Keppel
- ^ Eagles, Bill (2004-09-06), The Riverman, Bruce Greenwood, Sam Jaeger, Sarah Manninen, retrieved 2018-05-09
External links
[edit]| International | |
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| National | |
