Unmasking the Alaska Polaroid Serial Killer | The Case of Samantha Koenig | UNSEEN

fall never arrives all at once first the air then the light and slowly the things you love begin to find each other a jacket meets a dress a hoodie slips beneath a blazer an old cap finds a new scarf because you don't simply step into the season you create it layer by layer until it finally feels like fall find fall your way at ross pay attention to this footage it shows what happened before samantha konig was kidnapped february 1st 2012 18 year old samantha konig is busy closing up the coffee stand where she works in anchorage alaska she constantly checks her phone expecting a text message from her boyfriend the temperature outside is well below zero and no one has been seen in the area for a while it's 8 15 p.m on one of the security cameras you can see samantha konig's face on the wall of the coffee stand it's 8 15 p.m on one of the security cameras it's 8 15 p.m on one of the security cameras it's 8 15 p.m on one of the security cameras a dark figure emerges from across the parking a dark figure emerges from across the parking a dark figure emerges from across the parking lot walking towards the drive-thru window lot walking towards the drive-thru window lot walking towards the drive-thru window samantha is then seen talking to someone samantha is then seen talking to someone samantha is then seen talking to someone before she goes off to make a coffee at before she goes off to make a coffee at before she goes off to make a coffee at first everything seems normal she engages first everything seems normal she engages first everything seems normal she engages with the man as she would any other with the man as she would any other with the man as she would any other customer until customer until customer until samantha takes a step back holding both samantha takes a step back holding both samantha takes a step back holding both her hands up she seems terrified but her hands up she seems terrified but her hands up she seems terrified but watched closely in the next few minutes watched closely in the next few minutes watched closely in the next few minutes she's going to leave a clue behind that she's going to leave a clue behind that she's going to leave a clue behind that could ruin his plan following the man's could ruin his plan following the man's could ruin his plan following the man's orders she turns off the lights in the orders she turns off the lights in the orders she turns off the lights in the front and in the back it's hard to make front and in the back it's hard to make front and in the back it's hard to make out what's happening inside the coffee out what's happening inside the coffee out what's happening inside the coffee stand but samantha appears to remove stand but samantha appears to remove stand but samantha appears to remove money from the cash register before she money from the cash register before she money from the cash register before she crouches on the floor and puts her coat crouches on the floor and puts her coat crouches on the floor and puts her coat on on on the man then asks her to turn around the man then asks her to turn around the man then asks her to turn around before he leans in through the before he leans in through the before he leans in through the drive-through window and binds her hands drive-through window and binds her hands drive-through window and binds her hands behind her back behind her back behind her back he then jumps through the window and into he then jumps through the window and into he then jumps through the window and into the coffee stand the coffee stand the coffee stand for the next several minutes samantha is for the next several minutes samantha is for the next several minutes samantha is trapped trapped trapped not knowing what's going to happen to her not knowing what's going to happen to her not knowing what's going to happen to her when they get up to leave she has when they get up to leave she has when they get up to leave she has something stuffed in her mouth something stuffed in her mouth something stuffed in her mouth at 8 25 pm samantha walks out of the at 8 25 pm samantha walks out of the at 8 25 pm samantha walks out of the coffee stand with the man close at her coffee stand with the man close at her coffee stand with the man close at her side they cross the parking lot and turn side they cross the parking lot and turn side they cross the parking lot and turn right on fairbank street before right on fairbank street before right on fairbank street before disappearing out of the frame disappearing out of the frame disappearing out of the frame 18 year old samantha koenig has been 18 year old samantha koenig has been 18 year old samantha koenig has been kidnapped and no one knows she's been kidnapped and no one knows she's been kidnapped and no one knows she's been taken taken taken but look closer inside the coffee stand but look closer inside the coffee stand but look closer inside the coffee stand there's a light flashing there's a light flashing there's a light flashing samantha has left her phone behind samantha has left her phone behind samantha has left her phone behind which will come as a shock to police which will come as a shock to police which will come as a shock to police because her boyfriend will get a text because her boyfriend will get a text because her boyfriend will get a text from her three hours after she from her three hours after she from her three hours after she disappears disappears disappears the year is 2012 in the city of the year is 2012 in the city of the year is 2012 in the city of anchorage alaska 18 year old samantha anchorage alaska 18 year old samantha anchorage alaska 18 year old samantha koenig is living a happy life with her koenig is living a happy life with her koenig is living a happy life with her father james who loves her more than father james who loves her more than father james who loves her more than anything in the world james has had full anything in the world james has had full anything in the world james has had full custody of samantha since she was two custody of samantha since she was two custody of samantha since she was two years old and does all he can to keep years old and does all he can to keep years old and does all he can to keep her safe but she's now a high school her safe but she's now a high school her safe but she's now a high school senior and enjoys going out with friends senior and enjoys going out with friends senior and enjoys going out with friends james has allowed her boyfriend dwayne to james has allowed her boyfriend dwayne to james has allowed her boyfriend dwayne to come live with them at his house come live with them at his house come live with them at his house knowing it would make her happy samantha knowing it would make her happy samantha knowing it would make her happy samantha and her dad were very close and her dad were very close and her dad were very close he's a really sweet person a biker type he's a really sweet person a biker type he's a really sweet person a biker type fellow fellow fellow samantha was his only biological child samantha was his only biological child samantha was his only biological child samantha was his world samantha was his world samantha was his world samantha has dreams of becoming a samantha has dreams of becoming a samantha has dreams of becoming a veterinarian her dad has been helping veterinarian her dad has been helping veterinarian her dad has been helping her prepare and she's been saving up her prepare and she's been saving up her prepare and she's been saving up money for the future money for the future money for the future she just started work at a new place she just started work at a new place she just started work at a new place called the common grounds and on called the common grounds and on called the common grounds and on february 1st she's working the evening february 1st she's working the evening february 1st she's working the evening shift alone her boyfriend duane is shift alone her boyfriend duane is shift alone her boyfriend duane is supposed to pick her up after work supposed to pick her up after work supposed to pick her up after work it's 8 30 pm duane arrives late at the it's 8 30 pm duane arrives late at the it's 8 30 pm duane arrives late at the coffee stand and finds all the lights coffee stand and finds all the lights coffee stand and finds all the lights are off and the place is empty he tries are off and the place is empty he tries are off and the place is empty he tries calling samantha's cell phone multiple calling samantha's cell phone multiple calling samantha's cell phone multiple times but gets no answer because he was times but gets no answer because he was times but gets no answer because he was late duane thinks samantha simply got a late duane thinks samantha simply got a late duane thinks samantha simply got a lift from someone else so he decides to lift from someone else so he decides to lift from someone else so he decides to go home and wait for her there it's 11 go home and wait for her there it's 11 go home and wait for her there it's 11 30 p.m three hours later when duane 30 p.m three hours later when duane 30 p.m three hours later when duane finally gets a text back from samantha finally gets a text back from samantha finally gets a text back from samantha but the message only confuses him but the message only confuses him but the message only confuses him further she writes i know what you did further she writes i know what you did further she writes i know what you did i'm going to spend a couple of days with i'm going to spend a couple of days with i'm going to spend a couple of days with friends need time to think plan acting friends need time to think plan acting friends need time to think plan acting weird weird weird let my dad know let my dad know let my dad know duane is shocked he doesn't understand duane is shocked he doesn't understand duane is shocked he doesn't understand what he could have done that would make what he could have done that would make what he could have done that would make her angry he shares the message with her angry he shares the message with her angry he shares the message with james samantha's dad who immediately james samantha's dad who immediately james samantha's dad who immediately thinks this doesn't sound like samantha thinks this doesn't sound like samantha thinks this doesn't sound like samantha it's 3 a.m duane is unable to sleep he it's 3 a.m duane is unable to sleep he it's 3 a.m duane is unable to sleep he waits on the porch outside hoping waits on the porch outside hoping waits on the porch outside hoping samantha will come home when he sees a samantha will come home when he sees a samantha will come home when he sees a dark figure rummaging through his truck dark figure rummaging through his truck dark figure rummaging through his truck duane shouts out to the person and runs duane shouts out to the person and runs duane shouts out to the person and runs inside to get james but when they get inside to get james but when they get inside to get james but when they get back outside the figure is already gone back outside the figure is already gone back outside the figure is already gone february 2nd at 12 39 pm the anchorage february 2nd at 12 39 pm the anchorage february 2nd at 12 39 pm the anchorage police department receives this 911 call police department receives this 911 call police department receives this 911 call 9-1-1 what is the location of the 9-1-1 what is the location of the 9-1-1 what is the location of the emergency i am at common grounds emergency i am at common grounds emergency i am at common grounds espresso on old seward and tudor my espresso on old seward and tudor my espresso on old seward and tudor my daughter works at the common ground daughter works at the common ground daughter works at the common ground espresso she's been missing since she espresso she's been missing since she espresso she's been missing since she got off work last night got off work last night got off work last night at unseen we know that stories and at unseen we know that stories and at unseen we know that stories and experiences connect us that is why aura experiences connect us that is why aura experiences connect us that is why aura frames is the perfect gift for our frames is the perfect gift for our frames is the perfect gift for our closest friends and family this holiday closest friends and family this holiday closest friends and family this holiday season it can be hard to find a season it can be hard to find a season it can be hard to find a personalized and thoughtful gift for personalized and thoughtful gift for personalized and thoughtful gift for your loved ones without panicking and your loved ones without panicking and your loved ones without panicking and resorting to a gift card but with aura resorting to a gift card but with aura 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for sponsoring this episode now back to samantha's story episode now back to samantha's story episode now back to samantha's story officer kevin m is the first to arrive at officer kevin m is the first to arrive at officer kevin m is the first to arrive at the scene the scene the scene got a call towards the end of shift got a call towards the end of shift got a call towards the end of shift about a possible abduction a barista at a about a possible abduction a barista at a about a possible abduction a barista at a coffee shop coffee shop coffee shop i get there and talk to the barista's i get there and talk to the barista's i get there and talk to the barista's father and her boyfriend i was father and her boyfriend i was father and her boyfriend i was concerned when he showed up at 8 15 to concerned when he showed up at 8 15 to concerned when he showed up at 8 15 to pick her up and she wasn't here pick her up and she wasn't here pick her up and she wasn't here so i'm trying to put all this together so i'm trying to put all this together so i'm trying to put all this together i have a father and boyfriend who say i have a father and boyfriend who say i have a father and boyfriend who say that a girl didn't come home you get that a girl didn't come home you get that a girl didn't come home you get this weird text and now somebody's this weird text and now somebody's this weird text and now somebody's rummaging through her truck but they rummaging through her truck but they rummaging through her truck but they didn't call the police didn't call the police didn't call the police that would be the most logical thing in that would be the most logical thing in that would be the most logical thing in my mind my mind my mind in her truck yes at home yeah in her truck yes at home yeah in her truck yes at home yeah any reason we didn't report it i just any reason we didn't report it i just any reason we didn't report it i just figured that she just had something to figured that she just had something to figured that she just had something to get something out of her truck get something out of her truck get something out of her truck i'm thinking maybe she's got another i'm thinking maybe she's got another i'm thinking maybe she's got another boyfriend somewhere boyfriend somewhere boyfriend somewhere and she didn't want to come home and she didn't want to come home i don't know if this is truly an i don't know if this is truly an i don't know if this is truly an abduction abduction abduction but we still have to investigate it as but we still have to investigate it as but we still have to investigate it as if it was if it was if it was when officer m turns his attention to when officer m turns his attention to when officer m turns his attention to the coffee stand he talks to the the coffee stand he talks to the the coffee stand he talks to the barista who had opened the shop that barista who had opened the shop that barista who had opened the shop that morning it basically looked like someone morning it basically looked like someone morning it basically looked like someone just literally walked out of their shift just literally walked out of their shift just literally walked out of their shift i started kind of noticing a little bit i started kind of noticing a little bit i started kind of noticing a little bit more things more things more things i looked in my register i looked for the i looked in my register i looked for the i looked in my register i looked for the money that goes in my register it was money that goes in my register it was money that goes in my register it was gone gone gone then i looked in our deposit bags they then i looked in our deposit bags they then i looked in our deposit bags they were all gone were all gone were all gone several officers were at the scene we several officers were at the scene we several officers were at the scene we searched the coffee stand collecting searched the coffee stand collecting searched the coffee stand collecting evidence evidence evidence i worked and worked and worked trying to evidence i worked and worked trying to find evidence of any kind inside that find evidence of any kind inside that find evidence of any kind inside that coffee hut coffee hut coffee hut not only did i not find anything there not only did i not find anything there not only did i not find anything there was no sign of struggle was no sign of struggle was no sign of struggle but everything changes when they get but everything changes when they get but everything changes when they get their hands on the security footage their hands on the security footage their hands on the security footage detectives cue the tapes to 8 pm around detectives cue the tapes to 8 pm around detectives cue the tapes to 8 pm around the time samantha was supposed to get off the time samantha was supposed to get off the time samantha was supposed to get off work right away they can see she's alone work right away they can see she's alone work right away they can see she's alone cleaning and wiping things down cleaning and wiping things down cleaning and wiping things down at 8 15 pm a man approaches on foot and at 8 15 pm a man approaches on foot and at 8 15 pm a man approaches on foot and walks up to the drive-through window walks up to the drive-through window walks up to the drive-through window samantha goes to greet the man and samantha goes to greet the man and samantha goes to greet the man and starts making a coffee starts making a coffee starts making a coffee several times she is seen engaging with several times she is seen engaging with several times she is seen engaging with him him him at one point she turns towards the at one point she turns towards the at one point she turns towards the window and she reacts window and she reacts window and she reacts samantha recoils and puts her hands up samantha recoils and puts her hands up samantha recoils and puts her hands up detectives are convinced the man is detectives are convinced the man is detectives are convinced the man is pointing a gun at her pointing a gun at her pointing a gun at her she then walks across the coffee stand she then walks across the coffee stand she then walks across the coffee stand and turns the lights off the officers watching the footage then the officers watching the footage then the officers watching the footage then see her go to the cash register and see her go to the cash register and see her go to the cash register and remove the money she puts her coat on remove the money she puts her coat on remove the money she puts her coat on and drops to the floor so he can bind and drops to the floor so he can bind and drops to the floor so he can bind her hands together detectives have no her hands together detectives have no her hands together detectives have no idea what the man looks like as he's idea what the man looks like as he's idea what the man looks like as he's completely out of the frame until completely out of the frame until completely out of the frame until samantha moves away from the window and samantha moves away from the window and samantha moves away from the window and he jumps through the window in like he jumps through the window in like he jumps through the window in like almost one leap he just comes into the almost one leap he just comes into the almost one leap he just comes into the window window window at that point it almost seems like at that point it almost seems like at that point it almost seems like things calm down things calm down things calm down he's in there a long time before they he's in there a long time before they he's in there a long time before they leave leave leave the man stuffs napkins in samantha's the man stuffs napkins in samantha's the man stuffs napkins in samantha's mouth and leads her out of the coffee mouth and leads her out of the coffee mouth and leads her out of the coffee stand officers then see them both stand officers then see them both stand officers then see them both walking away in the parking lot they walking away in the parking lot they walking away in the parking lot they then re-watch the footage over and over then re-watch the footage over and over then re-watch the footage over and over and there's a few elements that raise red and there's a few elements that raise red and there's a few elements that raise red flags right next to the light switch flags right next to the light switch flags right next to the light switch there's an alarm if she was in danger there's an alarm if she was in danger notice that there was like a light notice that there was like a light notice that there was like a light showing up on the counter the light This is Samantha's phone, ringing every time Duane called her the night she was kidnapped. The problem is, Duane received this text message at 11.30pm from Samantha's phone. Investigators fast-forward the footage until they see movement at 11.26pm. The person came to the coffee stand. That person was wearing a headlight. The man came back, specifically to get Samantha's phone, and left. That also coincided with the fact that the first texts from Samantha's phone came at 11.30pm. The suspect then sent a misleading text message to Samantha's boyfriend to delay someone calling the police as much as he could. This new development is terrifying. Where was Samantha while the man came back? Was she tied up in his car, held captive somewhere, or worse? We told the media we have a video, and it's apparent from the video that it's kidnapping. While the police investigation shifts into high gear, Samantha's father, James, is leading efforts to find his daughter. Before you check out, head out. Samantha was last wearing a pair of furry black boots. It was just so obvious how much her father cared about Samantha, and what a close relationship they had. James was devastated that his daughter was missing, and he was trying to find her. And he had no idea where she was, or what had happened to her. I don't know if my daughter's being fed, taken care of, if she's still alive, if she's getting any sleep. Please help find my daughter. The city of Anchorage was on heightened alert. For it to actually happen so out of the blue, I mean, it's scary. I can't believe this happened here in Anchorage. The Anchorage Police Department asks for help from the FBI, but they have very little to go on. For 48 hours or so, in any case, it's important to try to develop as many leads as you can. February 4th, Samantha has been missing for three days. James Koenig has started collecting money for a reward fund, and donations are pouring in by the hundreds. There's a $41,000 reward for her safe return. The investigation expands, and the FBI retrieves surveillance footage from the Home Depot parking lot across the street from the car. You could see a couple walking through the parking lot near a busy restaurant and go into a vehicle. From there, they proceed to get surveillance tapes from nearby street cameras. While the quality of the footage is too grainy to see the license plate, they now have the suspect's vehicle. So we knew it was a white Chevy pickup truck that the suspect was using. The problem is, there's around 700 white Chevy pickup trucks identical to this one in the city of Anchorage alone. Days pass, and while investigators follow up on every lead, they're no closer to finding Samantha. Days soon turn into weeks. James refuses to stand by idly while his daughter is still out there, so he takes to social media and publicizes Samantha's disappearance. Right now, we're probably getting two or three tips a day. Whether they're helpful or not, I really can't decide. I don't know what avenue the police are taking in the investigation. There were, of course, trolls, like there is in any social media. There were people that had their own view that she wasn't actually missing. People can be so cruel. I've got to keep my spirits up and know that my heart still feels her and she's okay. James Koenig pretty much called me daily. Slav, do you have anything new for me? Slav, is there anything we could do? Because I had a lot of sympathy for him. I'm a police officer, but I'm also a father. My daughter at the time was working in a coffee stand. You know, if it happened to Samantha, it could happen to somebody else. It's February 24th. Samantha has been missing for 23 days. James is out having a meeting at a restaurant with the search party team when Samantha's boyfriend, Dwayne, gets a text. His face goes sheet white. He hurries over to James and shows him the text. A text from Samantha's phone. Under a picture at Connors Park, Ain't She Purdy. James and his family rush over to Connors Park, where there's a bulletin board. Underneath a picture of a dog named Albert, there's a Ziploc bag. Inside is a folded sheet of paper. It's the first big break that happened in the case since obtaining some video evidence three weeks earlier. The letter is a ransom note written with a typewriter. The note confirms that Samantha, is alive. In the note, he is telling us that once he collects $30,000 in six months to a year, then he will give information potentially where Samantha's at. There's a debit card number linked to Samantha's bank account where the funds should be deposited. Along with the ransom note, there's a photo of a young woman. She's naked. She's bound. Her hair is braided. She's got duct tape over her mouth. The picture is a proof of life, showing a woman next to him. Next to a newspaper from February 23rd. I contacted James Koenig. If it was really his daughter, I knew that it was going to be heartbreaking for him to see that photo. It was just me and James Koenig in the interview room. And I put the photo in front of him. He stared at it for a long time. And then he said, "Yes, it is Samantha in the photo." When James learns about the ransom, he immediately tells Sergeant Markievicz to use money from the reward fund. That same day, $5,000 is deposited into the account. We had a trace basically on the card so that if the card was used, we would be notified. However, it was a 10-minute delay in being notified. And 10 minutes in Anchorage at midnight, you can drive out of town. The city of Anchorage has about 500 ATM machines, making it impossible for them to monitor every single one. That night, the FBI gets a signal that Samantha's card has been used. Our officers rushed to the scene. But the suspect is gone. But what they do have is surveillance footage from the ATM. The suspect is wearing a mask so they can't see any facial features. He has his hood up, is wearing goggles, and has on a big puffy jacket with the words Marine Corps on the back. The most interesting part is the Nissan SUV the man is seen driving away in. This only confuses investigators further. Because the suspect could only withdraw the cash limit of $500, authorities are counting on him making another withdrawal. The FBI calls for backup and sends agents to every single publicly accessible ATM machine in the city of Anchorage. But the next time he uses the card is on March 7th in Wilcox, Arizona, over 4,000 miles away. The FBI contacts authorities in Arizona, but because of the 10-minute delay, the suspect is already gone. When they receive the footage from the ATM, investigators see the same man hiding his identity. But the car he's driving is now a white Ford Focus. That ATM withdrawal happens on March 7th. There's another one that day in Lordsburg, New Mexico. On March 10th, there's a withdrawal made in Humble, Texas. And then the next day, there's another withdrawal. In Shepard, Texas. During this whole time, we're asking ourselves, is Samantha with this individual? Is she in the vehicle? The FBI gets in touch with the Texas Rangers, and agents issue an alert to be on the lookout for a white Ford Focus. I get in my patrol car. Just take off patrolling. I look to my right, and the first thing I look at is a white Ford Focus. So I called the Ranger. We dropped everything we were doing then, and we told the police that we were going to have a white Ford Focus. And it was a white Ford Focus. It was a white Ford Focus. a few minutes yeah i mean i don't know what's going on they didn't even tell me why it was pulled over can i look at your wallet i gave you my id you're not searching anything look i i you have not given me any information i've been very open with you i've been telling you everything you're not searching anything of mine until i know what's going on and why i'm still standing here the agents are running out of options if samantha is in the trunk of the car they need to get it open fast i don't need a search warrant to search the vehicle under the vehicle exception rule on texas state law it's just general how does that work if it i'm not listening i'm not going to debate wiki okay okay i'm taking whatever action i need to take when they open the trunk samantha koenig is not there but what they do find directly connects israel keys to her kidnapping there you go hey a grey hoodie a mask gloves and goggles the same disguise that was seen in the atm videos inside the pockets they find samantha's phone and debit card we got her down sir you're under arrest investigators back in alaska take the name israel keys and execute a search warrant on his house i sent our officers to keys residence immediately to see if samantha was being held inside the house or being held captive there when they arrive at the house the first thing they notice is a white chevy pickup truck and a silver nissan x-terra suv the special assignment unit officers made entry into the home we then searched the house but samantha's not in the house after searching every square inch of the property they find no evidence samantha was ever there there was a shed separated from the house the whole shed was put onto a flat bed and taken back to the fbi building here in anchorage when the fbi dig into israel key's life they learn he has a girlfriend and a 10 year old daughter he owns a construction company and has never had any run-ins with the law on the outside no one could tell he was capable of doing something like this the u.s marshals notified the court today that israel keys is in custody in the district of alaska the fbi is hoping to get israel keys talking only he knows where samantha is but when he's extradited back to alaska keys learns from his lawyer that the computers from his house were seized so he makes the most unexpected move it's uh 15 48 by my watch it's uh march 30th you understand the rights yes are you well aware of those rights to talk to us yes he figured that having his computer would be able to find big pieces of evidence i think everybody really wants to know uh where samantha is was that an okay place to start or would you like to start elsewhere yeah we can pull up a map there of the palmer area keys directs them to an area north of anchorage towards matanuska valley like how many yards off the shoreline or feet off the shore right there and points to a spot on the lake and what should they look for specifically ice fishing spot was it a hole that you caught or was the hole there no it was a hole i cut you'll you'll see it you'll see where the hole was probably and israel keys said that is where we would find uh samantha koenig so you killed her yes we knew that samantha khanik is dead we knew that there's no more hope earlier today a forensic dive team discovered in matanuska lake when investigators believed to be the body of samantha coney a lot of people right now i know are just heartbroken everyone was rooting for her until the very end we just we couldn't believe it we we feel for the family it's it's absolutely devastating samantha's father james is at home surrounded by family and friends when he learns the news the room falls silent james worst fear has come true i'd like to welcome you today to samantha koenig's celebration of life james was devastated knowing that she wasn't going to be back james will not have any grandchildren james will not be able to give his daughter a hug ever again because of this creep when did you first meet samantha coming never met her never even seen her before so why did you go to the common grounds coffee shop on that night at that time because they were open late in his interrogation keys gives the details of what happened to samantha i had my police scanner on me and i had it in my ear he tells her not to trigger the alarm because he will know if the police are notified and he will kill her told that we were going for a little walk we were only about a hundred feet from the coffee stand maybe 200 feet and she tried to get away i tackled her after that she i was serious after that she gave me problems she kept trying to talk to me and i had to tell her to shut up a few times um because she was you know trying to make friends and stuff she's doing what she should be doing she's really trying to personalize herself to him and she's trying to to do what she needs to do to get out of that situation while he's driving around anchorage keys asks samantha for her phone when she tells him it's at the coffee hut he turns around and heads back she tries to convince him there's an alarm on the door but he doesn't believe her he needed the phone in order to send the text to samantha's boyfriend which would ultimately buy him some time before police are notified that she's making friends with him she's trying to convince him that he's missing then keys drives her to his house and leads her inside the shed at the time his girlfriend was in the home was still awake his daughter was also at home asleep keys doesn't think twice about keeping samantha captive just a few feet away from where his 10 year old daughter sleeps after tying her to the wall and turning on some loud music he asks samantha for her atm card that's when he learns she left it in her boyfriend's tree rock and that is when he leaves samantha and goes back to samantha's residence and goes into dewane's truck and ultimately finds the debit card it's now at least 3 30 in the morning israel gets back to the house and he's now gonna fulfill his plan that same night israel keys rapes samantha and kills her the next morning israel returns to his life as usual he wakes up his daughter and bags they're going on a family trip to new orleans where they will stay for the next few weeks all the while samantha's body is still in the shed but the most disturbing thing is what he does when he comes back from his trip he puts into action the next part of his plan get ransom money by pretending samantha is still alive so he bought an old polaroid camera in a thrift store he puts a makeup on her body and he puts some makeup on her body and he puts some makeup on her body took a polaroid of her and he had a recent newspaper next to her you have your monster in reality samantha was dead before police were even notified that she was missing the details of what happened to his daughter are not shared with james koenig yet he is convinced she was not key's first victim he creates a facebook page to piece together a timeline of key's whereabouts from 2004 to 2012. he calls the page have you ever met israel keys possible serial killer all james wants is to get closure for other families who might have lost someone but when tips start coming in the fbi is flooded by reports from multiple missing person cases across the country and decide to ask israel keys point blank are there any other people that you're responsible for the death of i have lots more stories to tell if you're interested he says he's willing to talk but he wants it done on his own terms he knows he has the upper hand there's certain aspects of the things that i've done that i don't i would prefer never became public the reason israel keys doesn't want this to get out is because he doesn't want his daughter to find out that doesn't stop him from enjoying the attention i think that he likes to just sit there in a way and perhaps get some sense of delight by telling these horrific stories in such a casual way knowing that he's likely shocking the investigators as it turns out james koenig was right israel keys is a serial killer and he has been doing this for many years he explains how he planned each of his murders and how he avoided detection he would bury these kill kits in areas and then travel back to those locations to commit the next crime he'd have rope he'd have gloves he'd have tape he'd have zip ties some of them he would have a gun in there keys may be talking but investigators are struggling to get the names of each one of his victims they spend days talking to him hours on end bowing to each of his demands until one of them gets caught in the act One day, a TV news channel makes this announcement. "A Channel 3 news investigation over the last several months has led us to the identity of the man accused of killing the couriers." He finds out his name has been made public and stops talking. "I have no reason to tell you more information." May 23, 2012. Israel Keys is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing. There's reporters from every news channel, but no video cameras are allowed inside the courtroom. James Koenig and his family are there. "I was expecting it to be super quick, literally one or two word answers of do you say you're innocent or guilty, and it turned into something else." Keys jumps out of his seat, over the guardrails that separates him from the rest of the gallery. One marshal grabs him at the last minute and throws him to the ground, while another shoots him with a taser gun. "Get back! Get back! Don't shoot him! Get back! Get back! Don't shoot him! Get back!" Without making a sound, Keys jumped the railing where family and friends of Samantha Koenig were seated together. James Koenig, Samantha's father, declined to comment outside the courtroom. "The next day, I interviewed Israel." "What's changed since yesterday? Uh, more community tips." November 29. Investigators only have two names, but Keys refuses to cooperate further. After 40 hours of questioning over the course of eight months, Israel Keys shuts down. Three days later, a prison guard does a routine check of Keys' cell and stumbles upon a shocking scene. "Federal inmate Israel Keys was found dead in his jail cell." "A lot of people were glad he was dead, they think that's what he deserved. But there's a lot of information he took with him." Investigators are certain Keys had killed 11 people. But for now, they only have three names: Bill Currier, Lorraine Currier, and Samantha Koenig. However, Special Agent Kat Nelson is convinced more cases will be solved, and she continues to work so that the families of his victims can finally get closure. "It won't be easy, by any means, and it may take a long time, but I'll never give up trying." As for James Koenig, Samantha's father, it's because of his relentless efforts that a serial killer was caught, finally putting an end to his reign of terror. Since his daughter's death in 2012, he's created an organization that helps others find missing family members. It works to help conduct searches, offering support and advice. The program is called Seeking Alaska's Missing, or SAM for short. Family and friends are also working to pass a bill that aims to improve workplace safety across Alaska so that what happened to Samantha never happens again, naming it the Samantha Koenig Safety Act. As of today, they are still working to pass this bill and are asking for support from the public. While James has lost his only daughter, she will always be in his heart, and through his work, he's making sure Samantha's memory lives on. The story of Samantha Koenig, Samantha Koenig's family, is the story of Samantha Koenig's family. Fall never arrives all at once. First the air, then the light, and slowly the things you love begin to find each other. A jacket meets a dress, a hoodie slips beneath a blazer, an old cap finds a new scarf. Because you don't simply step into the season, you create it, layer by layer, until it finally feels like fall. Find fall your way at Ross.