"Smiley Face Killers" Red River Feature Film Trailer

Red River Feature Film Trailer

PIEHL: 'Smiley Face Killers' - Your Questions

Almost everyday, someone emails me a question about the Smiley Face Killer story or a missing persons case. If one person has a question and sends it to me, then there must be more people thinking the same thing.

Here are the answers to a few questions that I've recently received.

1. "I thought I heard an arrest was about to be made. Any word on that?"

The FBI has said agents are not investigating these drownings and blame the cases on alcohol. While some of the drowning cases are classified by the local police departments as "open", my information is that one or two could considered "active."

The father of one of the victims is involved in an investigation in Albany, New York with retired NYPD detectives, Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte. Bill Szostak has told me, that through his work, he believes he knows what happened to his son and has nearly enough information that he could get a conviction in court. Since Szostak isn't licensed in law enforcement, no official action could happen without the involvement of the Albany Police Department. Szostak tells me that his son's case was closed just hours after Josh's body was pulled from the water.

Of the cases that Gannon and Duarte believe are connected, only Chris Jenkins' is classified as homicide. Right now, the homicide investigation in Minneapolis is open. Police have identified suspects and turned data over to the Hennepin County Prosecutor. Last July, attorneys determined there was not enough evidence to put together a criminal case.

2. "What about Brandon Swanson?"

Brandon Swanson disappeared near Marshall in May. Dedicated search crews are spending some weekends looking for him. Swanson's car was recovered, but there hasn't been any sign of him.

There is no reason to believe that Swanson's case is related to any others. However, many people have asked me about it because Swanson fits the general description of other men who have disappeared or been found drowned.

3. My son heard that the body of a missing boy was recovered "on the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Paul... why is there nothing in the news?"

The missing St. Paul boy that this person is referring to is Joey Kaiser. He was last seen leaving his home on his bike in May. His bike was found in the Mississippi River, but there hasn't been any sign of him.

A body was recovered in the Mississippi this week near the area where Kaiser went missing. St. Paul Police tell us that it will take DNA tests to determine identity. There are dozens of people missing in St. Paul and officers are NOT currently connecting the recovered body to Kaiser's case.

Officially, Kaiser has not been classified as "endangered." His family told the media that Kaiser was angry and was dealing with some mental health issues when he biked away from his home in May.

Ravenna death possibly tied to 'smiley face killers' killing spree

PLEASE VISIT THIS LINK BELOW FOR THE NEWS VIDEO COVERAGE:http://video.woodtv.com/wvx.php?video_id=13581&ad_id=126

Todd Geib

The killers usually leave behind a calling card - a smiley face.

Kathy Geib

RAVENNA, Mich. (WOOD) -- In 2005, the Ravenna community scoured the area after 22-year-old Todd Geib went missing for three weeks. They found his body floating in Obenhall Lake.

Local police say the case is officially closed - ruled as an accidental drowning. But Geib's family says it was deliberate, as they continue to look for answers.

Those in his hometown are coming together and signing their names to a petition, asking the FBI to look into the possibility that Geib's death was something more sinister - a part of what some investigators think is a nationwide crime ring that targets people just like Todd.

"It's hard, it will always be hard, the reality when you lose a child. But then we come back here with a lot of questions...what happened to him?" said Kathy Geib, Todd's mother. "For three years we couldn't do anything, you know, knowing that what we believed was foul play, but there was nothing to do, no leads to go on."

She said she thinks her son's death may be part of a national chain of murders - a crime spree recently profiled on the "Today Show."

New York City private investigators, including some retired FBI agents, say they are looking into more than 40 seemingly accidental drownings, mostly in the Midwest, that have too many similarities to be coincidental.

The detectives linked those deaths together and believe the "smiley face killers" - a group they say targets college-aged athletic men who leave bars or parties - committed the crimes, leaving the victims in a body of water.

"In our hearts, we do think Todd's death is very, very, very similar to these 'smiley face' gang murders," said Kathy.

"Generally speaking, a victim will know their murderer. In these cases, we would say that these victims are not picked randomly. Generally speaking, the victims are stalked and they are chosen for a very specific reason."

The killers usually leave behind a calling card - a smiley face.

The investigators are looking into five potential "smiley face"-related murders in Michigan - four occurred near the Michigan State University campus and Geib's.

"So even if my son turned out not to be connected to it, it would be a passion of mine to make sure that the FBI went through and investigated every one of these murders. They're too much alike," said Kathy. "This is a lot of other mothers' sons, and it could be any boy that leaves a bar or party tomorrow night. We don't know where they're gonna be or when they're gonna hit."

Geib's family and investigators aren't releasing many details about the investigation as it is in its early stages. The family said the detectives from New York are coming to West Michigan to see if Geib's death is actually connected to the "smiley face" murders.

On the Net:

Nationwide Investigations - Justice for victims, their families, and society

Smiley Face victims investigation fund

PIEHL: New developments 'Smiley Face Killers'

Another Congressman wrote a letter to the FBI Director requesting a formal investigation. This time it's from Rep. Sam Graves of Missouri. This letter is the third from an elected official to Director Robert Muller.

In a new development, the Medical Examiner concluded his report for Tommy Booth. He is the young man who was found drowned in Ridley Township, PA. After seeing our report on Good Morning America, the detectives went to the bar where Booth was last seen and found smiley face graffiti. Since then, the PA detectives have worked with the retired NY detectives who first looked into a link between the drownings. The Medical Examiner concluded that the cause of Booth's death was "Undetermined." While this is not the result Booth's loved ones would like, the cause was not ruled "Accidental" which is the case in the majority of the drownings.

PIEHL: Smiley Face: A new controversy

Albany, NY is the location of the latest Smiley Face controversy. Again, it's the police against the parents. As I reported in an earlier blog, Bill Szostak believes that he knows what happened to his son Josh.

Albany Police closed the case hours after Josh's body was found drowned. Bill has been working with retired NY Detective, Kevin Gannon. As you first read here, they believe that there is enough evidence to tie Josh's drowning to the Smiley Face Killers and dozens of other drownings across the country. Bill won't reveal all the evidence, but a smiley face was found spray painted on a tree near the river.

In past and current newspaper articles and radio interviews, the local investigators have accused Bill of painting the graffiti himself. The Medical Examiner ruled Josh's death accidental with no signs of foul play. The Police say they are confident in that ruling and their own work.

They've also said that if there is new information or evidence, they would like to see it. To date, the Albany investigators say they've never been given anything new in the case from Bill or Kevin Gannon. Bottom line: the official investigation into Josh Szostak's death is closed while the unofficial one is wide open, active and (I'm told) gaining ground.

Albany Police: Smiley Face Killers, Still No Evidence in Szostak Case

Albany Police: Still No Evidence in Szostak Case

By 810 WGY News

Monday, August 4, 2008

IF YOU'VE GOT THE EVIDENCE...LET'S SEE IT. THAT...FROM ALBANY'S PUBLIC SAFETY SPOKESMAN, JIM MILLER...WHO'S TELLING 810 WGY'S AL RONEY THAT NO ONE HAS APPROACHED THEM WITH ANYTHING IN THE CASE OF JOSHUA SZOSTAK, WHOSE BODY SURFACED IN THE HUDSON RIVER THIS PAST SPRING, SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER HE VANISHED. A RETIRED NEW YORK POLICE DETECTIVE, KEVIN GANNON, SAYS HE NOW BELIEVES SZOSTAK WAS DRUGGED, ABDUCTED , AND MURDERED--POSSIBLY BY THE "SMILEY FACE KILLER"....BUT JIM MILLER SAYS LACKING ANY EVIDENCE....THE CASE IS CLOSED. THE SO-CALLED "SMILEY FACE KILLER" THEORY HAS EMERGED AS GANNON AND COLLEAGUES HAVE TRIED TO LINK THE DEATHS OF ABOUT 40 COLLEGE-AGE MEN IN 11 STATES OVER THE PAST DECADE.

Ex-cop: Szostak murder victim Retired policeman says he believes drowning was work of "Smiley Face" killer

Ex-cop: Szostak murder victim Retired policeman says he believes drowning was work of "Smiley Face" killer

By JIMMY VIELKIND, Staff writer Click byline for more stories by writer. First published: Sunday, August 3, 2008

ALBANY -- A retired detective says Joshua Szostak, whose body was found in the Hudson River four months after he was last seen leaving a downtown bar, was abducted and murdered by the "Smiley Face" killer. Kevin Gannon, a retired New York Police Department detective who has tracked the case through his company, Nationwide Investigations, said his assertion is based on markings found in the Albany area as well as the circumstances surrounding Szostak's Dec. 23 disappearance. "We have a cumulative amount of evidence to substantiate that Josh was probably drugged, abducted and murdered," Gannon said by phone last week. "I can't tell you exactly what it is, because it would warn the Smiley Face if he knew anything about us." The Smiley Face theory emerged as Gannon and his colleagues have tried to link the deaths of some 40 students who went missing and later were found drowned in 11 states over the past decade. In each case, a smiley face was found spray-painted nearby. Gannon's investigation has been reported in newspapers and on radio and television. All the victims are white men between the ages of 19 and 23 who were high academic achievers and many played competitive sports. Gannon said Szostak, a 21-year-old SUNY Plattsburgh student, fit that profile. Detectives in Albany, and elsewhere in the country, have rejected the theory. Szostak's death was ruled an accidental drowning shortly after his body was discovered in April by a Catskill fisherman, based on autopsy findings. A spray-painted smiley face was found on a tree near the Port of Albany, but police spokesman Detective James Miller said it was not linked to Szostak and was likely a "cruel hoax." Bill Szostak, Josh's father, always suspected foul play. In addition to contacting Gannon, Bill Szostak had an independent autopsy of his son performed by noted pathologist Michael Baden. It concluded Josh drowned and had a blood alcohol content of 0.126. Gannon said Baden's report did not specify how long Josh Szostak had been in the water, leading him to believe he did not drown accidentally. "So much evidence has been found that I don't understand why the case was closed (by Albany police) within two hours of finding my son's body," Bill Szostak said recently. He said he has formed a nonprofit organization, the Smiley Face Victims Investigation Fund, and will hold a fundraiser Sept. 5 at the Verdoy Fire Department to raise money for Gannon's efforts. Detective Miller stood by Albany's investigation. "We worked on it in excess of multiple days from the course of his initial disappearance, and there had never been any credible evidence from retired detectives working on the investigation that gave us any indication that anything happened beyond a tragic accident," he said. "This should not have gotten to this point. This was strictly a tragic accident, and no one should be using it to further their own agenda." Jimmy Vielkind can be reached at 454-5043 or by e-mail at jvielkind@timesunion.com

PIEHL: Smiley Face update: Your suspicions

From Investigative Reporter Kristi Piehl:

The emails keep coming and many of you are finding unsolved or closed cases that fit the pattern. Individually, these accounts got a blurb in a newspaper or a mention on the evening news. Now that the NYPD Detectives theory about a connection with drownings is out there, you're taking another look at these cases.

In most cases, the young man was last seen with friends at a bar. After an exhaustive search, his body is found in a river and his identification and wallet are in his pocket. The Medical Examiner finds no signs of foul play and the case is either closed or goes cold.

Many of you have asked for a list of the 40 men that NYPD Detectives Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte claim are victims of the Smiley Faced Killers. At their New York news conference, a spokesperson for their company agreed to release a list. To my knowledge, this has not been made public. It's unfortunate, because it leaves many families wondering if their child's drowning was investigated. During my interviews with the Detectives, they discussed many names and cases. The majority of these have been included in my stories or have been intentionally excluded because the family does not want more publicity.

From the emails that I'm receiving, there are many people out there doing their own investigations because they are frustrated that law enforcement appears to be uninterested.

Here are a few men who's cases I hadn't heard about until they were emailed to KSTP this week.

DANNY CLUNE: www.finddanny.com

This account is from the website:

"Dan Clune disappeared from the Long Bridge Bar and Grill (Sandpoint, Idaho) on November 6, 2004 just before 2AM, he was wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and blue knit ski cap. Detectives, family and friends have searched the surrounding areas and don't believe Danny wandered off alone. Danny had just recently moved to Sandpoint from New York City. He loved his new small town life and was looking forward to settling down.

Friday November 5th Danny and some friends went to The Long Bridge Grill outside of Sandpoint, ID. Just prior to the bar closing, he and his friends began to regroup for the car ride home. The last time Danny was seen, he was looking for a friend and retrieving his blue hooded sweatshirt from the bar at about 1:45am. Cell phone records show Danny tried to call one of his close friends at 1:57am, this was the last call made from his cell phone to date.

Friends waited about 15 minutes in the parking lot, but didn't see him. Thinking he may have decided to walk home, they began driving toward Sandpoint, stopping to see if he was among the pedestrians on the Long Bridge walkway, but he was nowhere to be found.

On December 17, 2004 a duck hunter discovered a badly decomposed body in an Idaho river. On December 22, 2004 dental records were used to positively identify the body as Danny.

Danny's case is still open and we will continue to search for answers."

Arvin Sharma: http://www.geog.umd.edu/news/sharma.html

This account is from the website:
"Arvin had been missing since April 15, on the night he had gone to a club in downtown Washington, DC, with a group of friends. When his friends gathered to leave the club, Arvin could not be found. After looking for him frantically and calling his cell phone, they contacted the police. The family put out appeals for any information about his whereabouts and waited anxiously for any news throughout the following week. Tragically, his body was pulled from the Anacostia River Monday morning, April 25."rong>

Shankar Palaniappan: DISAPPEARED IN TOLEDO, OHIO ON OCTOBER 9, 2005

This account is a compilation of stories from the "Toledo Blade:"

"Toledo police are looking for a 26-year-old physician that authorities said disappeared near Gumbo's Bayou Grille at The Docks early Sunday. Sgt. Tim Noble said Dr. Shankar Palaniappan, a first-year resident at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ypsilanti, Mich., was with friends at the restaurant on Saturday night and Sunday morning. Sergeant Noble said Dr. Palaniappan drove to a friend's house in Toledo, and both took a taxi to the bar at Gumbo's."

"A preliminary autopsy of a young doctor who was found dead in the Maumee River close to downtown revealed the man likely drowned, authorities said yesterday. The body of Dr. Shankar Palaniappan, 26, of Ann Arbor was retrieved Saturday morning from the Maumee River near International Park. He disappeared Oct. 9 outside a restaurant at The Docks complex in East Toledo."

PIEHL: Smiley Face Update: Another man connected?

From Investigative Reporter Kristi Piehl:

There is a new chapter in the Smiley Face Killer story and the author is Josh Szostak's dad, Bill.

Josh went missing from an Albany, NY bar just before Christmas 2007. Weeks later, his body was recovered. According to his dad, the police closed the case just a few hours after Josh was found. Their answer? Josh accidentially drowned. It was not an answer Bill would accept.

Since then, Bill has worked countless hours investigating his son's death. After our story aired on Good Morning America, Bill began talking with retired NY Detectives, Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte. Bill told me today that Gannon and Duarte have determined that Josh was murdered as part of the Smiley Face Killings. He said, "all the factors are present." He won't talk specifically about the evidence, but he isn't just convinced he could get an arrest, he says they are close to having enough evidence to get a conviction.

Bill is now teaming up with Gannon and Duarte to work on Josh's case and others. He told me he has started his own corporation and has the paperwork ready to go. His website isn't ready yet, but it will be soon www.smileyfacevictimsfund.com.

The petition that Bill launched in an effort to get the FBI to launch a nationwide investigation is also on that site. The parents of the drowning victims have teamed up and are circulating a petition (CLICK HERE).

Stay tuned. After talking with Bill and hearing the passion in his voice, he is just getting started!