S8 Ep.4: Samantha

Summary

Mind of a Monster: The Cross-Country Killer

Ep.4: Samantha

Release Date: February 3, 2026
Host: Dr. Michelle Ward

---

Overview

In this gripping episode, criminal psychologist Dr. Michelle Ward explores the abduction and murder of Samantha Koenig by serial killer Israel Keyes. The podcast delves into the investigation from multiple perspectives: family, friends, police, and FBI, revealing how Keyes—usually meticulous and methodical—broke his own rules and left a trail that finally led to his capture. The episode is rich with first-hand accounts, emotional interviews, and sharp psychological insights.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Israel Keyes’ Double Life and Modus Operandi (02:30–04:24)

• Dual nature: Keyes is depicted as a family man and a "cross-country killer." He is described as predatory, efficient, and “strikes from the shadows.”
• Psychological insight: Dr. Ward and others emphasize the power Keyes derived from maintaining his double life.
• Quote:

  “I don’t think he ever wanted people to know about his crimes. I think the power for him was sustaining those two lives.”
  — Unnamed Interviewee (02:52)

2. Anchorage and Atmosphere: Everyday Encounters with a Monster (04:24–08:11)

• Setting the scene: Anchorage in winter is described as oppressive, isolating, and potentially dangerous.
• Jan Alton Interview:
  Jan, a Lowe’s employee, recounts repeated late-night encounters with Keyes, describing him as “good looking, polite, but gave some people bad vibes.”
  • Quote:

    “He was tall, he had dark curly hair...I always thought he had the prettiest skin. My coworker’s like, ‘Oh, he’s weird.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, he might be weird, but he’s still cute.’”
    — Jan Alton (06:18)

• Chilling purchases: Jan recalls Keyes buying buckets, rope, gloves, and knives—items later seen as sinister in hindsight.
• Unsettling intuition:

  “My initial thought of him was that he was running from something… I just knew something wasn’t right, but I could never pinpoint what it was.”
  — Jan Alton (08:11)

3. The Disappearance of Samantha Koenig (08:30–14:16)

• Family’s alarm: Samantha’s boyfriend, Dwayne, and father, James Koenig, report her missing when she doesn’t come home after her shift at Common Grounds Espresso.
• Police reaction: Detective Slavomir Markowitz and the Anchorage PD move quickly, pulling surveillance footage from the coffee stand.
• Abduction caught on camera: Footage shows Samantha’s demeanor changing to fear, then a masked man entering through the window and abducting her.
  • Quote:

    “You see her arms raised. She steps away and she soon lays down on the floor. Then suddenly, you see a person jumping through the window.”
    — Detective Markowitz (12:11)

4. Investigative Breakthroughs and Community Impact (14:16–24:29)

• Emotional impact: Detective Markowitz relates to James Koenig as a father, highlighting the personal stakes in the case.
  • Quote:

    “If it happened to Samantha, you know, it can happen to somebody else.”
    — Detective Markowitz (13:50)

• Widespread fear: Samantha’s case receives massive local attention, with volunteers distributing flyers and raising reward funds.
• Underlying norm violation: Dr. Ward points out how this abduction broke all of Keyes’ usual "rules": it was public, local, and risked exposure.

5. The Ransom Note: Unexpected Contact from the Abductor (24:50–29:14)

• Ransom message: Three weeks after Samantha’s disappearance, a message leads to a chilling photograph of her with a ransom demand.
  • Quote:

    “There was a photo of Samantha. There was tape over the mouth. The person was bound, naked, helpless… Eyes were closed, head turned to the side, hair braided—never her usual style—a newspaper from two weeks after her abduction.”
    — Detective Markowitz (27:29)

6. The Hunt and Federal Investigation (29:14–34:09)

• Bank cards as a trail: The abductor tries to extract ransom money, first in Anchorage, then in Texas, making the case national.
• FBI involvement: Agent Deborah Rose is contacted after activity is detected in Texas.
  • Quote:

    “It’s a needle in a haystack. It’s just a shot in the dark, really.”
    — Agent Rose (32:20)

7. Arrest and Evidence (36:04–41:52)

• Vehicle stop: Texas Highway Patrol Sergeant Brian Henry spots the suspect’s rental; stops and interviews him, suspicious due to the Anchorage license.
  • Notable moment:

    "I mean, he never acted any different than you would think anyone else would. He wasn’t nervous.”
    — Sgt. Brian Henry (38:11)

• Linking evidence: Israel Keyes is arrested after finding dyed cash, a mask, amber glasses, Samantha’s card and phone in his car.
• Israel's composure: Keyes remains calm, declining consent for searches and offering implausible explanations, revealing his belief he was above suspicion.

8. Interrogation and Admission (42:17–48:27)

• Questioned by Alaska investigators:
  Keyes initially stonewalls, then gives an absurd story about how he got the ATM card.
  • Quote:

    “He told us that he found it on the front seat of his truck...they had scratched the PIN number on it for his use.”
    — Investigator Monique Dahl (43:38)

• Detectives’ realization: Dahl and Bell quickly conclude Samantha is likely dead, despite not having a body.
• Keyes confesses:
  After weeks, Keyes confirms he killed Samantha, showing no emotion.
  • Quote:

    “I mean, it doesn’t really matter how it happened. I’m saying that, yes, I was responsible... Yes.” — Israel Keyes (48:23–48:26)

  • Quote:

    “I'll tell everything you want to know. I'll give it blow by blow if you want.”
    — Israel Keyes (48:36)

9. The Lasting Mystery and Looking Ahead (48:41–49:37)

• Frustrating inconsistencies: Dr. Ward reflects on how the Samantha Koenig case reveals chinks in Keyes’ criminal methods—chinks that led to his arrest.
• Lingering questions: The episode closes by teasing the next chapter: the wider body count and the chilling details of Keyes’ crimes yet to emerge.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “He’s kind of like a Jekyll Hyde type.”
  — Jan Alton, about Keyes’ charisma and underlying menace (06:58)

• “The investigation was just so disturbing and something you'll never forget.”
  — Investigators Monique Dahl and Jeff Bell (02:08)

• “Her spirit was just radiant...She wanted to experience life outside of Alaska.”
  — Jan Alton, about Samantha Koenig (18:13)

• “That has to be the stupidest explanation I’ve ever heard.”
  — Dr. Michelle Ward, reacting to Keyes’ ATM card story (43:28)

• “Even though we expect it, it’s still striking to hear how little compassion or emotion Keyes displays when confessing to the murder.”
  — Dr. Michelle Ward (48:27)

---

Timestamps of Key Segments

• Keyes’ Modus Operandi: 02:30–04:24
• Jan Alton & Lowe’s Encounters: 04:47–08:11
• Samantha’s Disappearance: 08:30–14:16
• Abduction Surveillance: 11:44–13:15
• Ransom Note Discovery: 24:50–29:14
• FBI Agent Rose Interview & Texas Hunt: 30:35–34:09
• Arrest in Texas: 36:04–41:52
• Keyes’ Interrogation & Confession: 42:29–48:36
• Episode Reflections and Next Time Preview: 48:41–49:37

---

Language and Tone

• The episode maintains a measured, empathetic tone, driven by Dr. Ward's psychological insight and the authenticity of interviews from police, FBI, friends, and family.
• The language is accessible but somber, balancing tragedy with investigative intrigue and horror at the details of the crime.

---

Summary Takeaway

Episode 4 of "Mind of a Monster: The Cross-Country Killer" offers a vivid, emotional, and suspenseful account of the Samantha Koenig abduction and murder. It traces the investigative breakthroughs that led to Israel Keyes’ arrest and the disturbing realization of the depths of his double life. By focusing on the ways in which Keyes broke his own rules, the episode foreshadows even darker secrets to be unearthed in future episodes.

Transcript

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Why choose a sleep number Smart bed. Can I make my site softer?

[Sleep Number Advertiser / Carvana Advertiser]

Can I make my site firmer? Can we sleep cooler?

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Sleep number does that cools up to eight times faster and lets you choose your ideal comfort on either side your sleep number setting. Enjoy personalized comfort for better sleep night after night. And now during our president's day sale take 50% off our limited edition bed.

[Rebel.com Advertiser]

Shop now for a limited time only.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

At a sleep number store or sleepnumber.com.

[Rebel.com Advertiser]

Did you know you can save up to 70% on your favorite brands every single day? From rebel.com sells strollers, car seats, espresso machines, skincare, cookware. Everything you need for your home, your family and your life. All for way less. Here's how it works. Every day Rebel drops thousands of new products for up to 70% off. It's a non stop feed of deals from brands like UPPAbaby, Nuna, BabyBjorn, Nespresso, Breville, Wilson, Dyson, Caraway and. But every listing is one of a kind. So if you see something you love, you have to move fast. Why pay full price when you don't have to? From baby gear to tech to self care staples, Rebel helps you save big on brands you know and love. Shop now@from rebel.com.

[Sleep Number Advertiser / Carvana Advertiser]

Reggie, I just sold my car online.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

Let's go, grandpa.

[Sleep Number Advertiser / Carvana Advertiser]

Wait, you did? Yep.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

On Carvana.

[Sleep Number Advertiser / Carvana Advertiser]

Just put in the license plate, answered a few questions, got an offer in minutes. Easier than setting up that new digital picture frame.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

You don't say.

[Sleep Number Advertiser / Carvana Advertiser]

Yeah, they're even picking it up tomorrow.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

Talk about fast. Wow. Way to go. So about that picture frame. Ah, forget about it.

[Sleep Number Advertiser / Carvana Advertiser]

Until Carvana makes one, I'm not interested.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Car selling made easy on Carvana. Pickup fees may apply. This podcast explores themes of murder. Listener discretion is advised. Previously on Mind of a Monster, the Cross Country Killer.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

How would you identify a victim? I would let them come to me.

[Investigators Monique Dahl and Jeff Bell]

I've had some confessions in my history, but nothing to that detail. The whole thing is just so disturbing. And something that you'll Never forget.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

From ID and Arrow Media, I'm criminal psychologist Dr. Michelle Ward, and this is Mind of a Monster, the Cross Country Killer, Chapter four. Samantha.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

So he's driving around, planning crimes, psyching himself up to commit them. There's not a body and not any witnesses. Then I probably won't ever even be questioned about it.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Israel Keyes is a deadly predator who strikes from the shadows, brutalizes and butchers his victims, and then covers his tracks so efficiently that no one knows he's out there. Getting away with it.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

I don't think he ever wanted people to know about his crimes. I think the power for him was sustaining those two lives and being remembered as a great father and a great construction worker and a great boyfriend and a great son.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

It's been six months since Israel Keys visited family on the east coast and took a detour to kidnap and murder Bill and Lorraine Courier back in Anchorage. He's Mr. Reliable. His daughter now lives with him in Kimberley. And Keys construction has a five star rating.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

After the Courier thing in Vermont, it kind of calms me out for a while and I just went back to Alaska and just work, you know, like for six months and everything. Business as usual.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

How long could you go in between.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Feeling like you had to sort of.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

Do something to get that rush that.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

You'Ve talked about in some of the other interviews.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

I was always able before to refocus.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

On daily activities, if you will, and.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

Sometimes get pretty sidetracked by whatever was.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

Going on, projects or whatever. That always comes back.

[Investigators Monique Dahl and Jeff Bell]

Does it make it worse living up here in the where work slowed down in the winter?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

Yeah, I'd say Alaska definitely accelerated my outlook on life.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

It's late January 2012, and Anchorage is in the dark grip of Alaskan winter. It's a rough time of year in a tough city. The days are short, the snowfall heavy, and the sense of isolation can be oppressive. Folks overload on hot coffee to get through the day. Folks like Jan Alton. So you came to Alaska from South Carolina?

[Jan Alton (Lowe's employee)]

My husband was stationed there in the military, so we moved there in 2010.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

It must have been a culture shock. Tell me about those winter nights.

[Jan Alton (Lowe's employee)]

The only way that I can really describe Alaska at night is getting a snow globe at night and shaking it. And you see all of the fake snow swirling around and it's dark. That's what it felt like at night in Alaska.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Wow, that sounds kind of scary.

[Jan Alton (Lowe's employee)]

Yes. Getting off at work at night is always dangerous for young women especially. You wouldn't see anybody for miles. And it was just an eerie feeling to know that if something happened, there's nobody else around to hear you if you scream for help.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Jan works in a Lowe's home improvement store near the town of Palmer, about 40 minutes drive inland from Anchorage. It's the sort of job and the sort of place where not a lot happens. But there's one customer jan remembers even 13 years later.

[Jan Alton (Lowe's employee)]

So I was working one late afternoon and a gentleman came up to me and approached me at the returns desk and he had a couple of items that he needed to return to our store. So I happened to look at his credit card, and that's when I learned who he was. And it was Israel Keys. And I said, thank you, Mr. Keys. Come back. And he goes, I prefer to be called by my first name. And so that's how I got to know Israel.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

What did he look like?

[Jan Alton (Lowe's employee)]

I actually got a lot of grief about this because I always thought Israel was a good looking man. I mean, he was tall, he had dark curly hair, he had dark eyes. And, you know, I always thought that he had the prettiest skin. And I told one of my co workers, I said, he is such a cute guy. And my coworker's like, oh, he's weird. I was like, yeah, he might be weird, but he's still cute.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

So he's cute. Did he strike you as odd?

[Jan Alton (Lowe's employee)]

He's the type of guy that would. That, you know, he might be a little weird, but he was somebody that you would like to have a conversation with. Like. Cause he was always, yes, ma'.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

Am.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

No, ma'. Am.

[Jan Alton (Lowe's employee)]

Yes, sir. No, sir, please. Thank you. I mean, he was just always so polite. He's kind of like a Jekyll Hyde type.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Oh, that's interesting. So you saw some of the Jekyll. Did you see any of the Mr. Hyde?

[Jan Alton (Lowe's employee)]

We got a lot of girls that were not comfortable dealing with him. Like, there was one girl, she would not. She didn't want him to come through her line. Or there was one female that did not want to, you know, have any type of conversation with him at all because of the vibes that he put off. I don't know if they picked up on something was not right or was it just a feeling they got? You know, it's kind of hard to explain.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Jan serves keys multiple times, often late at night.

[Jan Alton (Lowe's employee)]

He would buy the Lowe's buckets and the lids, and he would buy rope.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

He would buy gloves.

[Jan Alton (Lowe's employee)]

He bought a knife one time. Maybe it was a multipurpose knife.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

I wonder if Jan ever questions why her loyal customer drives 40 minutes out of town under darkness to buy his items.

[Jan Alton (Lowe's employee)]

My initial thought of him was that he was running from something, maybe from the law, or maybe he went AWOL from the military. I just knew that something wasn't right, but I could never pinpoint what it was.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

911, what is the location of the emergency? I am at Common Grounds Espresso. Okay, what's going on over there? I just learned my daughter works at the Common Grounds Espresso. She's been missing since she got off work last night.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

The voice belongs to James Koenig. It's February 2nd, and last night his daughter, 18 year old Samantha was working at the Common Grounds coffee stand. She was supposed to finish her shift at 8pm but when her boyfriend Dwayne went to pick her up, the coffee stand was empty. Dwayne and James wait until the morning hoping Samantha will show up, but she doesn't. Anchorage police conduct an emotional interview with Dwayne outside the Common Grounds.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

Okay, and I guess that's your girlfriend that works at Common Grounds?

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Yes, sir.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

Right.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

What's her name? My name's Samantha Koenig. K O E N I G. Does she go by Sam or does she go by Samantha? Or both. What was. What was Samantha wearing last night? She has these funny boots. They're actually slippers that go up to about here. I think she was wearing black leggings.

[Investigators Monique Dahl and Jeff Bell]

Okay.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

Was she wearing a skirt or pants? Just leggings. Just leggings.

[Investigators Monique Dahl and Jeff Bell]

Okay.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

Over a long shirt. What color is your hair? Is it long though? Is it short? It goes down to about here. So you keep calling, there's no answer. I called 28 times. I got no answer.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

At around 11:55pm, Duane finally gets a text message from Samantha's phone. But there's something off about the way it's written. When police interview Samantha's father, James, here's what he says.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

He got a text message on his phone saying, you know, f, you asshole, I know what you did or whatever, and I'm gonna stay with some friends for a couple days, let dad know. And that's not her. I mean, I've been a single dad her whole life, so we have a good line of communication. So someone else was sending the text on her phone just to buy more time.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

The investigation into Samantha's disappearance falls into the hands of Detective Slavomir Markowitz, head of the Anchorage PD Homicide Unit.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

She was 18 years old. She didn't come home. She didn't return home after her shift at the Common Ground coffee stand. Her shift was from 1pm to 8pm her boyfriend came few minutes after 8 to pick her up. The coffee stand was dark, empty. She wasn't there.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Yeah.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

And she never came back home.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

The Common Grounds coffee stand has surveillance cameras. So Slawomir's team immediately pulls the footage from last night. Whatever happened to Samantha, the video should offer a clue.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

So in the video, you see Samantha kind of at the end of her shift. Looks like she's doing some cleaning, getting the coffee stand ready to close. At one point you see that there is someone at the window. You can't really see that person, but it looks like she's taking an order.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

A normal looking exchange suddenly takes a sinister turn and Samantha has her arms in the air.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

You can see the expression on her face changes suddenly. You see fear in her eyes. You see her arms raised. She steps away and she soon lays down on the floor. Then suddenly you see a person jumping through the window.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

It's like a spring he springs into there.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

It has to be someone fairly tall and also in good shape, you know, to be able to make it like one jump.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Can you see his face?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

He was wearing a mask over the face with sunglasses.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

After a few moments, Samantha and the stranger leave the coffee stand together, disappearing into the snowy night.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

There were a few questions that came from that video. One was there is an alarm button. Why she didn't press the alarm button? Some detectives felt that somebody actually knows.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

What was your gut reaction?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

There was like no doubt in my mind that we have a kidnapping, we have an abduction and that we needed to act on it immediately and we needed to take it seriously.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

What does this feel like for you personally that this young girl has been kind of violently kidnapped?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

I had a daughter at the time. She was a university student, but she also wanted to be very independent and she worked at a coffee stand, you know.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Oh my gosh.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

And she worked at a coffee stand not too far away, a couple of miles away in the south part of Anchorage. But it certainly affected me more than other officers because it was kind of close to home. If it happened to Samantha, you know, can happen to somebody else.

[Rebel.com Advertiser]

Did you know you can save up to 70% on your favorite brands every single day. From rebel.com sells strollers, car seats, espresso machines, skincare, cookware. Everything you need for your home, your family and your life. All for which less. Here's how it works. Every day REBBL drops thousands of new products for up to 70% off. It's a non stop feat of deals from brands like UPPAbaby, Nuna, BabyBjorn, Nespresso, Breville, Wilson, Dyson, Caraway and more. But every listing is one of a kind. So if you see something you love, you have to move fast. Why pay full price when you don't have to? From baby gear to tech to self care staples, Rebel helps you save big on brands you know and love. Shop now at from rebel.com we spend.

[Miracle Made Sheets Advertiser]

A third of our lives in bed. So why settle for ordinary sheets? Miracle made Sheets use NASA inspired silver infused fabric to keep you cool, clean and comfortable all night long. The silver naturally fights bacteria so your sheets stay fresher up to three times longer. That means fewer washes, clearer skin and better sleep. They're soft, breathable and built to last. An affordable luxury that actually delivers. It's not magic, it's science inspired by innovation, designed for everyday life. Because sometimes the simplest upgrades make the biggest difference. This Christmas, upgrade your sleep or give the gift of better rest. Go to trymiracle.com clean to try miracle made sheets. Today you'll save over 40%. And when you use promo code clean, you'll get an extra 20% off plus a free three piece towel set.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

We will answer your call as soon as we can.

[Sleep Number Advertiser / Carvana Advertiser]

Are you still running your business? With one creaky old phone system, missing calls, losing track of messages, and scrambling to keep up with your team, it's time to break up with the past and say hello to Kuo. Kuo is the number one business phone system with 4.7 stars across 3,000 reviews on G2. Quo brings all your business phone calls and texts into one app for your team. No more juggling devices or being tied to a landline. Quo's built in AI logs calls, creates summaries, automates follow ups, and can even answer and route calls. So you never miss an opportunity, whether you're a solo operator or leading a growing team. Quote QUO keeps you connected and helps you deliver standout customer experiences. Join over 90,000 businesses using Quo and see why. It's the one business phone system for customer satisfaction. Level up your workflow with quo. Get started free plus get 20% off your first six months at quo.com business. That's quo spelled q u o.com business. And if you have existing numbers with another service, Quo will port them over for free. Quo no missed calls, no missed customers.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

Hey, Sal. Hank. What's going on? We haven't worked a case in years. I just bought my car at Carvana and it was so easy. Too easy. Think something's up? You tell me. They got thousands of options, found a great car at a great price, and.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

It got delivered the next day.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

It sounds like Carvana just makes it easy to buy your car, Hank.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Yeah. Yeah, you're right.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

Case closed.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Buy your car today on Carvana.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

Delivery fees may apply.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

I want some background information on Samantha Koenig. And Jan Alton remembers meeting her not at the coffee stand, but at Samantha's prior job at the Harley Davidson store. So you met Samantha Koenigse.

[Jan Alton (Lowe's employee)]

She Was polar opposite from most of the people that I met in Alaska. She was bubbly, she was inviting. She wanted to know you. She wanted to learn about you. Her spirit was just radiant. She told me that she wanted to experience life outside of Alaska. I was like, you can. I said, you can go anywhere you want to go. You're young, you're beautiful, you can do whatever. Whatever your heart desires.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Although she still has contact with her mother, Samantha has been raised by her father since she was a little girl.

[Jan Alton (Lowe's employee)]

She would tell me that her dad was really cool and, you know, supported everything that she wanted to do in life and kind of wanted her to travel too.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Already this sounds like a very different crime from the others committed by Israel Keys. Samantha is clearly someone who will be missed. Her disappearance is going to kick up a storm. And for Detective Slava Mayor Markowitz, finding Samantha is an urgent priority. So you start your investigation. And of course, you have to start at the beginning, which is the people with whom she interacts with daily.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

Yes. When a person, especially young female, goes missing, it's normal to investigate relationships. You know, boyfriends, possible boyfriends, you know, family situation, you know, things like that.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Tell me about the boyfriend, Dwayne.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

I think he had been with Samantha for less than a year. They were a young couple. Duane lived with Samantha and James Connick in their residence at that time. They were actually planning, you know, for Samantha's birthday. So, you know, she was very excited about that.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Duane is ruled out as a suspect, but he does have some additional information regarding the previous night.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

I saw someone in her truck 3 o'clock this morning. In her truck?

[Rebel.com Advertiser]

Yes, sir.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

At home? Yeah. Okay, what'd you see there? I opened the door at about 3 o' clock to check if her truck is still there to see if she came and got it and just left.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

But.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

Her truck was there. And I went outside and I was in my slippers in my robe, and I went up to the gate at the house, and when the guy saw me, he was in a black ski mask, wearing all black clothes. It looked like he had gloves on.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

When Dwayne ran inside to alert somebody, Samantha's dad, the mystery man, disappeared, but he took Samantha's ID from her truck and an ATM card she shares with Duane.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

He was sure that the vehicle was locked, so whoever accessed the vehicle had to have a key. So we knew that Samantha had the key. So the suspect would have the key from Samantha.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

There are no surveillance cameras near the Koenix house that can verify Duwayne's story. But there are plenty of businesses around the common grounds that have footage from last night. Where did Samantha go when she was taken from the coffee stand? Investigators get an answer from the Home Depot across the street.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

We get the Home Depot video where you can actually see Samantha and the suspect and the timing and the direction they walk left us no doubt that it was there.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

They walked toward a vehicle parked in the distance.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

You can't get the license plate, but you can get some details of that vehicle.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

So you have video surveillance of the truck, and you have video surveillance of the abductor.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

What we were able to say was that it was a Chevrolet pickup truck. However, the model was typical. We found that there are about 6, 700 vehicles like that just in Anchorage and the area. So we would go from one place to another and examine all the Chevrolet.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Pickup trucks in the days that follow. Samantha's devastated father, James Koenig, is quick to get the word out. He wants the whole of Anchorage looking for his daughter.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

I don't know if my daughter's being fed, if she's still alive, if she's getting any sleep.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

The news has the whole city in a panic. Locals immediately fear the worst. The idea that a coffee stand girl could be dragged away during her shift sends a feeling of horror through the community. How can this happen? Jan tells me about seeing James Koenig on TV pleading for the safe return of his daughter.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

Just please help find my daughter.

[Jan Alton (Lowe's employee)]

It was like life had been deflated out of him. He was upset. He was just really sad. And, you know, it broke my heart to see him on TV talking about his daughter, pleading for, you know, to her to come home or for her to contact him.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

It's an awful situation. What were you thinking about Samantha?

[Jan Alton (Lowe's employee)]

More than anything, I remember just being worried about her because it was very cold outside. Very, very, very cold outside. And I remember, you know, I hope that she's wherever she's at, she's warm and she's safe.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

I asked Detective Slavomir Markowitz how he felt communicating with a father who was going through such trauma. That must have felt a little different for you because you can put yourself in the shoes of someone who's looking for their young daughter.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

He would call me every day and ask, you know, on first name basis, he would say, slav, do you have anything for me? Do you have any new information? Is there anything, you know, we can do? I saw how concerned he was. I thought I understood. I understood him. And I saw a very concerned father who was doing everything he could to bring his daughter back to find his daughter.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

How did the community respond?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

A lot of public interest. A lot of people organizing, putting out flyers, raising a fund. It was a case like that I had never seen before in Alaska.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

I am on a very long road trip and my husband is kind enough to drive, do the driving so that I can work on this case. And we've spoken to Slavomir about the investigation into the disappearance of Samantha Koenig. Maybe you're thinking the same thing I am. Whoever abducted her does not sound like Israel Keys. Israel has a very specific set of rules that he does not break. And those rules keep him safe. They keep him from being caught. The guy who abducted some Samantha has done everything to break those rules. Samantha lives in Keith's hometown. The abductor speaks to her before he abducts her, which we know Israel doesn't do, because you either are a friend or a potential victim. And once you've had even a small conversation, you become a friend and no longer can be a potential victim. He abducts her in a very public place. He puts her in his own vehicle, which is a no, no. In his rules, you have to have your own vehicle in order to be a victim. He keeps her phone, he makes contact with her family. He goes to her truck and steals her credit card on her dad's property. He. That's traceable evidence. And we're talking in detail about the crime around the nation, or at least around Alaska at that point. It's a big news story. Everybody knows about it, and Israel doesn't like that usually. I am so curious to know why all these rules are being broken. And which one of these incongruous decisions is the one that ultimately gets him caught. It's February 24, 2012. Three weeks since Samantha went missing. James Koenig and Samantha's boyfriend Duane, exhausted from their efforts to find her, are eating at the Golden Corral when Duane's cell phone pings. It's a message from Samantha's phone. It reads Connor park sign under pic of Albert. Ain't she purty? Connor park is a dog walking spot near the airport. After weeks of appealing for some kind of lead, Duane and James have been gifted one. Within minutes, police are searching the park and they're on the notice board. Pinned beneath a poster for a missing dog named Albert is a plastic envelope. Detective Markowitz can't believe his eyes.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

So the officers took that note to the station. And you know, it was shocking because there was a photo of Samantha.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

What did you see, what were your thoughts of this photograph?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

That was terrifying. There was a tape over the mouth. The person was bound, naked, helpless. Conveys like horror conveys also full control of the kidnapper over her.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Ugh. How horrible.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

The eyes were closed. Her head was turned to the side. Her of the person, of the female had been braided. We knew from James that she had never had her hair braided. So that was very unusual. And the most important thing or important part of it, in the upper part of the screen was the Anchorage Daily News newspaper. And you could see that it was the issue released on Monday, February 13th. So it would be like almost two weeks after her abduction.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

You know, that you think she's alive then because you have this newspaper?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

Yes, so. But no, we have our doubts.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

The way Detective Markowitz describes this image of Samantha, it sounds like she's suffering if she is in fact, alive. And we know from his barbaric treatment of Mr. And Mrs. Courier just how depraved Israel Keyes is. So this callousness, this lack of humanity in taking this photograph. Now that sounds like the Israel Keys, MO despite the worrying nature of the photograph, it's a massive turning point in the investigation. The kidnapper is demanding $30,000 to be paid into Samantha and Duane's joint account. There is no suggestion of when or how Samantha might be released, but he's presented a way for detectives to trace him.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

The moment I saw that note and the ransom demand, I'm like, it's only a matter of time before we catch him. This is our big opportunity.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

If the abductor uses Samantha's bank card in an atm, the bank can alert Anchorage police to which machine he is using. Samantha's family agrees to deposit money from the reward fund into the joint account. But with no guarantee that Samantha will be returned, they decide not to give up the full 30,000 and instead transfer 5,000 as a gesture of good faith.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

I was thinking the moment he accesses an atm, we'll get him. But then the reality set in. We talked to the bank, and it takes a few minutes before they get the information, then before they rely to us. And it was like a 15 minute time lapse.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Samantha's card is flagged. It's several machines across Anchorage, but each time the target is in and out before police can get to the scene. Then two weeks after the ransom note appeared, an attempt to withdraw cash is made 4,000 miles away at a bank in Texas. Samantha's disappearance is now a federal case, and the hunt for her kidnapper goes Nationwide. I want to find out what happens when the investigation leaves Anchorage. So FBI Agent Deborah Rose picks up the story.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

I was a special agent and I was working out of the Dallas division, the Lufkin Resident Agency. Lufkin, Texas. Small town in East Texas.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

So it's March 12, 2012. You're on shift. What happens?

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

I received a call from a lieutenant with the Texas Rangers, and he asked me, was I aware of the missing person from Anchorage, Alaska. The potential kidnapper was using a debit card, and the debit card had been used in the Anchorage, Alaska area. And then suddenly, weeks later, it was used in the lower 48, including in Texas.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Okay, so why is your department in Lufkin notified?

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

There was some indication that this person using this debit card was moving in a northward direction from Houston, potentially up a freeway or a highway that would lead them eventually to Lufton.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Footage of the perpetrator has been pulled from an ATM camera, but he's wearing a disguise.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

The man withdrawing money from the ATM machine had a makeshift mask. He was wearing what appeared to be shot shooting glasses of an amber color. In the background was a white vehicle.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

And what kind of car was it?

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

It was a little white Ford Focus.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

It's clearly not the vehicle that he used in Samantha's abduction. Given how far he is from Alaska, investigators suspect it's a rental car, but they can't make out the license plate.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

Look at any of the major car rental companies and they're full of white Ford Focuses.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

So what were your thoughts? Like, this is going to be slim.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

Oh, it's. It's a needle in a haystack. It's just a. It's a shot in the dark, really.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

March 13, 2012.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

We received a call from a DPS trooper who said as he drove by the Quality Inn in Lufkin, Texas, he looked over and there was a car matching the description of the car we were looking for. There was a white Ford Focus in the parking lot.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

And did you think you'd hit the jackpot?

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

I have to admit, my thought was there's no way. But let's just see. Let's just see who's in this car.

[Miracle Made Sheets Advertiser]

We spend a third of our lives in bed, so why settle for ordinary sheets? Miracle made sheets use NASA inspired silver infused fabric to keep you cool, clean and comfortable all night long. The silver naturally fights bacteria, so your sheets stay fresher up to three times longer. That means fewer washes, clearer skin, and better sleep. They're soft, breathable, and built to last. An affordable luxury that actually delivers. It's not magic. It's science inspired by innovation, designed for everyday life. Because sometimes the simplest upgrades make the biggest difference. This Christmas, upgrade your sleep or give the gift of better rest. Go to trymiracle.com clean to try miracle made sheets. Today you'll save over 40%. And when you use promo code clean, you'll get an extra 20% off plus a free three piece towel set.

[Rebel.com Advertiser]

Did you know you can save up to 70% on your favorite brands every single day? From rebel.com sells strollers, car seats, espresso machines, skincare, cookware, everything you need for your home, your family and your life. All for way less. Here's how it works. Every day, REBBL drops thousands of new products for up to 70% off. It's a non stop feed of deals from brands like UPPAbaby, Nuna, Baby Bjorn, Nespresso, Breville, Wilson, Dyson, Caraway and more. But every listing is one of a kind. So if you see something you love, you have to move fast. Why pay full price when you don't have to? From baby gear to tech to self care staples, Rebel helps you save big on brands you know and love. Shop now@from rebel.com tired of your car insurance rate going up? Even with a clean driving record, you're not alone. That's why there's Jerry, your proactive insurance assistant. Jerry compares rates side by side from over 50 top insurers and helps you switch with ease. Jerry even tracks market rates and alerts you when it's best to shop. No spam calls, no hidden fees. Drivers who save with Jerry could save over $1,300 a year. Switch with confidence.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Download the Jerry app or visit Jerry AI Acast today. Why choose a Sleep number? Smart Bed Can I make my site softer?

[Sleep Number Advertiser / Carvana Advertiser]

Can I make my site firmer? Can we sleep cooler?

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Sleep number does that cools up to eight times faster and lets you choose your ideal comfort on either side your Sleep number setting. Enjoy personalized comfort for better sleep night after night. And now during our President's day sale, take 50% off our limited edition bed.

[Rebel.com Advertiser]

Shop now for a limited time only.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

At a Sleep number store or sleepnumber.com.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

So my name is Brian Henry, a retired Texas Highway Patrol sergeant. I worked for the highway patrol for 28 years.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

So you spot this vehicle that matches the BOLO in a hotel parking lot. What's running through your head? Are you thinking this is likely the car again?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

You know, I ran it. It was a rental car. I mean, there's 10 million watts. Ford Focus is probably, again, not really super hyped up about it.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

And so this Focus pulls out of the lot. What do you do next?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

I was in a center median or a crossover, and I watched him drive by. And I could see pretty well that it was a younger man. So he goes by, I turn around. There's one who, he stops at a red light. And there's one car between me and him. And I've got the CID on the phone because I'm asking, you know, hey, do y' all want me just to stop the car or do I need to have a reason to stop the car? And so I'm like, I'm telling him on the phone, hang on a minute. I think he's speeding. So sure enough, I checked him on radar and he's running 58 and a 55. And you know that that's only three mile an hour, but it's, it's, it's, it's speeding. I activate my lights and he, you know, he pulled over immediately. So I, it wasn't a pursuit of any sort. He just, he pulled into a local restaurant.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Did you approach this car with more caution, given it could be a criminal?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

I mean, my hands on my gun, until you see their hands, you know, you're, you're, you're a little cautious. And I walked up to the car, introduced myself. We always asked for license and registration. My blood started pumping when he handed me a driver's license from Anchorage, Alaska. And you can count on one hand, probably in 28 years how many Anchorage, Alaska, driver's license that I ever had in my hand. So can't just be a coincidence.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

You ask the driver for his driver's license. What is the name you see?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

Israel Keys, you know, immediately asked him to get out of the car, just look like a normal person. I mean, he never acted any different than you would think anyone else would. He wasn't nervous.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

I love that you just said he wasn't nervous. Because our research indicates that somebody of his makeup with psychopathic, they actually don't get physically nervous when they're anticipating bad outcome. They can get nervous later when they are caught, but they're not nervous when they're anticipating it, which the rest of us are.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

I mean, the whole time he never acted nervous. You know, it's like, hey, Amanda, if I use the phone, can I call my brother, tell him I'm gonna be late?

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Within minutes of Israel Keys stepping out of the rental car, FBI Agent Deborah Rose arrives at the scene.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

He told me he had come because his sister was getting married, so he was there for the wedding. I asked him how he got from Alaska down to the lower 48, and he explained that he flew into Las Vegas, Nevada, and rented a car from there.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

He's driven 1,400 miles from Las Vegas to Lufkin. So it's right in line with what we know about Israel. Keep his M.O. he gets a kick from driving long distances, reliving past crimes and planning new ones. I wonder if he spent time thinking about Samantha on that long drive to Lufkin. Anything else stand out about his personality? Because you're probably on edge, too, at this point. You're thinking, I might have the kidnapper of Samantha Koenig, and he she might be alive.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

He became unqualified cooperative. Not necessarily belligerent and certainly not combative, but not cooperative. One of us asked to look in his wallet, and he told us no. I asked him for consent to search, to take a look in his vehicle, and he also declined that.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

That's suspicious.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

If you get pulled over and you get asked about a missing girl from Alaska, and you know you have nothing to do with it, the average person would say, sure, I've got nothing to hide. Can I take a look in your car? Absolutely. No problem. The average Joe is going to be very cooperative. Israel Keyes was not very cooperative.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

If they let Keyes go, he'll likely destroy any potential evidence connecting him to Samantha's kidnapping. So FBI agents assert their right to conduct a vehicle search without a warrant.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

In the driver's door of the car, there's a big wad of cash with a rubber band or something holding it together. And there was red dye stains on some of that money. Also suspicious that this money could be loot from a bank robbery. We open the trunk of the car, and we found in the trunk of the car what we believed to be that mask. We found the amber glasses that the person in the ATM video was wearing, which was, in my opinion, sufficient enough to place him under arrest.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

So you don't necessarily know that he has kidnapped Samantha Koenig at this point, but you know he's the guy using her ATM card.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

My exact words were, we've got our guy.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Israel Keys is arrested for the abduction of Samantha Koenig and taken to the Lufkin Police Department. A thorough search of his rental car reveals Samantha's cell phone and ATM card.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

It's an incredible feeling that you start out the morning thinking, this is the longest shot ever. Is this even remotely possible to. Wow. How did this happen?

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

And you might save this girl?

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

See if we can find Samantha and return her to her family. Yeah, it was incredible.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

I have chills. With Israel Keys in handcuffs, Anchorage PD sends two of its investigators down to Texas. Monique Dahl and Jeff Bell.

[Investigators Monique Dahl and Jeff Bell]

We had high hopes when we got there that we were going to develop some information on that Samantha was still alive and where she might be.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

So what does Keith say when you begin speaking with him?

[Investigators Monique Dahl and Jeff Bell]

He says that he wishes he could help us. He's familiar with the story, but he doesn't have any information about Samantha Koenig and her whereabouts. He has a very, very weak, laughable explanation for having the ATM card. He told us that he found it on the front seat of his truck while he was. He was shopping at a grocery store in Anchorage. He had left his window down an inch. When he came back out of the store, the ATM card was laying on the seat of his truck. Somebody slipped it through the window, and they had scratched the PIN number on it for his use. And he said he just assumed it was a. A prior customer that owed him money, and that's how they were paying him. Was giving this ATM card to him.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Being a relatively smart guy. That has to be the stupidest explanation I've ever heard.

[Investigators Monique Dahl and Jeff Bell]

Absolutely. And I guess that explanation for the ATM card, as smart as he was in all the crimes that he committed, just showed his lack of forethought about what he was going to say if he got caught.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

We know that Keys loves planning ahead, and he's really good at it. So his implausible explanation for having Samantha's ATM card suggests he never even contemplated getting caught. So what point do you begin thinking that Keyes is guilty of murder or.

[Investigators Monique Dahl and Jeff Bell]

We probably didn't talk to him for more than 10 or 15 minutes, and. And when we left there, we both were very confident that Samantha was no longer living.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

But without a body, the investigators have very little. Back in Anchorage, Detective Slavomir Markowitz receives the news that the suspect has been apprehended.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

We've got a big break in the case, but at the same time, where is Samantha? You know, what's happening.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

That was my question. Where is Samantha?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

The first thing we do is we run Israel Keys and the name, and doesn't tell us much. You know, no criminal record at all, not even a traffic citation. But we've got his address. We send a few officers and detectives to the house where he lives.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Was there any sign of Samantha at the house?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

There was no sign of Samantha and no Evidence. At that point, we have a crime scene team. We look for blood, we look for hair samples. We basically swab and throw fingerprints, dust on everything we can while CSI combed.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

The house for anything that might lead them to Samantha. Detectives grill the homeowner. Kimberly, the woman who lives with Israel, is not under sacrifice suspicion, but does she have any information that might help? Like I said, you're. You're not a suspect. You're not a person of interest. We do need to ask you some questions about yourself and about your boyfriend as well. He's not my boyfriend anymore. Okay. What? What, did you guys break up? Yeah, we haven't been. I just told him that he and his daughter could stay there till they finished school. School year. But we broke up a long time ago. How long had you guys been seeing each other? About probably five and a half, six years. But I worked as a traveler, so didn't see him very often. You know, like, I was on the road a lot. Got you. So you just kind of grew apart? Yeah, well, once we were together nine to five, it just wasn't right. Exactly. Well, when you have to spend some time with somebody, sometimes they don't turn out to the be the person that you thought they were.

[FBI Agent Deborah Rose]

Exactly.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

I see you looking at this folder, this missing person, and I see you getting really upset. I just want to know what's going on. There's no way Izzy would ever have anything to do with a missing girl. Like, there's no way I can tell you that. I have reason to believe that Israel knows something about it. And I can also tell you that I have reason to believe that. That you haven't been completely forthright with me. Here I am totally being honest. Like, I don't even know. Like, I don't know what you think I'm not being forthright about. It's uncomfortable listening because the detective clearly thinks that Kimberly knows something about Israel Keys criminal life. I mean, how could she not know something? She lives with him on the other side of the desk. Kimberly thinks they have the wrong guy because there's no way the Israel Keys, who she lives with, would abduct a teenage girl. I honestly. No way. Like, he would hurt anybody or have anything to do with a missing person. There's just no way. I mean, how could I know for that long? You know what I mean? Like, there's just no way. It's just really frustrating on the way. No, of course, neither of them actually knows Israel Keyes. The Israel Keys, who's dedicated his life to maintaining two Separate Personas. Investigators in Anchorage can find no further clues as to Samantha's whereabouts. And with every character witness doubting that good guy Keys could possibly be involved, they are going around in circles once more. Then three weeks after his arrest, Keys decides he wants to talk.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

I understand you're not going to tell us everything, but the one thing I do need to know before I leave here today is how you killed her. I mean, it doesn't really matter how it happened. I'm saying that, yes, I was responsible. You were responsible for her being deceased?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

At this moment, yes.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

So you killed her?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

Yes.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Even though we expect it, it's still striking to hear how little compassion or emotion Keys to displays when confessing to the murder of an innocent teenager.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz (continued) / Interviewer]

I'll tell everything you want to know. I'll give it blow by blow if you want.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

There's so much about this crime that strikes me as inconsistent with the patterns Israel Keys has established. And he gets caught after ditching his tried and tested methods. So did his arrogance get the better of him? Or did his urges become uncontrollable? Next time on Mind of a Monster, the Cross Country Killer.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

And I got a call from my.

[Sleep Number Advertiser / Carvana Advertiser]

Program manager at Quantico and he said.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

I need you in Alaska.

[Investigators Monique Dahl and Jeff Bell]

I can tell you that nobody in that investigation thought a serial killer had cut her body up and put her in a lake out in the Matsu Valley.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

If you put together all the clues he's given us about victims, it seems there's more than 12.

[Investigators Monique Dahl and Jeff Bell]

12?

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

And probably closer to 25. I know the longer the investigation goes on, you're going to keep finding things. I'm not going to talk about those things unless I'm going to get what I want.

[Narrator / Host (Dr. Michelle Ward)]

Mind of a Monster the Cross Country Killer is produced by Arrow Media, a Freemantle Company for ID. I'm your host, Dr. Michelle Ward. You can follow our show wherever you get your podcasts. And we'd love it if you could take us second to leave us a five star review on Apple Podcasts.

[Rebel.com Advertiser]

Did you know you can save up to 70% on your favorite brands every single day? From rebel.com sells strollers, car seats, espresso machines, skincare, cookware. Everything you need for your home, your family and your life. All for way less. Here's how it works. Every day, REBBL drops thousands of new products for up to 70% off. It's non stop feed of deals from brands like UPPAbaby, Nuna, BabyBjorn, Nespresso, Breville Wilson, Dyson Caraway, and more. But every listing is one of a kind, so if you see something you love, you have to move fast. Why pay full price when you don't have to? From baby gear to tech to self care Staples Rebel helps you save big on brands you know and love. Shop [e-mail].

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

Acast powers the world's best podcasts Here's a show that we recommend.

[Rebel.com Advertiser]

Christian Bale was preparing for his role in American Psycho, dressing the part, hitting the gym for the first time in his life, even getting his teeth redone. There was just one problem. He didn't actually have the part. Leonardo DiCaprio did. Listen to our podcast what Went Wrong? Every week as we unearth the chaos behind Hollywood's biggest movie flops and most shocking successes. Available wherever you get your podcasts.

[Detective Slavomir Markowitz / Brian Henry (Texas Highway Patrol) / James Koenig / Dwayne (Samantha's boyfriend)]

Acast helps creators launch, grow and monetize their podcasts everywhere. Acast.com.