With dead bodies being found in Chicago waterways, Chicagoans are left questioning a possible serial killer.
A string of mysterious deaths in Chicago waterways has sparked a theory over social media of a possible serial killer known as the “Smiley Face Killer”. Over the last year, a vast amount of men, mostly in their 20s and 30s, were removed from the Chicago River and Lake Michigan’s shoreline. Their deaths were ruled undetermined, leaving a mystery for Chicagoans of who is behind this.
Most of the men found in the waterways were last seen in nightlife areas of the city. Alongside these deaths, there have also been a handful of reports of unsolicited taxi offers. Individuals leaving bars and restaurants in the city have said drivers, who are not affiliated with ride-share apps or taxi businesses, have been offering either free rides or cheaper rates.
“I think this whole situation of men being targeted is a bit of a situation where the tables have turned in a way,” Valentino Wilson, University of Illinois Chicago student, said. “Typically women are the targeted crowd of crimes when going out whether it be assault or groping or just overall uncomfortable situations.”
Photo – Michaela Wilson
Although this situation has just gained traction and awareness in the past year, the Smiley Face Killer theory is nothing new and has been around for over 20 years. In 1997, two retired New York City detectives, a criminal justice professor, and a gang expert developed this theory after three college-aged men were found in rivers around the same time.
The detectives investigated similar deaths of over 45 young men in the early 2000s, spanning over 11 different states in the Midwest. Most of these cases had the causes of death marked as “accidental drowning”, however, one of the detectives believes that there might be more to it.
Chicago Trial Attorney, Legal Analyst, and Radio Show Host, Karen Conti, suspects the same thing.
“What is more puzzling is the possible motive,” Conti said. “Are these gang initiations? Is there some group of people who have a ritualistic practice? This is not your typical serial killer case.”
As of today, the team has 681 cases tracked in their database that they think might all be connected.
“The number of bodies being found, the similarities of the deceased, and the manner in which they went missing is all too much of a coincidence,” Conti said.
Social media has also played a huge role in this case and has sparked the interest of many internet sleuths. Individuals on TikTok have theorized that these deaths might not be accidental and that they may be victims of a single suspect. Officials have responded to these theories and have said that there is no evidence at this time to support the claim.
Photo – Michaela Wilson
Posts are also trying to connect the deaths with the reports of taxi offers. Although the connection could make sense, reports of these unsolicited ride offers have been happening for many years, and city and county officials stated again that there is no evidence to support the correlation.
“I tend to be somewhat skeptical of social media with their many assumptions about a case but it is important to have many eyes looking at the case and raising awareness,” Rhonda DeLong, DePaul University Criminology Professor, said. “They may recall something that is relevant to the investigation.”
A Chicago TikTok content creator, Ken Waks, has a personal connection to this case and has been pursuing investigations into potential serial killers throughout cities across the country. Now having around a million followers, his investigative work on the app gained traffic after he made a video in early March. He explained that he was offered a ride by a stranger multiple times while walking around the city alone at night.
Photo – Michaela Wilson
Since then, Waks’ video series gained a large amount of support and views. In many of his videos, Waks shares his theory with the internet, claiming someone is targeting men walking home from bars and then dumping them in rivers. He has also disclosed that he has been in contact with the Chicago Police Department and local news stations to encourage an investigation.
“Social media can be very very helpful in cases like this where the police are not connecting the dots,” Conti said.
Waks’ main goal when starting this series was to raise awareness of this public safety issue in Chicago to ensure locals are educated and more aware when going out at night. With this in mind, he was able to connect with others who have experienced similar situations and document the locations where these experiences happened to see any patterns.
Photo – Michaela Wilson
With views and reports continuing to go up, Waks decided to step away from his video series due to stress, however, the Smiley Face Killer theory is one that is not going away anytime soon. With uncertainty still looming over this case, the only thing Chicagoans are left with is learning how to stay safe and be aware.
“The situation is horrible and I think anyone, no matter men or women, should always stay in a group when going out and never venture off to prevent any types of shady situations,” Wilson said.
Additional links:
- https://wgnradio.com/lisa-dent/karen-conti-on-the-possibility-of-a-serial-killer-leaving-victims-in-chicago-waterways/
- https://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/chicago-drownings-unsolicited-taxi-rides-spark-speculation-serial-killer-police-say-no/3105664/
- https://www.newsweek.com/who-smiley-face-killer-chicago-deaths-spark-serial-killer-questions-1780257
Michaela Wilson 
One response to “The Theory of The Smiley Face Killer ”
This is some scary stuff. Always be aware of your surroundings and keep your head on a swivel when you are out. We should also remember our childhood ‘stranger danger’ rules. Stay safe out there!!
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