Israel Keyes

Israel Keyes was an American serial killer, kidnapper, burglar, bank robber, and arsonist who was active in the United States from the late 1990s until 2012.

Israel Keyes was an American serial killer, kidnapper, burglar, bank robber, and arsonist active in the United States from the late 1990s until 2012. Authorities definitively connected him to three murders and believed he was responsible for additional killings before he died by suicide in custody in December 2012.

Early life

Keyes was born in 1978 in Utah and later lived a life that investigators described as secretive and mobile. Public reporting and FBI material focus more on his later crimes than on his childhood or private life.

Criminal activity

Authorities believe Keyes traveled widely and committed burglaries, bank robberies, kidnappings, murders, and arson over many years. He was arrested after the death of Samantha Koenig in Alaska brought investigators to his broader pattern of crimes.

Victims and investigations

Law enforcement has definitively linked Keyes to three murders, but the FBI has said he may have killed as many as 11 people. Investigators continued releasing information after his death to identify other possible victims.

Death

Keyes died by suicide in jail while awaiting trial in 2012. Reported accounts say he used improvised means in his cell, and his death prevented a full prosecution.