Robert D. Keppel
Encyclopedia
Robert David Keppel is a retired American law enforcement officer and detective best known for his work investigating serial killer
s Ted Bundy
and Gary Ridgway
.
and graduated from Central Valley high school in 1962, where he was a star athlete. He attended Washington State University
in Pullman, Washington
on an athletic scholarship and graduated in 1966. After playing freshman basketball
at WSU, in his next three years of college, he elected to concentrate on high jumping in track. Although he was only 5' 11", he was an outstanding collegiate high jumper. He just missed making America's 1964 Olympic
team as a high jumper. After he graduated from college, he high-jumped seven feet.
He has a Ph.D.
in criminal justice
from the University of Washington
.
of the then at-large Green River Killer. Keppel was able to get Bundy to confess to several unsolved murders in the weeks leading up to his execution.
Bundy was sent a paperback copy of Thomas Harris
' Red Dragon — which depicts the relationship between a detective and an incarcerated serial killer — when it was revealed that Harris was in attendance for a portion of Bundy's 1979 Miami "Chi Omega" murder trial, and incorporated several elements of Bundy's case evidence into the plot of the novel (most notably the bite-mark exhibits and related testimony). Contrary to popular belief, however, Harris did not base the relationship between FBI trainee Clarice Starling
and serial killer Hannibal Lecter
in his 1986 novel The Silence of the Lambs
upon interviews between Keppel and Bundy concerning the Green River Killer.
With forensic psychologist
and criminal profiler Richard Walter
, Keppel published an article which groups serial killers into four distinct sub-types: power-assertive, power-reassurance, anger-retaliatory, and anger-excitation or sadism. Walter and Keppel also created the HITS
, which provides crime and offender characteristics for law enforcement.
. , Keppel was an associate professor of criminal justice
at Sam Houston State University
, and currently teaches there via teleconference
. In 2007, Keppel joined the University of New Haven
as an Associate Professor of criminal justice
.
Keppel is author of The Riverman: Ted Bundy and I Hunt for the Green River Killer, made into a made-for-TV movie in 2004, starring Bruce Greenwood
as Keppel and Cary Elwes
as Bundy. He is also the author of many textbooks regarding criminal justice
and related topics.
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
s Ted Bundy
Ted Bundy
Theodore Robert "Ted" Bundy was an American serial killer, rapist, kidnapper, and necrophile who assaulted and murdered numerous young women during the 1970s, and possibly earlier...
and Gary Ridgway
Gary Ridgway
Gary Leon Ridgway is an American serial killer known as the Green River Killer. He murdered numerous women in Washington during the 1980s and 1990s, earning his nickname when the first five victims were found in the Green River. He strangled them, usually with his arm but sometimes using ligatures...
.
Early life
Keppel grew up in Spokane, WashingtonSpokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
and graduated from Central Valley high school in 1962, where he was a star athlete. He attended Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
in Pullman, Washington
Pullman, Washington
Pullman is the largest city in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 24,675 at the 2000 census and 29,799 according to the 2010 census...
on an athletic scholarship and graduated in 1966. After playing freshman basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
at WSU, in his next three years of college, he elected to concentrate on high jumping in track. Although he was only 5' 11", he was an outstanding collegiate high jumper. He just missed making America's 1964 Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
team as a high jumper. After he graduated from college, he high-jumped seven feet.
He has a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
.
Career
Keppel first encountered the "Ted Murders" just one week after beginning work as a homicide detective. He investigated Bundy and his crimes extensively, and continued a correspondence with him from the time of his initial imprisonment to his execution in 1989, at one point consulting him in order to form a profileOffender profiling
Offender profiling, also known as criminal profiling, is a behavioral and investigative tool that is intended to help investigators to profile unknown criminal subjects or offenders. Offender profiling is also known as criminal profiling, criminal personality profiling, criminological profiling,...
of the then at-large Green River Killer. Keppel was able to get Bundy to confess to several unsolved murders in the weeks leading up to his execution.
Bundy was sent a paperback copy of Thomas Harris
Thomas Harris
Thomas Harris is an American author and screenwriter, best known for a series of suspense novels about his most famous character, Hannibal Lecter...
' Red Dragon — which depicts the relationship between a detective and an incarcerated serial killer — when it was revealed that Harris was in attendance for a portion of Bundy's 1979 Miami "Chi Omega" murder trial, and incorporated several elements of Bundy's case evidence into the plot of the novel (most notably the bite-mark exhibits and related testimony). Contrary to popular belief, however, Harris did not base the relationship between FBI trainee Clarice Starling
Clarice Starling
Clarice M. Starling is a fictional character and the protagonist in the novels The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal by Thomas Harris....
and serial killer Hannibal Lecter
Hannibal Lecter
Hannibal Lecter M.D. is a fictional character in a series of horror novels by Thomas Harris and in the films adapted from them.Lecter was introduced in the 1981 thriller novel Red Dragon as a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer...
in his 1986 novel The Silence of the Lambs
The Silence of the Lambs (novel)
The Silence of the Lambs is a novel by Thomas Harris. First published in 1988, it is the sequel to Harris' 1981 novel Red Dragon. Both novels feature the cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter, this time pitted against FBI Special Agent Clarice Starling.- Plot summary :The novel takes...
upon interviews between Keppel and Bundy concerning the Green River Killer.
With forensic psychologist
Forensic psychology
Forensic psychology is the intersection between psychology and the criminal justice system. It involves understanding criminal law in the relevant jurisdictions in order to be able to interact appropriately with judges, attorneys and other legal professionals...
and criminal profiler Richard Walter
Richard Walter
Richard Walter is an American forensic psychologist for the Michigan prison system, a crime scene analyst and one of the creators of modern criminal profiling.-Career:...
, Keppel published an article which groups serial killers into four distinct sub-types: power-assertive, power-reassurance, anger-retaliatory, and anger-excitation or sadism. Walter and Keppel also created the HITS
Homicide Investigation Tracking System
Homicide Investigation Tracking System is a violent crime database program of the Washington State Office of the Attorney General. The system tracks homicides and rapes in and/or relating to the states of Washington and Oregon and also receives data from at least three other states and Canada...
, which provides crime and offender characteristics for law enforcement.
Later life
Keppel retired as chief criminal investigator for the Washington State Attorney General's Office. He joined the faculty of the Seattle UniversitySeattle University
Seattle University is a Jesuit Catholic university located in the First Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, USA.SU is the largest independent university in the Northwest US, with over 7,500 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs within eight schools, and is one of 28 member...
. , Keppel was an associate professor of criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
at Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University was founded in 1879 and is the third oldest public institution of higher learning in the State of Texas. It is located in Huntsville, Texas. It is one of the oldest purpose-built institutions for the instruction of teachers west of the Mississippi River and the first...
, and currently teaches there via teleconference
Teleconference
A teleconference or teleseminar is the live exchange and mass articulation of information among several persons and machines remote from one another but linked by a telecommunications system...
. In 2007, Keppel joined the University of New Haven
University of New Haven
The University of New Haven is a private university that combines a liberal arts education with professional training. The university comprises five colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the Tagliatela College of Engineering, the Henry C...
as an Associate Professor of criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
.
Keppel is author of The Riverman: Ted Bundy and I Hunt for the Green River Killer, made into a made-for-TV movie in 2004, starring Bruce Greenwood
Bruce Greenwood
Bruce Greenwood is a Canadian actor and musician. He is generally known for his roles as U.S. presidents in Thirteen Days and National Treasure: Book of Secrets and for his role as Captain Christopher Pike in the 2009 Star Trek film...
as Keppel and Cary Elwes
Cary Elwes
Ivan Simon Cary Elwes , known professionally as Cary Elwes, is an English actor. The son of Dominick Elwes and Tessa Georgina Kennedy, Elwes acted in off-Broadway plays during college and moved to the United States in the early 1980s. He is known for his role as Westley in the cult classic The...
as Bundy. He is also the author of many textbooks regarding criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
and related topics.