.component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { The couple had a son and then a daughter. His uncle, Ernest Youderian, said his nephew was well-spoken and "never used any profanity." The attempted murder charge involves a woman who survived a gunshot wound to the head. 1990. Yates pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder in that attack. He later works as a janitor in a hospital and as a theater usher. It's not clear where Linda Yates or the other children lived at this time. She described the man as about 50 years old, 5'10" tall, 175 pounds, with sandy blond hair. Bobby Labonte drives the Ask.com Ford during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pocono 500 on June 6, 2009 at Pocono International Raceway in. [21][22][20], Melinda Lee Mercer Last month, the Washington State Patrol crime lab matched the carpet fibers from the Corvette to fibers found on Jennifer Joseph's shoes and a towel left near her body. He is currently serving life in prison at the Washington State Penitentiary. In addition to serving in the United States military for 18 years, Yates was married for 24 years and had five children. She previously worked as a hairdresser in Spokane, but fell into drugs and prostitution six years after she moved, following the death of her son, who was waiting for a heart transplant. Shortly after, women began disappearing from the streets . On the day of his arrest, law enforcement officials entered their house early in the morning to search for evidence of his crimes. On April 18, 2000, authorities descended on the Yates' home. His English teacher, Trudy Sundberg, said one of the poems he wrote, and read aloud in class, was comparable to Shakespeare. In Somalia, Yates shot the wild pig while flying a Kiowa. Island County Sheriff Mike Hawley last month said hes investigating Yates in connection with two more unsolved homicides and a missing person. In Touch Weekly reports DNA evidence, which was found inside Yates' vehicle, conclusively linked him to 13 of the victims. However, Seattle Times reports his death sentence was commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole following the Washington Supreme Court's decision to abolish capital punishment. "If I raised kids, I'd like them to come up as good as him," says Ernest Youderian, who always received Christmas cards from his nephew. Legendary NASCAR pioneer and championship car owner Robert Yates has died at 74 after battling liver cancer for nearly a year. The deceased was a man in his 30s. At the age of 6, Robert was molested by an older neighbor boy. Copyright 2000 Associated Press. Yates then moved to the base in Goeppingen, Germany, and served there until 1991. Kyle was born October 23, 1968 in Warner Robins, GA, son of the late Vernon Wendell Yates and Stephanie Suzanne Rikard Yates. They were just trying to get some fresh meat.". The petition states that Yates and his wife have assets of more than $136,000 and liabilities totaling $475,000. [44] In 2000, he was charged with 13 counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder in Spokane County Superior Court. The loss of their main breadwinner has been a financial hardship for the family, she said. European newspapers call him the "notorious Washington Ripper." Given the publicity surrounding the arrest, Fasy is likely to seek a change of venue to move the case out of Spokane County but wonders whether his client will be able to get a fair trial anywhere in Washington state. On December 18, 1997, the body of Shawn Johnson, 36, was found with two gunshot wounds and two plastic bags covering her head, about a mile from the remains of Darla Scott. There are no openings. The three oldest girls slept in the basement, the neighbor says. September 1999 - Investigators interview Yates in connection with the serial slayings. A mother-of-pearl button was found that matched one missing from Joseph's jacket. Law enforcement officers in many of those places are studying unsolved crimes to see if Yates might be involved. "He never used any profanity. Supplied. The church feels its within our best interests to pursue other buyers. The city and county are taking a different route now. May 1998 - Yates sells his Corvette to Rita Jones in Spokane. Growing up in North Ca He bought a white 1977 Corvette from Sarah Marsh, and he drove the car back to New York. His choir teacher drove him home from practice for "Plenty of Money," the school musical. On August 26, 1997, Jennifer Joseph, 16, was found shot in the head in a field in Spokane. Yates confessed to picking up Hawn, who was working as a prostitute, in his van nearby. Robert Yates, a master engine builder and longtime NASCAR team owner, died Monday. He also seemed to have a talent for writing poetry. Yates is 47, a father of five, a silver-anniversary husband. Linda even confronted her husband after she found evidence of an extra-marital affair in 1999. Neighbors joked that if they parked a car out front, maybe he'd wash that one, too. Teenagers cruised the downtown strip in their cars; they called it "dragging the gut.". Yates' 25-year-old daughter, Sasha, got no answer when she asked why the killings happened. February 22 - Body of Yolanda Sapp (African American, 26) prostitute . April 18, 2000 - Yates is arrested on the way to work. On December 28, 1988, the partial skeleton of Stacy Hawn, 23, was found near Big Lake. Yates' father and three sisters gave only one public statement: "Bobby is a loving, caring sensitive son; a fun-loving and giving brother; an understanding, generous and dedicated father, who enjoys playing ball, fishing and camping with his kids. Robert Lee Yates led an evil double life. As reported by Radford University's Department of Psychology, Yates Jr.'s childhood was far from ideal. [42][43][20], Yates was arrested on April 18, 2000, for the murder of Jennifer Joseph. He didn't remember his friend's name. These dates are when their bodies were found, not necessarily when they were killed. He is married and a father of five. March 1999 - Yates picks up a prostitute in his Honda Civic for oral sex, according to court documents. He is unemployed for several months. During this school year, Sasha Yates, his oldest daughter, was enrolled in a middle school in Walla Walla. Yates was charged with misdemeanor assault. After Joseph's parent's divorce, she dropped out of high school and moved to Tacoma. Yates, born in Anacortes, sits now on the other side of the state, in jail on a $1.5 million bond. He denied the cheating allegations and said that he went there to use their hot tub after his 12-hour shifts at the aluminum plant. Police say he drove his 1977 white Corvette down East Sprague Avenue and picked up prostitutes. All of his victims died of gunshot wounds to the head or heart. When she confronted him about his unusual behavior, she learned Robert Yates used his credit card multiple times to book a hotel where customers paid by the hour. There were rumblings that a serial killer might be loose in Spokane, but nothing official. Maybin, who paid for her crack habit by working as a prostitute, had been missing since November 22, 1997. On August 1, 1998, Christine Smith filed a police report for assault and robbery after she was hit in the head during a sex act. He served in Germany, Haiti and Somalia. 5. Son Kyle born - starts neglecting daughters. He was one of only 10 instructor pilots at that level. : 2022121 robert lee yates son kyle 2022121 robert lee yates son kyle He goes to Somalia in late 1992 and early 1993. October 1972 - Enrolls at Walla Walla College, a Seventh-day Adventist school, majoring in pre-med. Yates said she was his friend's daughter, and he was driving her home. Most Facebook users can now claim settlement money. March 26-April 1, 2000 - Yates trains with his National Guard unit in Eagle County, Colo. April 2-15, 2000 - Yates trains with the National Guard at the Yakima Training Center. But the plea bargain included another bombshell for his wife: Her husband revealed that for two years the body of one of his victims had been buried in their yard just outside their bedroom window. "Bob was really kind of quiet. He wasn't thin. One of the creditors listed is Christine L. Smith, a woman who survived a 1998 attack and in July filed a lawsuit against Yates. The Spokane Serial Killer: An American Monster by Investigation Discovery explores gruesome crimes committed by Robert Lee Yates. Wasn't tall, wasn't short. 38. As reported by The Cinemaholic, Linda Yates was at work when she received a call telling her the body of Melody Ann Murfin was found buried in the backyard. He wasn't ticketed. March 1974 - Nylander and Yates separate. Yates is a force to be reckoned as the former #1 in the world pickleball player. [7][8] Eight of the murders were committed with a Raven .25-caliber handgun, and one attempted murder was linked to the same model of handgun. May 1988 to May 1991 - Yates teaches soldiers to fly helicopters and serves in the 1st Infantry Division, Goeppingen, Germany. Joined choir his senior year, baffling Al Gatti. He later told police that he held her by one arm and slapped her face lightly several times because she was "disrespectful." He dreamed in college of being a doctor, but those dreams fell apart about the same time as his first marriage. Yates decided he wanted to be a doctor. [47] A September 19, 2008 execution date was stayed by Chief Justice Gerry L. Alexander pending additional appeals. Robert Yates' son Doug shares why when his father was announced as a 2018 inductee, it became the "most gratifying moment of his whole career." . Meet the candidates and likely candidates vying for your vote All rights reserved. She was shot once and had two plastic bags covering her head. On Sunday, November 1, 2020 Robert Yates, loving husband and father of two children passed away at the age of 85. Former landlords in College Place don't remember him. Detectives then talked to the "friend's daughter," who said Yates had agreed to pay her $20 for oral sex, according to police. He would say, `I think there might be a better way,' " Merrill says. October 1976 - Anna Mae Yates dies after a long bout with cancer. And after their five kids came along, he was a doting dad who enjoyed fishing and camping trips. He joined the National Guard and trained near Tacoma once a month. [53], Yates had killed the following individuals:[5][1]. His vehicle was described as a 70s era black van with an exterior yellow/orange stripe, bucket seats, wood panelling, and a raised bed. Snohomish county is heating up Saturday, so soak up the sun before its too late. [48], In 2013, Yates's attorneys filed a habeas corpus petition in federal district court, stating that Yates is mentally ill and, "through no fault of his own suffers from a severe paraphilic disorder" that predisposed him to commit murder. Smith also told police the man told her he was a National Guard helicopter pilot and had five children. "He's been married 27 years. His wife, his three youngest daughters and his son moved to a motel after his arrest, and it's not clear where they are now. The couple had faced multiple problems in their marriage and even separated for some time. He declined to comment on the specifics of the case: "The place where I do battle is in the courtroom.". The prosecution sought the death penalty for the deaths of Melinda L. Mercer in 1997, and Connie Ellis in 1998, which were thought to be linked to the killings in Spokane County. Al Gatti, who was close friends with Robert Lee Yates Jr. in high school, said they spent a lot of their free time together fishing, hiking, hunting, and even working odd jobs to make extra money. She was shot five days earlier according to detectives. Two days later, his middle daughter complains to police that her father "hits me all the time." She said her father hit her all the time. Yates confessed to the killings in October as part of a deal to escape the death penalty. It didn't hurt a damn thing. For one, he always wore cologne when he claimed to go on hunting trips, which was a red flag in itself. Kyle played in his first USAPA National Tournament and took gold the very first day in the men's doubles 19+ in 2014. "Especially when he said he was going hunting, and he was dressed up nice and had cologne on," she told "Dateline." Robert Yates Sr. told The Spokesman-Review newspaper that his son, then 6, was molested by an 11-year-old boy. He was pulled over near Hangman Valley, where a body had been found three weeks before and another body was found a month later. Linda Yates said, according to a transcript of the interview supplied by "Dateline." Victims whose names are followed by an asterisk ( # ) have been linked to Robert Yates, through DNA and other evidence, according to the Spokane County sheriff. With nothing but the clothes on their backs, the Yates family went into hiding.