Daughter of the Happy Face Killer Shares Her Painful Journey

TOPPENISH, Wash. — Melissa G. Moore, the daughter of notorious serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, known as the Happy Face Killer, opens up about her harrowing childhood and the aftermath of her father’s crimes in the upcoming Paramount+ series, “Happy Face,” set to premiere on March 20.

Jesperson, a truck driver, murdered at least eight women between 1990 and 1995, leaving a trail of horror across several states. His gruesome acts remained unknown to Moore until she was 16, forever altering her perception of family and safety. “I have memories of him playing with me … then to see that he was a stone-cold killer, I can’t fuse the two together,” Moore recalled, emphasizing the struggle she faced reconciling her father’s violent alter ego with her childhood memories.

The chilling reality of her father’s actions first hit Moore during a diner conversation shortly before her 16th birthday. Jesperson had hinted at having a secret, which remained undisclosed at the time. “I went to the bathroom and tried to calm myself down… I wasn’t thinking murder,” Moore recounted. A few months later, she was informed of her father’s arrest for multiple murders, leading to feelings of overwhelming grief and confusion.

Jesperson’s killing spree began shortly after he divorced Moore’s mother, Rose Hucke, in 1990, starting with Taunja Bennett, whom he met at a bar in Portland, Oregon. His heinous acts escalated until he murdered his then-girlfriend, Julie Winningham, in 1995, which led authorities to him. Jesperson confessed through letters to the media, signing them with a smiley face. This earned him the nickname, the Happy Face Killer.

Moore shared her coping mechanisms in a 2015 interview, saying, “I’m OK, and I have rebuilt my life. But my dad got a life sentence; I got a life sentence. I have to choose how that’s going to affect me.” Following her father’s conviction, Moore has dedicated her life to helping families of other notorious killers, forming a support network for those similarly affected.

In a poignant moment during her interviews, Moore described her childhood relationship with Jesperson, highlighting the “average American family” image they projected. She reminisced about outdoor adventures, only recalling troubling signs of her father’s dark side as she matured, including instances of animal cruelty, which would ultimately foreshadow his criminal behavior.

After years of grappling with her father’s legacy, Moore has taken steps to ensure her own children understand the distinction between her and Jesperson. “I don’t want my kids to feel ashamed because of what he did,” she stated. “I’m not a monster, even if my dad is.” This resolve led her to write her 2009 memoir, “Shattered Silence: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer’s Daughter,” which aimed to shed light on the impact of growing up in the shadow of violence.

Jesperson, currently serving three consecutive life sentences at the Oregon State Penitentiary, has expressed a detached view of his actions, admitting to various murders and claiming to correspond with other inmates, including potential serial killers. Meanwhile, Moore has made a conscious choice to distance herself and her children from Jesperson, recognizing the complexities of their blood tie while affirming her own identity. “He doesn’t show remorse for the victims,” Moore said, reiterating her decision not to further the relationship.

The complexities of their relationship will be further explored in the Paramount+ series, providing an unsettling look at the aftermath of her father’s crimes through Moore’s eyes. As she continues to navigate her life as the daughter of a serial killer, Moore remains committed to using her experiences to help others heal from the trauma of living with a violent legacy.