Terry Monroe

On February 12, 1981, 21-year-old Terry Cox Monroe, a clerk at a Payless in downtown Salem, went to the Oregon Museum Tavern with some friends.^[2] After chatting and smoking cigarettes with them for some time, Monroe said that she would go outside to take a breath of fresh air, but did not come back.^[3] On the following day, friends and family became concerned for her safety, as Monroe did not turn up at work.^[3] The authorities were called in, and two hours into the search, her clothing and personal documents were found on the banks of the Willamette River.^[2] On March 15, a boater crossing the river spotted the body of a woman wedged amidst debris, and immediately notified the police.^[4] On the next day, the body was positively identified as Monroe's, with coroner Dr. Larry Lewman deducing that she had been strangled to death.^[5] A fund was soon established in her name, with the aim that the monetary incentive would lead to tips that could solve the case.^[6]

For a brief period, it was suggested that Monroe's killing may be linked to the I-5 Killer or the Oregon Museum Tavern shooting that occurred three months later, but both of these possibilities were quickly ruled out, and the case went cold.^[7][8]

Sherry Eyerly

On July 4, 1982, 18-year-old Domino's Pizza courier Sherry Melissa Eyerly was dispatched to an address on Riverhaven Drive to deliver an order.^[9] Hours later, her delivery car, with her collie still inside, was found abandoned on a dirt road outside of town.^[10][11] It was first discovered by pastor David Stark and later by George Hutmacher and his two sons, acquaintances of the Eyerly family who were out setting fireworks.^[9] Upon inspecting the address given by the caller, police learned that both the name and location were fictitious, and that the call-back number listed led to a motel.^[9] Despite extensive searches over the next few days, Eyerly's body was never found.

Rebecca Darling

On February 19, 1984, employees at a local Circle K store went to start work, only to find that the night-time employee, 21-year-old Rebecca Anne Darling, was missing.^[12] Her car, a Volkswagen Beetle, was still in the parking lot, and her purse, car keys and coat were still in the store, but there were no apparent signs of a struggle or anything being stolen. This was considered highly unusual, as Darling was considered a diligent worker who would never abandon her shift or leave her possessions behind.^[13] As a result, authorities were notified and a search began to locate her.^[12]

On March 25, a farmer tending to his cows found a highly-decomposed body floating in the Little Pudding River, which was stuck in some brush. While it was apparent that the cause of death was homicidal in nature, investigators were initially unable to determine the race, sex or age of the decedent.^[14] The body was sent to medical examiner William Brady, and two days later, he positively identified the body as that of Darling. The subsequent autopsy determined that she had been strangled to death.^[15] After this revelation, police released the identikit of a man wanted for questioning, as on the day of her disappearance, the stranger had asked for Darling by name three times before her shift had even started.^[16] Around the same time, it was announced by investigators that there were no apparent links between Darling's murder and several other unsolved cases in the area, including that of Monroe three years prior.^[16]

Katherine Redmond

On April 11, 1984 the car of 18-year-old Katherine Ione Redmond, a freshman university student at the Alpha Chi Omega fraternity in Willamette University, was found abandoned at an intersection about two hours after she had left.^[17] Fearing that something might have happened to her, locals and authorities organized searches in attempt to locate her. Four days later, Redmond's nude body, bearing signs of sexual assault and strangulation, was found in a forested area outside Salem.^[17]

The recent murders attracted heavy media attention, with authorities issuing warnings for women to avoid travelling alone. In addition, there were reportedly increased sales for Mace and handguns, and student organizations organized escorts to protect female students.^[17]