The movie Happy Face Killer is a true crime drama that is based on the terrifying spree of murders committed by the American serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson. Between 1990 and 1995, Jesperson murdered at least eight women in multiple states across the US.
A truck driver by profession, Jesperson targeted vulnerable women who he would lure into his truck with the promise of a ride. He would then brutally rape, torture, and kill them before disposing of their bodies in secluded areas.
Jesperson's reign of terror lasted for five years, during which he earned his nickname of the "Happy Face Killer" by sending taunting letters and drawings to the police and media. In his notes, he depicted his crimes in disturbing detail and often signed them with a smiley face.
The movie follows the investigation into Jesperson's crimes and the efforts of a tenacious detective, who is determined to bring him to justice. It also explores Jesperson's troubled past, including his abusive upbringing by an alcoholic father, the breakdown of his marriage, and his spiraling descent into a full-blown psychopath.
Throughout the film, Happy Face Killer portrays the bleak and unsettling nature of Jesperson's character, and the devastating consequences of his violent and sadistic crimes. It is a harrowing and haunting portrayal of one of America's most notorious serial killers.