Israel Keyes book reveals new details about serial killer

A book out this summer takes an extensive look at Israel Keyes, the man federal authorities say admitted to kidnapping and murdering teenager Samantha Koenig in Alaska, and others in the Lower 48.

Samantha Koenig, one of Israel Keyes’ known victims.

The new book details how, according to prosecutors, Keyes abducted Koenig from an Anchorage coffee stand in February 2012, killed her and hid her body in a lake north of the city. Investigators tracked Keyes as he used Koenig’s debit card and arrested him in Texas.

Keyes then told investigators he had abducted and murdered others. The FBI was still trying to identify his other supposed victims — possibly more than 10 — when he killed himself in jail while held on charges in Koenig’s kidnapping and death.

Israel Keyes

Author and journalist Maureen Callahan spent six years researching for her book about Keyes and sued to get 13 hours of previously unreleased interview audio.

Callahan spoke with Alaska Public Media’s Casey Grove about the case and the book.

a portrait of a man outside

Casey Grove is host of Alaska News Nightly, a general assignment reporter and an editor at Alaska Public Media. Reach him atcgrove@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Caseyhere

Previous articleAmid PCE issues, what Y-K Delta residents can expect electric bills to look like
Next articleAttorney General pushes back on ACLU lawsuit over court cuts