In 1969, the city of Renton was still just a small town, home to about 20,000 people. Their crowning achievement was the single-story library that had just been completed.  It was the first, and is still the only library to be built over a river. The building literally hovers over the water, held up by 12 giant columns in the middle and the riverbanks on either side.

With walls of windows opening up to the natural beauty of the river, it was a popular study spot for students of nearby Renton Technical College, like 19-year-old Culinary student Carol Erickson.

In December of 1969, Carol had gone to the library to work on an assignment. She was designing a menu for an elaborate dinner.

By 7 o’clock, the winter darkness had set in. But, Carol was used to it. It was her routine to walk home from the library along a dirt road that parallels the Cedar River.

It was less than a half mile back to her condo, but Carol never made it.  Her body was found naked and violated on the banks of the Cedar River.

Carol’s case had been all but forgotten less than two years later, in the Summer of 1970, when the body of another young woman was found just a few miles away.  Then, in 1971 two little boys went missing.

It would take three terrible crimes and the loss of four young lives before all the pieces would fall into place.

“He wasn’t looking for a particular type of victim. He’s just looking for whoever comes along, cause he would just roam the woods until he came across somebody. He’s the Boogieman!”