You’ve probably heard the name Robert Lee Yates and immediately thought of a dark alley or a shadowy figure. But the reality of the Robert Lee Yates serial killer case is way more unsettling because he didn't look like a monster. He looked like your neighbor. Or your pilot. Or the guy sitting next to you at church.
Honestly, that’s the part that still gets people. He was a decorated U.S. Army helicopter pilot. A father of five. A husband of over 20 years. While the city of Spokane was paralyzed with fear in the late '90s, Yates was going home to a middle-class house on South Hill, presumably tucking his kids into bed after dumping a body.
He wasn't just some drifter. He was a man with a "Master Aviator Badge" who spent over two decades in the military. This wasn't a case of someone "snapping." It was a calculated, decades-long double life that finally unraveled because of a white Corvette and a missing button.
The Double Life of the Robert Lee Yates Serial Killer
Most people think his "reign of terror" started in 1996. It didn't.
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While the bulk of his known crimes happened between 1996 and 1998, Yates actually started much earlier. In 1975, a young couple named Patrick Oliver and Susan Savage were out for a picnic near Walla Walla. They were shot and killed. For twenty-five years, that case sat cold. Nobody suspected the young correction officer—which was Yates' job at the time—who worked at the nearby Washington State Penitentiary.
Think about that. He worked inside a prison, guarding criminals, while he had already committed a double homicide.
Why did he target sex workers?
When he moved back to Spokane in the mid-90s after his active military service, he started frequenting East Sprague Avenue. This was the city’s red-light district. He didn't just target these women because they were "easy" targets. He chose them because he knew society often overlooked them.
He had a specific, grisly routine. He would pick them up, often in his 1979 white Corvette or his Ford van, and take them to secluded areas. He’d have sex with them, sometimes do drugs with them, and then shoot them in the head.
One of the most bizarre details? He used to put plastic grocery bags over their heads. This earned him the nickname the "Grocery Bag Killer" before his identity was known. He told investigators later that it was to keep the blood out of his car. It was purely logistical for him.
The Evidence That Finally Broke the Case
The task force investigating the "Spokane Serial Killer" was under massive pressure. Bodies were turning up everywhere—fields, roadsides, even near school bus stops.
The breakthrough came from a survivor. In 1998, Christine Smith was shot in the head by a man she met on East Sprague. Miraculously, she lived. She gave police a description of the man and his white Corvette.
But even then, Yates almost slipped through the cracks. Police actually stopped him in 1998 because his car matched the description. They took his name. They took his information. But because he was a "respectable" military man with a family, he wasn't immediately arrested.
The White Corvette and the Button
It wasn't until 2000 that the DNA technology caught up. When investigators finally searched that white Corvette—which Yates had since sold—they found a tiny, mother-of-pearl button under the passenger seat.
That button belonged to 16-year-old Jennifer Joseph.
They also found bloodstains that matched her DNA. The "perfect" family man was done. When they started digging, they found something even more haunting. One of his victims, Melody Murfin, was buried right in his own backyard. Specifically, she was buried under his bedroom window.
His wife, Linda, had no idea. She later said in interviews that she noticed he’d come home from "hunting" smelling like cologne instead of the outdoors. But she never imagined she was sleeping a few feet away from a grave.
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Where is Robert Lee Yates Now?
A lot of people ask if he's still on death row. The legal path for the Robert Lee Yates serial killer has been complicated, to say the least.
In 2000, he took a plea deal in Spokane County to avoid the death penalty. He confessed to 13 murders and one attempted murder. He got 408 years for that. But Pierce County didn't play ball. They wanted the death penalty for two other murders he committed there (Melinda Mercer and Connie Ellis).
- 2002: He was sentenced to death in Pierce County.
- 2018: The Washington State Supreme Court ruled the death penalty was unconstitutional because it was applied "arbitrarily."
- The Result: His death sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole.
As of early 2026, Robert Lee Yates is still alive. He is serving his time at the Washington State Penitentiary—the very same prison where he once worked as a guard in the 70s. Talk about a full circle.
Lessons from the Yates Case
Looking back at this case, it’s a grim reminder that "profiling" isn't an exact science. Yates didn't fit the loner stereotype. He was integrated into the community.
- Trust your gut, but verify: Law enforcement initially bypassed Yates because of his social standing.
- The importance of DNA: This case proved that even the smallest piece of evidence—like a button or a microscopic blood droplet—can bridge the gap between a "normal" life and a serial killer's reality.
- Advocacy for the marginalized: The victims were often dismissed by the public because of their lifestyles, but their families’ persistence kept the case alive.
Basically, the Robert Lee Yates story is a cautionary tale about the masks people wear. He wasn't a monster hiding in the woods; he was the guy in the flight suit.
If you're interested in the forensic side of things, researching the "Spokane Homicide Task Force" gives a lot of insight into how they managed thousands of tips before finding that one white Corvette. You can also look into the 2018 Washington Supreme Court ruling (State v. Gregory) to understand why Yates isn't facing execution today.
Stay curious, but maybe keep an eye on your neighbors.
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Actionable Insights for True Crime Researchers:
- Study the Survivor's Account: Look into Christine Smith's testimony; her survival is the only reason Yates was caught.
- Analyze the Military Records: Researchers often point to his time in Germany and Somalia as potential windows for "uncounted" victims.
- Track the Legal Precedent: The commutation of Yates' sentence is a landmark case for death penalty abolitionists in the Pacific Northwest.