Halloween night 2003, Chris Jenkins, a popular University of Minnesota student, left a bar drunk. He wasn’t seen again until several months later when his body was found floating in the Mississippi River. At first his death was considered an accidental drowning. It wasn’t until four years later when retired New York City detectives Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte decided it wasn’t an accident, but a homicide.

Since the late 1990’s over 40 young men in college have turned up drowned in 11 states. Until Chris Jenkins, all of these deaths were considered unconnected and accidental. Now it is thought they are connected by a possible murder gang. Not only were all of the victims drowned, but near several of the murder scenes smiley faces were found graffitied on rocks or trees, giving the murders the nickname ‘the smiley face murders‘ or ‘the smiley face killings.’

It is thought that the victims are apprehended after they leave a bar drunk, then are possibly tortured by the murderer or murderers, and finally they are dumped into the water while unconscious. Dumping the bodies in the water helps to wash away most of the evidence and makes it look like a simple drowning and not murder.

As of yet, no suspects have been named. But now that the connection has been found perhaps police are closer to discovering who is responsible. For now, young college aged men should be careful.