Inside the Mind of a True Cold-Blooded Killer

Prepare to be totally creeped out as we explore one of the most disturbing criminal cases in recent history. Many of serial killer Israel Keyes' crimes are still shrouded in mystery. We are going to examine six unnerving details from Keyes' life and crimes, including his meticulous methods and the unsettling way his story ended.

Only 3 Victims Definitively Identified

Authorities believe Keyes killed as many as 11 people, though only three have been definitively identified. After his arrest, Keyes claimed to have taken the lives of four people in Washington State between 2001-06 and one person in New York State in 2009. In 2011, he flew to Chicago and drove to Vermont, where he selected his next victims, an isolated elderly couple Bill and Lorraine Currier. In other cases, police have identified the names of possible victims. As for his last victim, though, there is no question as to her identity.

On Feb. 1, 2012, while living in Anchorage, Alaska, Keyes abducted an 18-year-old barista named Samantha Koenig. After killing her, Keyes used her phone to send texts to her family, demanding a $30,000 ransom. The desperate family deposited the money in her account, and he dismembered her body and dropped her into a lake north of Anchorage. He then used her ATM card to withdraw money and did similar transactions while traveling in the American Southwest. A security camera caught his rental car and he was found in Texas with Koenig's license and other incriminating items in the car.

Keyes' Creepy Murder Kits

Keyes' killings were unique in how meticulously he planned every detail. He would bury "kill kits" near future crime scenes – sometimes years before committing a murder. The kits would include weapons and supplies to dispose of bodies including duct tape, guns, rope, drain cleaner, and lye. Keyes left dozens of these kits all over the country and would travel back to their locations when he was ready to select a victim.

At the time of his arrest, Keyes told authorities he had multiple kits stashed around the country. It's chilling to imagine them still buried – waiting – to this day.

A Double Life

Perhaps one of the most upsetting elements of Keyes' story was his ability to live two parallel lives for over a decade. In 2001, a woman Keyes was involved with gave birth to a daughter. The three lived together on the Makah Reservation in Washington. In 2007, Keyes moved to Alaska to live with another woman and took his daughter with him. Keyes shielded his dark habits from his daughter for over a decade. While at home Keyes was a family man and father, on the road he was planning his next kill.

Acording to the Anchorage Daily News, after his 2012 arrest, Keyes was distraught at the idea of his daughter knowing what he'd done. He told investigators, "I want my kid to have a chance to grow up ... you know ... she's in a safe place now, she's not going to see any of this. I want her to have a chance to grow up and not have all this hanging over her head." Unlike some serial killers who relish infamy, Keyes clearly felt shame for his actions and didn't want to be known for his brutal crimes.

12 Bloody Skulls

Keyes died by suicide in his jail cell in 2012. Before taking his own life, Keyes used his blood to paint 12 skulls on the wall of his cell. Keyes told investigators that he killed less than a dozen people. Authorities speculate that the 12 skulls represented 11 victims and Keyes himself. Keyes also left behind a four-page rhyming suicide note celebrating his murders and criticizing what he saw as the boring nature of life in America.

Inspired by Bundy

Many of Keyes' actions were inspired by other serial killers. Keyes carefully studied infamous killers like Ted Bundy and claimed that he saw himself in them. He also had long-term plans to build a home to imprison his victims, following in the footsteps of H.H. Holmes. Strangely, despite his affection, Keyes himself did not want to be remembered as a serial killer.

Bizarre Body Modifications

Finally, one of the most bizarre elements of Keyes' method were the modifications made to his body. Keyes visited a plastic surgery center in Mexico and was fitted with a gastric band. Maureen Callahan, who wrote a book on Keyes, speculated that the band helped Keyes be a more efficient killer minimizing how often he needed to eat. She also proposes that Keyes may have had his body hair removed and fingerprints altered to make him untraceable.

References: Israel Keyes | Audio: Serial killer bargained with prosecutors in exchange for death sentence | Listen To Detectives Describe The Disturbing 'Kill Kits' Made By Serial Killer Israel Keyes | Alaska killer Israel Keyes researched Ted Bundy | Israel Keyes May Have Tried To Biohack Himself So He Would Become A More Efficient Killer