E14 Corrupted Clip Bonus: Brian Shaffer, Joey LaBute & the Smiley Face Killer Theory

Welcome to the Corrupt Podcast! 

 

In this bonus Corrupted Clip, we’re digging into the cases of Brian Shaffer and Joey LaBute. Both men went missing from bars in Columbus, Ohio. Brian Shaffer has been missing since 2006. Joey LaBute disappeared and his remains would be located in 2016, but his murder remains unsolved. A popular theory for both disappearances is the Smiley Face Killer. Also known as the Smiley Face Murders or Smiley Face Gang, this group of people graffiti a smiley face at the location of a murder or where a body will be found. 

 

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Sources for this episode:

• Chicago, 32. “Retired Detective Calls for Reopening of ‘Smiley Face Killer’ Cases | FOX 32 Chicago.” FOX 32 Chicago, FOX 32 Chicago, 10 Apr. 2019, https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/retired-detective-calls-for-reopening-of-smiley-face-killer-cases.
• FOX TV Digital Team. “The ‘Smiley Face’ Murders: What Experts Say about This Theory | FOX 13 Seattle.” FOX 13 Seattle, FOX 13 Seattle, 16 July 2024, https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/smiley-face-murders-theory-experts-weigh-in.
• Hayden, Aly Vander. “Brian Welzien Was Possibly Dead Before He ‘Drowned,’ Says Forensic Pathologist | Crime News.” Oxygen Official Site, Oxygen, 10 Feb. 2019, https://www.oxygen.com/smiley-face-killers-the-hunt-for-justice/crime-time/forensic-pathologist-believes-alleged-smiley.
• ---. “Dakota James Case Update: D.A. Agrees It May Have Been Murder By Strangulation | Crime News.” Oxygen Official Site, Oxygen, 20 Jan. 2019, https://www.oxygen.com/smiley-face-killers-the-hunt-for-justice/crime-time/district-attorney-investigate-dakota-james.
• Smith, Vanessa. “What Happened to 21-Year-Old College Student Chris Jenkins on Halloween Night in 2002.” Tales From the Underworld — Authentic True Crime | Substack, Tales From the Underworld — Authentic True Crime, 18 Oct. 2023, https://www.talesfromtheunderworld.com/p/what-happened-to-21-year-old-college.
• Thompson, Rocky. “Cause of Chris Jenkins’ Death Is Still a Mystery – The Minnesota Daily.” The Minnesota Daily, https://mndaily.com/245046/uncategorized/cause-chris-jenkins-death-still-mystery/.
  
  

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