Israel Keyes, suspected serial killer, commits suicide in Alaska jail, officials say

Israel Keyes, a man charged in the death of an Alaska barista has killed himself, and authorities say he was linked to at least seven other possible slayings in three other states.
Photographer: NBC NewsChannel
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Regular Photo Size

Posted: 12/03/2012

By: RACHEL D'ORO Associated Press

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- A man charged in the death of an Alaska barista has killed himself, and authorities say he was linked to at least seven other possible slayings in three other states.

   Israel Keyes was found dead in his Anchorage jail cell Sunday morning. Officials say it was a suicide.

   Keyes was facing a March trial in federal court for the murder of 18-year-old Samantha Koenig, who was abducted from an Anchorage coffee kiosk last February. He was later arrested in Texas after using the victim's debit card.

   Authorities say Keyes confessed to killing Bill and Lorraine Currier of Essex, Vt. The couple was reported missing in June 2011.

   Authorities say Keyes also indicated he killed four others in Washington state and one person in New York state, but did not give the victims' names.