Author Description

The Golden Boy Serial Killer: AKA The I-5 Killer In October 1980, crime reporter Sarah Martinez began tracking what appeared to be isolated murders and robberies along Interstate 5. Through methodical investigation and pattern recognition, she uncovered a coordinated campaign of terror spanning three states-the work of Randall Woodfield, a charming former NFL draft pick turned traveling salesman who used his professional cover to hunt victims throughout the Pacific Northwest. Martinez's reporting helped law enforcement agencies overcome jurisdictional boundaries to form the first multi-state task force in regional history. The investigation culminated in Woodfield's arrest in March 1981, following crucial eyewitness identification by survivor Beth Wilmot, who courageously testified despite suffering attempted murder. The case pioneered modern serial crime investigation techniques, established victim advocacy protocols, and demonstrated journalism's power to connect patterns others missed. Woodfield was convicted on all counts and sentenced to life plus 125 years, ending a reign of terror that had terrorized the I-5 corridor for months. Beyond the criminal justice triumph, the story explores the personal cost of covering such darkness, the resilience of survivors rebuilding their lives, and the ethical challenges facing journalists who must balance public safety against fair trial rights. Ultimately, it reveals how ordinary people-investigators, prosecutors, survivors, and journalists-can collaborate to ensure that evil, however carefully hidden, cannot escape accountability.