On today’s episode of True Crime Time, Woody takes a deep dive into one of the most disturbing serial killer cases in American history: Robert Hansen, the so-called Butcher Baker of Alaska. Hansen abducted, raped, and murdered women in and around Anchorage, often flying victims into remote wilderness areas where he hunted them after releasing them into the open. He ultimately confessed to 17 murders and more than 30 rapes and was sentenced to 461 years in prison without parole.

Woody traces Hansen’s early life, criminal history, repeated brushes with the justice system, and the warning signs that were missed long before he became known as one of Alaska’s most notorious killers. Hansen had already been arrested for sexual violence and other crimes before the murder spree fully emerged, yet short sentences and plea deals repeatedly returned him to the community.

The episode also examines Hansen’s pattern of targeting vulnerable women, including sex workers and teenagers, and the terrifying methods he used to control, assault, and kill them. Woody recounts the escape of Cindy Paulson, a 17-year-old victim whose survival became a major turning point in the investigation. Paulson escaped from Hansen while he was preparing his airplane and later gave police critical information about her attacker.

From there, Woody explores how investigators connected Hansen to multiple bodies found across Alaska. Detective Glenn Flothe sought help from legendary FBI profiler John Douglas, whose offender profile closely matched Hansen. Armed with Paulson’s account and the profile, authorities secured search warrants and found jewelry belonging to missing women, firearms, and an aviation map marked with dozens of X’s corresponding to known and suspected burial sites.

Woody then walks listeners through the known and suspected victims, including Eklutna Annie, Cia Van Zanten, Megan Emrick, Mary Catherine Thill, Joanna Messina, Roxanne Easland, Lisa Futrell, Mali Larsen, Sherry Morrow, Andrea Mona, Sue Luna, Tammy Peterson, Angela Fetterin, DeLynn “Sugar” Frey, Teresa Watson, Paula Golding, Cindy Paulson, and Robin Pelkey. He highlights how many of the women disappeared without immediate public attention because they were considered high-risk victims, and how some remained unidentified for decades.

The episode closes with Hansen’s eventual plea agreement, his cooperation in identifying some burial sites, and the disturbing fact that several marks on his map remained unexplained. Authorities believe the true number of victims may have been higher than the murders he admitted to. Hansen died in prison in 2014 at age 75, but the questions surrounding every unknown victim have never fully disappeared.

True Crime Time, Real Life Real Crime, Woody Overton, Robert Hansen, Butcher Baker of Alaska, Alaska serial killer, Cindy Paulson, John Douglas, FBI profiler, Anchorage murders, Eklutna Annie, Sherry Morrow, Joanna Messina, Paula Golding, cold cases, missing women, serial murder, true crime podcast

• Robert Hansen
• Butcher Baker of Alaska
• Serial murder in Anchorage
• Victim hunting in the wilderness
• Hansen’s criminal history
• Repeated justice system failures
• Cindy Paulson escape
• FBI profiling
• John Douglas
• Glenn Flothe
• Aviation map with burial sites
• Confirmed and suspected victims
• High-risk victims
• Unidentified victims
• Plea agreement and sentencing
• Hansen’s case shows how repeated failures to take earlier violence seriously can allow offenders to escalate.
• Cindy Paulson’s survival and testimony were critical to exposing Hansen and connecting him to a much larger pattern of violence.
• FBI behavioral profiling helped investigators narrow their focus and obtain the search warrants that uncovered crucial evidence.
• Victims living high-risk lifestyles are still victims and deserve the same investigative urgency, attention, and dignity as anyone else.
• The marked map and unknown burial sites suggest that some of Hansen’s victims may still remain unidentified or undiscovered.

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