A woman who hitchhiked and narrowly escaped a notorious serial killer has recounted the chilling final exchange she had with him before managing to flee.
Robert Ben Rhoades, now 79 years old, earned the moniker Truck Stop Killer for his conviction in the brutal torture and murder of at least two couples in Illinois and Texas during 1989 and 1990. Suspected of a string of heinous crimes, including the torture, rape, and killing of over fifty women between 1975 and 1990, Rhoades’ truck routes coincided with the disappearances of women fitting his victim profile during those years.
Among those who encountered Rhoades, one hitchhiker narrowly escaped a deadly encounter in the summer of 1985. Vanessa Veselka, now 56, shared her ordeal with GQ, recalling a horrific incident when she witnessed the discovery of a young teenage hitchhiker’s body near a dumpster.
Vanessa’s own brush with danger occurred when Rhoades picked her up as she traveled south on I-95 through the Carolinas. Describing the killer as taller and leaner than most truckers, she noted his distinct attire of a neatly rolled sleeves button-down shirt and impeccably clean cab.
Unaware of Rhoades’ true nature, Vanessa sensed something amiss as he evaded her questions during their journey. The situation escalated when Rhoades ominously mentioned a deceased girl and brandished a hunting knife after pulling over.
Despite Rhoades’ attempt to coerce her into the back of the cab, Vanessa, a teenager at the time, courageously chose to flee when given a momentary opportunity. In a tense standoff, Rhoades ultimately uttered the word “run,” prompting Vanessa to sprint into the woods as his truck departed.
Rhoades’ criminal activities remained hidden until hunters discovered skeletal remains in Millard County, Utah, in October 1990. Thirteen years later, forensic experts identified the victim as 24-year-old Patricia Candace Walsh, who had gone missing with her husband Douglas Scott Zyskowski from Seattle, Washington, in 1989.
Zyskowski’s remains were found in Ozona, Texas, in January 1990, while Rhoades admitted to murdering him and holding Walsh captive before her tragic demise in Millard County, Utah.
Rhoades eventually confessed to numerous killings, including the murder of 14-year-old Regina Kay Walters in 1994, for which he received a life sentence without parole at Menard Correctional Center in Chester, Illinois. Currently serving his life sentence at a maximum-security prison, Rhoades’ dark legacy continues to haunt those impacted by his heinous crimes.