The I-5 Killer

You don't associate a guy who was drafted by the Green Bay Packers as a serial killer and sexual deviant. However, that is exactly who Randy Woodfield is. The I-5 Killer or I-5 Bandit is what he became known as. He carved a trail of horror along the Interstate 5 corridor running through Washington, Oregon and California. This book gives good insight on his life and crimes. Even though he was only convicted of one murder, Woodfield really should be noted as one of the most prolific serial killers in American history. He has been linked to as many as 44.

It's weird growing up as a child in the 80s.

I heard all of these stories about these serial killers that seem to have popped up overnight in the 1980s it seemed. You had Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and you even had the I-5 killer, Randall Woodfield.

Reading this true crime book by Ann Rule about the I-5 killer was eye-opening.

Unlike with her previous books I think that Rule was a lot stronger in this one because she really did focus on the perpetrator a lot more and the crimes that he committed. The crimes were very horrific and at times very hard to read, but I think that she did a great job of getting into his mind and the contempt he felt towards women. Unlike in previous Rule books even though we get the bare-bones sketch of the show more prosecutors and the police they don't overwhelm the story. Instead the victims and the ordeals that they suffered shines through in this one, which makes me appreciate it a lot more. Because in the end when these killers are caught and their infamy is shouted from the rooftops we often do forget about the victims and the families that they left behind.

I don't know what makes a serial killer. Reading this book you seem to think that the killer Randall Woodfield had everything going for him. I mean at one point he was even asked to come and try out for the Green Bay Packers. But something inside of him, something made him want to be loved by women but also hated them and caused him to lash out at them at any opportunity that he got until he just turned deadly for more than a year up and down the I-5 Highway.

What's really weird though is how this killer ended up linking up with another case that Rule end up writing about, Diane Downs.

One thing that I do wish though is that there had been a follow-up to some of these true crime stories. When you read different details later on you find out things that have happened I found out that Woodfield was tied to a couple of more murders that Rule and other suspected him in in this book. So that does make me feel a bit better to see that some of those crimes were tied up and he was definitively linked and charged.

Definitely recommend to those true-crime lovers out there. Be prepared for a grisly read at times though. show less

Randall Woodfield seemed to have it all. Growing up he had a stable home life, did well in school, and was an exceptional athlete, excelling in every sport he tried. He was such a good athlete, in fact, that the Green Bay Packers drafted him. But Woodfield didn't make the team and he never finished college, instead drifting from job to job, from city to city. He also went from woman to woman, pursuing all of them intensely. Still, he seemed like a nice enough guy and people who knew him were shocked to find out that he was the I-5 killer, committing a series of robberies, terrorizing and assaulting young women, killing some of them.

"The I-5 Killer" is one of Ann Rule's early true crime books and it shows. It's not a bad book, but it's show more not as good as her later efforts. Rule focuses more on Woodfield than his victims, consequently, although the crimes against the victims were horrific, I felt detached since I never came to know what any of them were really like. There are eight pages of photos, but only one picture of a victim, which also adds to the feeling of detachment. Woodfield's trial had a bit more detail to it and was quite interesting.

This isn't a bad book, but someone trying Ann Rule for the first time should try reading one of her newer books. show less

Ann Rule's books are always a little light (which is a weird thing to say about books about murderers, but it's true), but this one seems even more so than normal. There's nothing interesting going on here. There's a guy with an inferiority complex who eventually ended up raping and murdering women on a regular basis. That's pretty much it.

Also, fair warning for anyone who considers reading this: there are a *lot* of graphic descriptions of rape in this. Like, a lot. Way more than necessary.

This was a real informative book about a real monster.
Unfortunately, due to all of the players involved, it was very confusing to keep it all straight.
Also, the Audiobook and ebook were not connected to each other. So, unfortunately I ended up reading rebook and forsaken the audiobook.

As my true crime fascination grows, Ann Rule seems to be the best of the best in this category. I enjoyed my first Ann Rule experience and look forward to the next.

Another great Ann Rule book! I was too young to remember hearing about this guy (and I didn't live in that part of the country). One sick bastard!