Who is the Smiley Face Killer? Multiple Chicago drownings spark serial killer theories online

The recovery of Noah Eno's body from the Chicago River on June 17, 2023, has sparked fears of serial killers terrorizing the city as ten men and six women have been pulled from the water and Lake Michigan since last year. While officials have yet to determine the manner of death, the uptick in bodies found floating in the Chicago River has fuelled theories surrounding the involvement of the Smiley Face Killer.

Most of these theories were explored by Reddit and TikTok sleuths who are growing increasingly resolved in their belief that the Chicago drownings are the work of a serial killer. However, law enforcement has shot down the swirling rumors online, stating the deaths are not connected.

Meanwhile, after six bodies were fished out of the river this year, online sleuths have renewed interest in a theory about Smiley Face Killer targeting young men across the city. While law enforcement dismissed theories of a serial killer roaming the city, a dismayed Reddit user said:

“It is the worst feeling when you've learned enough about SFK (smiley face Killer) to be able to pinpoint which missing men are going to end up deceased in the water... has happened to me 5+ times in 2023 so far.”

Another user complained about the decreased reporting on Smiley Face Killers.

“You just sometimes have to dig for the info because the reporting on SFK cases is laughably poor.”

However, the coverage relating to smiley face Killers is sparse due to the theory being debunked by law enforcement officials and the lack of concrete proof to support the swirling rumors.

What we know about the Smiley Face Killer and the connection to Chicago drownings

The genesis of the term Smiley Face Killer can be traced back to the 1970s after three young men, aged between 18-24, were found floating in the city's river around the same time.

Sometime in the 1970s two retired New York City detectives, Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte, and criminal justice professor, Lee Gilberton endorsed the Smiley face murder theories. Gannon, Duarte, and Gilbertson also helmed a docuseries on Oxygen about this theory, titled 'Smiley Face Killers: The Hunt For Justice,' in 2018.

The assailant was dubbed Smiley Face Killer after graffiti depicting a smiley face, along with other symbols, was found near the river locations where they believe the killers dumped the bodies.

The Smiley Face Killer theory was floated around again in the late 1990s to the 2010s after a string of young men were found dead in the water across several Midwestern states. Gannon believed that the killings are not the work of one man but a concerted effort of a group of killers who follow a similar pattern. Gannon told Newsweek:

"The group is actually leaving symbols behind letting you know, 'Yes this was us, come and catch us."

Though the official cause of death was believed to be an accidental drowning, Gannon told CNN in 2008 that he believed the men were drugged and abducted from bars, before being killed and dumped in the water.

While Gannon told Newsweek he has not investigated the reports of recent bodies discovered in Chicago, he believed they are connected and the work of a serial killer.

What we know about the Chicago drownings this year

Since the beginning of this year, there have been close to half a dozen reported drownings where young men were reported missing days before their bodies were found in the river.

Anthony Rucker, 23, was reported missing on February 13, and police recovered his body three days later in the Chicago River. Joel Orduno, 24, who was last seen at his Logan Square residence on February 17, was found dead on the Chicago River a month later.

Twenty-one-year-old Séamus Gray from the US Navy was last seen around March 18, leaving Ibiza Nightclub in Chicago. He was found dead on April 19. Noah Enos, who was reported missing on June 12, was found dead a week later.

While officials have declared most of these men died of drowning, the manner of death is still being investigated. However, law enforcement officials maintain the deaths are unrelated.

About the author

Anushree is a US Trending News Specialist at Sportskeeda. After completing her Masters in Journalism from the prestigious Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media in 2017, Anushree worked with the likes of the Hindu, IBT, Times Internet, and One India for 7 years, covering a wide range of topics as a hardcore journalist and a Features writer.

Before creating content, Anushree does a lot of research, exploring old and new reports from credible sources and cross-checking them alongside other reliable sources from the web. She likes the reporting and researching aspect of her job the most as it allows her to gain insights into things that she wouldn't have known otherwise.

Anushree has also had the privilege of interviewing renowned author and television host Padma Lakshmi for the Hindu in 2017.

After signing off from work, Anushree loves to go on walks and hikes. She also enjoys reading and watching a lot of mass media content, especially reality television.

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Edited by Anushree Madappa