Smiley Face Killers

“Could a national gang of killers that leaves smiley-face calling cards be getting away with murdering dozens of male college students by making all the deaths look like accidents?” (MSNBC 4/29/08)

On April 10, 2009, Conversations with Cops at the Watering Hole will feature and interview with Kristi Piehl and Bill Szostak.

In the past 12 years, more than 70 young men have either drowned or gone missing under similar circumstances. These are men with vibrant personalities and bright futures. Despite what you’ve heard, not all the men were intoxicated when they were last seen.

Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter Kristi Piehl first exposed the possible connection between the mysterious drowning deaths in 2008 on Good Morning America. Piehl is now working closely with several families of the victims including, Bill Szostak, the father of Josh Szostak.

Program Date: April 10, 2009
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Smiley Face Killers
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/04/11/Smiley-Face-Killers

About the Guests
Kristi Piehl broke the Smiley Face Killer story the same week Josh Szostak was buried. Bill Szostak heard Kristi on Good Morning America and contacted her. The two worked independently over the summer. Bill focused on Josh’s case and Kristi followed up on tips and pursued leads on victims and suspects.

Bill and Kristi realized in August that they each held key pieces of a bigger puzzle and began talking everyday and sharing evidence. Several weeks before Christmas 2008, a round of newsroom layoffs ended Kristi’s 12 year career in television news. It gave her an opportunity to work full-time on these drowning cases. Her goal is to expose the evidence and keep the victim’s stories alive.

Bill is a retired firefighter and licensed fire investigator. His motivation is to give Josh justice and to ensure no other parent will have to watch their son’s body recovered from a river.

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Law Enforcement Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/04/11/Smiley-Face-Killers

Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530