"With the 17th Pick in the NFL Draft the Green Bay Packers select I-5 K Serial Killer Randy Woodfield".
I just about sh*t my pants when I read this story on the TIL sub-reddit this morning. How did I not know this? Me. The guy who can rattle off fun facts about Bundy, Richard Speck, BTK, Richard Ramirez et.al. at the drop of a hat. Me. The guy who can deep into the Manson family and tell you it wasn't Chuck who did the killing, it was Tex Watson, Patricia Krenwinkle and Susan Atkins. My point is, I know this stuff and I can't believe I let the I-5 Killer/Green Bay Packers story slip through the cracks.
So here's the backstory.
Woodfield comes from a long line of serial killers who hailed from the Pacific Northwest. Bundy, the Green River Killer and the DC Sniper to name a few. He played wide receiver for Portland State University and drafted by the Packers and then Head Coach/GM Dan Devine in 1974, two rounds after eventual Bears coach Dave Wannstedt.
He played in an exhibition game against the Chicago Bears before being cut by the Packers on August 19th after several "flashing" incidents. Then all hell broke loose. He was arrested in 1975 on robbery and sexual assault charges and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He blamed his behavior on the use of steroids. He was released in 1979 and started killing women he abducted along the I-5 Corridor in 1980. I'll spare you the grisly details. He was convicted of 9 murders in 1981 and sentenced to 90 years in prison. He is suspected to have committed another 30+ murders.
But here's the kicker.
Since his time in prison he has been MARRIED THREE TIMES and divorced twice. Which begs the question, "Who is the woman still married to him?" Granted, I realize some women love to be married to football players, but c'mon now. He was cut after one game. He was barely a football player. If you're going to marry a player at least marry a guy on what was then known as the taxi squad. Amiright?
Irregardless (yeah, it's a word now) at the end of the day a couple undeniable truths become self-evident.
- No matter how bad Lindy Infante, Forrest Gregg, or any other coach who comes after Devine was (is) they can always say. "Well at least I never drafted a serial killer"
- Tony Mandarich is totally off the hook as the worst Packers draft choice in team history.
- That Jordan Love pick is looking pretty good right now.
How this story flew under the radar is beyond me but at least I found it, and as the old adage goes "Better late than never".
Photos: Robert Beck/Taylor Ballentyne