We watch shows dealing with serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer for entertainment more and more lately. "Murder Porn" is what my wife has jokingly called it. Then we find the killers that hit a little closer to home, like The Smiley Face Killer who spent some time in Selah, Washington. In my exploration on the darker side of human nature and all things serial killers, I ran across one from Oregon, who not only was a serial killer, but also played in the NFL. Talk about a double threat.


Randall Woodfield, better known as the I-5 Killer, is a native from Salem, Oregon who was born on December 25th, 1950. Now the Pacific Northwest is well known to have quite the number of serial killers, but what makes Woodfield stand out is how many people he is believed to have killed (suspected to be involved in 44 murders according to Wikipedia) as well as his stint spent with the NFL.

The Crimes of Randall Woodfield

As stated on Woodfield’s Wikipedia page, he started getting into trouble with the law in his high school years with his first arrest for indecent exposure. It escalated from there with vandalism, burglary, assault, sexual assault, rape and eventually his first murder in October, 1980.

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Randall Woodfield and Football

Before starting his path to becoming the I-5 Killer, in college, he played football as wide receiver for the Portland State Vikings. He was eventually drafted for the same position by the Green Bay Packers in 1974. He signed a contract with the Packers in ’74, but was cut during training camp.


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Woodfield Serving Time

Woodfield was caught and charged with Murder, Attempted murder, Second-degree robber, sodomy, & sexual assault in 1981. When all was said in done, he was sentenced to life in prison with an additional 165 years. Although he was only convicted for 1 murder, he has been linked to 18 and suspected in as many as 44 different victims according to Wikipedia. He is serving his sentence at the Oregon State Penitentiary.

Check out the video below for more info on The I-5 Killer.

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Every state is known for something. Florida has swamps and beautiful weather, Iowa has wrestling and corn, New York has Manhattan and Brooklyn-style pizza, Maryland has crabcakes. Washington has apples, wine, IPAs, and serial killers. This article is not meant to glorify these evil people in any way, just shed some light on a bizarre Washington truth. From Bundy to the Green River Killer, these are twelve of the deadliest killers in Washington state history.

Gallery Credit: Pete Christensen

These Insidious Washington Unsolved Murders Are Our New Obsession

Several murders have yet to be solved in Washington. These unsolved murders haunt the families and friends of the victims. Even with various law enforcement agencies across the state working tirelessly to bring these folks some closure, there is still help needed on the part of the everyday resident. Crime Stoppers of Tacoma/Pierce County urges anyone with a tip to call 1-800-222-TIPS. Tips that lead to the arrest of a suspect could be rewarded with up to $1,000.

Gallery Credit: Pete Christensen

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