Killers Online
KHSB Action News Kansas City, November 10, 2004

They're cut off from the rest of society? but they can still connect with the outside... and advertise for friends.

An NBC Action News Investigation digs deep to find out how those labeled as dangerous, even deadly, strike up relationships with well-meaning people.

You can use the internet to meet your next best friend -- even your future husband or wife. But, people considered a threat to society can, too. And you may be surprised to learn who's coming under fire for helping "killers on line".

You can find their ads on line? men - women seeking friendship... wanting to share their thoughts, desires, and wishes.

Convicted killer Keith Smith says, "Just someone to talk to... Share your ups and downs with."

But these on line ads hide something from you... something even sinister.

Now, the NBC Action News investigation goes on-line and behind bars to expose how convicted killers try to convince you to put pen to paper, and drop them a line.

And while they're seeking companionship, the risk in these relationships is high.

Mary Gulledge is the mother of a murder victim. She says, "My first thought when I saw Angela on a website was that she was trolling for her next victim."

But what has some crime victims just as outraged... now a popular place to shop on line is coming under fire, accused of helping others profit from pain.

Findmissingkids.com President Bret Vinocur, a child advocate and pen pal opponent says, "I don't think that a corporation that partners with Toys R Us and Target should be openly in any way supporting websites that promote child murderers. "

Keith Smith has been writing to pen pals for a decade. When you find his ad on line, you'll see he's from Kansas City and wants to connect with someone for friendship... maybe more. Some friendship, financial support, his ad will leave you under the very real impression that he's a Christian looking for a penpal.

Parris Campbell was also a religious man...he made quite an impression on members of this Methodist Church at 24th and Park where he was pastor.

Greg Woodfork was a friend of the pastor. He says, "He'd been over to the house... I have pictures of him at the house. He even christened the house I built.. Yeah."

Back in the early 90’s, Keith Smith and Pastor Campbell's stories came together.

The pastor took Keith under his wing and into his south Kansas City home... Keith Smith, the very same man with the online ad, repaid the favor, by strangling and stabbing the pastor.... then doing the same to the 78-year-old housekeeper Annie Mae Miller.

Greg Woodfork says, "We were all up in arms... We didn't have no idea what could have gone wrong that day. "

When Kansas City police interrogated Smith, he pointed the finger at an unusual accomplice, a demon doll in a horror flick.

Homicide Investigator Troy Cole says, "He portrayed "Chuckie" as the killer...It took a couple of hours before he finally admitted he himself was Chuckie. When asked why he made Chuckie out to be the bad guy, he said I just didn't think I was capable of doing the crimes that were committed. "

Keith Smith will spend the rest of his life behind bars where days pass slowly.

So he looks for friendship outside prison walls. Keith says, "No one is responsible for my actions but myself... Just accept my apology and see me as the man that I am."

Convicted killers like Smith can seek out pen pals on lots of websites like this one... an anti-death penalty website based in Germany.

Mary Gulledge is the mother of a murder victim. She says, "It made me sick to my stomach when I saw it."

But groups like parents of murdered children are outraged by this.

One day, Mary Gulledge was stunned to find this... her son's killer advertising for a pen pal. "It's probably not very well known that this goes on... It's really hard on the victims and the survivors to see something like this. "

And now, some of that outrage is being focused on a big name website many of us use to buy everything from beauty supplies to books.

Bret Vinocur pen pal opponent says, "I want Amazon.com to pull these partnerships because indirectly they are funding these websites. "

That's right, Amazon.com, when you visit some of the pen pal websites, you'll find Amazon's logo.

If you click on the Amazon logo and buy something, a portion of the money goes back to the pen pal website.

Bret Vinocur is a child advocate... Who's organized a boycott of Amazon until this pen pal practice stops. "America needs to stand together and be one voice and say we are not going to tolerate companies who support people who murder women and children and blatantly ask for dates on the internet."

But guys like Keith Smith aren't always looking for love on line... Keith likes when pen pals send cash...money that may lead him to an attorney, and a way out of prison.

Convicted killer Keith Smith says, "To help me get lesser time where I can see daylight so I can get out on parole soon."
The NBC Action News investigators contacted Amazon.com. The German website that posts prison pen pals is part of Amazon's associate program... and earns money on referrals.

You have to qualify to become an Amazon associate... thousands of people of all political views have done so.

But Amazon policy forbids websites that promote violence or illegal activity.

Amazon didn't comment on the criticism... saying it doesn't take a position when it comes to the views of its associates.

Inmates don't have access to computers, they have to get their information to someone on the outside to post on line... then they write letters back and forth to pen pals.

You might ask why would someone want to write an inmate. We found - religious and anti-death penalty pen pal websites... so someone with similar views may feel motivated to try to help an inmate by simply keeping them company through letters.