The Butcher Baker: 7 Shocking Secrets Of Robert Hansen, Alaska's Most Vicious Serial Killer

The case of Robert Hansen, the seemingly innocuous baker who became one of Alaska's most notorious serial killers, remains a chilling study in duality. Even today, in late , new details and the enduring mystery of his crimes continue to captivate true crime enthusiasts, largely due to the sheer brutality and the unique, terrifying nature of his method: hunting his victims for sport in the vast Alaskan wilderness. The story of the "Butcher Baker" is a dark chapter in Anchorage's history, a stark reminder that evil can hide in plain sight.

The man known locally for his friendly demeanor and successful bakery was, in reality, a predator who terrorized the strip-club district of Anchorage for over a decade. His crimes, which began in the early 1970s and continued until his arrest in 1983, were a terrifying secret kept hidden behind a facade of respectability, culminating in a confession to 17 brutal murders.

Robert Hansen: The Butcher Baker's Profile and Biography

Robert Christian Boes Hansen, known as "Bob" to friends and neighbors, was a convicted American serial killer. His life was marked by a troubled youth, including a childhood stutter, which some profilers believe contributed to his later need for control and violence. He was a pillar of his community, a successful businessman, and a family man, making his double life all the more shocking.

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• Full Name: Robert Christian Boes Hansen
• Nickname: The Butcher Baker, The Alaskan Serial Killer
• Born: February 15, 1939, in Estherville, Iowa
• Died: August 21, 2014 (aged 75) in Anchorage, Alaska
• Cause of Death: Natural causes (complications from a stroke)
• Location of Crimes: Anchorage, Alaska, and the surrounding Alaskan wilderness (Kenai Peninsula, Knik River)
• Years Active: c. 1971–1983
• Modus Operandi: Kidnapping and raping women (mostly sex workers/exotic dancers), flying them in his private plane (a Cessna 185) to remote wilderness areas, and hunting them with a rifle.
• Victims: Confessed to 17 murders; formally charged with 4.
• Conviction: Sentenced to 461 years plus life imprisonment without parole.

The Chilling Hunting Ground: Hansen's Unique Modus Operandi

Hansen's method of murder was perhaps the most disturbing aspect of his case, earning him the moniker "The Butcher Baker." Unlike most serial killers, his crimes were not confined to a single location. He turned the vast, unforgiving Alaskan wilderness into his personal hunting preserve.

1. The Lure of the Bakery Owner

Hansen owned a successful establishment, Hansen's Bakery, in Anchorage. This legitimate business and his quiet, married life gave him an air of trustworthiness. He frequented the city's strip-club district, preying on vulnerable women, often sex workers or exotic dancers, who were less likely to be reported missing immediately.

2. The Cessna 185 and the Wilderness

Using his private plane, a Cessna 185, Hansen would abduct his victims, sometimes under the pretense of a scenic flight, and fly them to remote, secluded locations in areas like the Kenai Peninsula or near the Knik River. This isolation was key to his fantasy, ensuring no witnesses and making the discovery of the bodies nearly impossible for decades.

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3. The Human Hunt

Once miles from civilization, Hansen would release the women and then stalk them with a rifle, treating their desperate flight for survival as a sporting event. This horrific practice of "human hunting" is what set his case apart and revealed the depth of his psychopathy. FBI profiler John Douglas, who interviewed Hansen, noted the killer's need for absolute control and the satisfaction he derived from the hunt itself.

The Key Figures Who Brought Hansen Down

Hansen's reign of terror was finally brought to an end not by luck, but by the courage of a single survivor and the persistence of dedicated law enforcement officials. This investigation is a testament to the power of profiling and survivor testimony.

4. The Courage of Cindy Paulson

The sole known survivor of Hansen's hunting game was Cindy Paulson, a 17-year-old exotic dancer. In 1983, she managed to escape from Hansen's car while he was distracted, running to a nearby hotel. Despite the initial skepticism from some Anchorage police, her detailed and harrowing testimony—including the description of being handcuffed, assaulted, and flown in a small plane—was the crucial break in the case.

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5. The Unwavering Cop: Greg Baker

Patrolman Greg Baker was the first officer to take Cindy Paulson's story seriously. He was instrumental in pushing the investigation forward despite the lack of initial evidence and the killer's respectable community standing. Baker's conviction that Hansen was responsible ultimately led to the search warrant that uncovered a trove of incriminating evidence, including jewelry belonging to victims and aviation maps marked with the locations of bodies.

6. The FBI Profiling Breakthrough

The case was eventually handed over to the FBI, where veteran profiler John Douglas helped construct a psychological profile of the killer. The profile suggested the killer would be a quiet, unassuming man with a history of sexual deviance and a passion for hunting and aviation—a description that perfectly matched Robert Hansen. This profiling work provided the necessary framework for the police to connect the missing women to the respected baker.

The Latest Updates: Victims Identified Decades Later

Although Robert Hansen died in 2014, the search for his victims continues, and recent advancements in forensic science have finally brought closure to some families, making this a continuously evolving case.

7. Robin Pelkey: The Identification of "Eklutna Annie"

In a major development in October 2021, the Alaska Bureau of Investigation (ABI) Cold Case Investigation Unit (CCIU) announced the identification of a long-unidentified victim known as "Eklutna Annie." Using investigative genetic genealogy and DNA evidence, the remains were positively identified as Robin Pelkey, who was born in 1963 in Colorado. Pelkey's body was discovered near the Knik River in 1980, and her identification, 37 years later, highlights the ongoing effort to name all of Hansen's victims and bring them home.

Another victim, previously known as "Horseshoe Harriet," was also identified in a separate effort, further demonstrating the determination of the Alaska Bureau of Investigation to close these cold cases.

The Confirmed Victims of Robert Hansen

Robert Hansen confessed to killing 17 women, though he was only formally charged with a handful. The following list includes some of the women he confessed to murdering. Their names serve as a solemn reminder of the lives tragically cut short by the Butcher Baker.

• Sherry Morrow
• Joanna Messina
• Andrea Altiery
• Sue Hautala
• Lisa Futrell
• Megan Emrick
• Roxanne Easland
• CeCe Johnson
• Teresa Davis
• Angela Feddern
• Malai Larsen
• Robin Pelkey (Eklutna Annie)
• Paula Goulding

The case of the Butcher Baker remains a harrowing example of a predator operating with impunity in a remote environment. The sheer audacity of his crimes, combined with the recent scientific breakthroughs that continue to identify his victims, ensures that Robert Hansen's dark legacy will continue to be studied by true crime experts and law enforcement for years to come. The courage of Cindy Paulson, the dedication of figures like Greg Baker, and the modern science of the Cold Case Investigation Unit all combined to finally stop one of the most unique and terrifying serial killers in American history.