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Illinois Creepy|Hiking|Nature

The Disturbing Tale Of Illinois' Truck Stop Killer Sounds Like A Horror Movie Plot

By Elizabeth Crozier | Published October 29, 2018

This story is definitely not for the faint of heart. The details of this disturbing tale are worthy of a horror movie, but its all 100 percent true. The heinous acts performed by America’s truck stop killer have influenced many people to never hitchhike again. You never know what a driver might have in mind.

The Truck Stop Killer, also known as Robert Ben Rhoades, is an American serial killer who is still alive today. He is known for raping and murdering more than 50 women between 1975 and 1990, taking victims throughout the country.

Though he was from Texas, Rhoades' cross-country trucking job took him to the far reaches of the Midwest, including Illinois, where he would pick up female hitchhikers. In some cases, he would pick up a couple and then kill the male right away.

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The women were kept for up to a week in the back of a semi trailer that was converted into a torture chamber. He was finally caught in Arizona when police found a naked women tied up and screaming in Rhoades' cab. This incident initiated the uncovering of his other crimes.

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Though it is suspected that he was murdering one to three victims each month at the height of his plight, Rhoades was only tried in one case, though he was called to testify for several more. In several cases, victims dropped charges.

Regardless, the truck stop killer is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole at the Menard Correctional Center in Chester, Illinois. He was charged with the murder of Regina Kay Walters, a 14-year-old who he found with her boyfriend before holding her hostage. It is believed she was tortured for a week before being murdered in an abandoned barn in Illinois.

For more like this, check out these eight famous homicides in Illinois that will never be forgotten.

What stories have you heard about the truck stop killer? Share your thoughts with us below in the comments.

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