Naman Shrestha
Apart from delving deep into the 2012 disappearance of 18-year-old Samantha Koenig and the investigation that ensued, the four-part docuseries ‘Wild Crime: Eleven Skulls’ also explores the other potential disappearance and murder cases that the serial killer Israel Keyes could have been responsible for. One such case is the 1996 killing of 13-year-old Julie Harris. With the help of never-before-seen footage and insightful interviews with individuals connected to the case, including Julie’s mother, the show provides the viewers with a detailed account of the crimes and potential crimes of the serial killer.
Julie Harris Went Missing Before Her Remains Were Found in a Year
On June 10, 1983, Sherri Odegaard welcomed Julie Marie Harris into the world, who grew up alongside her beloved brother Clifford Robinson. From an early age, she developed a hobby for various outdoor activities and sports, including bike riding. However, she was passionate about swimming as it made her feel truly free. Her mother claimed, “When we were done with lessons, we would swim around like dolphins & seals. And she absolutely loved it.” Being a double amputee with prosthetic feet, she was a Special Olympics medalist in skiing. Also, as a religious child, Julie loved going to church.
Her mother described her as a “beautiful spirit & she had sparked a fire that burned so bright inside her. She would sit with you if you needed her to. She always did her best to help you feel better about whatever it may have been that got you upset…She was a amazing & loving friend, daughter, niece & sister to her loved ones.” Although Julie was impressive in extracurricular activities, she was not doing too well on the academic front. Before she went missing, her mother told her that if she wanted to take part in Special Olympics skiing, she had to up her grades.
On March 3, 1996, 12-year-old Julie Harris vanished from outside of her house in Colville, Washington, while waiting for a ride to church. When her loved ones could not locate her, they reported her missing immediately, concerned about her well-being and whereabouts. What caused her mother to worry was that a witness claimed that they saw Julie walking down Main Street with a tall man in a trench coat. Sherri couldn’t help but think that something terrible had happened to her beloved daughter. Several weeks later, when her prosthetic feet and purse were found at the mouth of Colville River, the case was declared a homicide. About a year later, on April 26, 1997, the rest of her remains were discovered by a group of children three miles southwest of Colville, but the cause of her death could not be determined.
Julie Harris’ Murder Remains Unsolved to This Day
During the homicide investigation, the detectives suspected that Sherri’s then-live-in boyfriend had something to do with Julie Harris’ disappearance and murder, as he was reportedly one of the last individuals to see her alive. However, according to Sherri, he could not be responsible for the murder as her daughter had a close-knit relationship with him. She was convinced that the authorities were wasting their time and resources by considering him a person of interest. Although the boyfriend remained on the police’s radar, they also kept their minds open to other possible suspects.
About 15 years after Julie’s murder, in 2012, the authorities learned that the notorious serial killer, Israel Keyes, could be responsible for the 1996 killing. His name got involved in the conversation after he confessed to killing three other individuals, including Samantha Tessla Koenig, in February 2012. At the time of Julie’s death, it was reported that 18-year-old Israel resided in the same area as her. One of her friends also recalled the young serial killer talking to Julie at the pool where she swam regularly. The friend claimed that she shared her phone number and address with him.
When Sherri first heard about Israel’s possible connection to her daughter’s murder, she hopped online and did her own research. Upon some digging and looking at his younger photos, she realized that she had seen him at a house that Julie regularly visited. Thus, Sherri had enough reasons to believe that her beloved daughter was Israel’s first victim. However, when Israel Keyes was asked if he had anything to do with it, he reportedly neither directly denied nor confirmed killing her. Unfortunately, he took his own life in his jail cell in December 2012 before the authorities could extract more information from him. Thus, to this day, the murder case of Julie Harris is a mystery yet to be solved.
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