Bonnie Lou Gower was married to Richard Evonitz for roughly eight years and said she never suspected he was capable of murder. After his crimes became known, she began revisiting warning signs and gaps in his movements during their marriage. Gower is now working with survivor Kara Robinson Chamberlain to examine whether Evonitz may have been connected to other unsolved cases. Their investigation is featured in a true crime docuseries.

A marriage that concealed a criminal life

Bonnie Lou Gower met Evonitz in South Carolina through a friend. He was eight years older, served in the U.S. Navy and began dating her when she was 16. They married in August 1988, when Gower was 17 and Evonitz was 25, and later lived in Maine, San Diego and Virginia as his assignments and circumstances changed.

The marriage ended after years of unhappiness, with Gower citing financial strain, mood swings and increasingly angry behavior after Evonitz left the Navy. She said she did not view him as a threat to her life. Their divorce was finalized after the separation, with accounts placing the marriage between August 1988 and January 1997.

Warning signs Gower did not recognize

Gower said Evonitz often remained at home when she traveled to visit family, telling her that he had to work. She later learned that he had taken time off during some of those trips. She also recalled suspecting infidelity, but said he persuaded her that her concerns were imagined.

She described herself at the time as sheltered, trusting and inexperienced. The couple’s moves separated her from friends and relatives, while Evonitz criticized her weight and displayed an interest in bondage that made her uncomfortable. When he threatened to take a gun and kill himself, Gower said her concern was for his safety rather than her own.

“No one ever thinks that their significant other is going to be a serial killer.”

That observation came from Kara Robinson Chamberlain, who said people may suspect an affair or other relationship problems, but rarely imagine that a spouse is committing murders.

The abduction that exposed Evonitz

On June 24, 2002, 15-year-old Chamberlain was at a friend’s home in South Carolina when Evonitz approached her with pamphlets and asked whether her parents were present. He held a gun to her neck, forced her into a storage container in his vehicle and took her to his apartment.

Chamberlain said she was sexually assaulted and restrained for 18 hours. She eventually freed one hand from handcuffs with her teeth, removed a leather leg restraint and escaped while Evonitz slept. Two men helped her reach a police station, and she guided officers to the apartment. Evonitz had fled by then. Police later located him in Sarasota, Florida, where he died by suicide at age 38 as law enforcement closed in.

Known killings and the search for more cases

Evidence from Evonitz’s South Carolina apartment, a former Virginia residence and his vehicle linked him to three unsolved killings. On September 9, 1996, 16-year-old Sofia Silva was abducted from her home in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, where Evonitz and Gower had lived. Her body was found about five weeks later in neighboring King George County.

On May 1, 1997, sisters Kristin “Kristi” Lisk, 15, and Kathryn “Kati” Lisk, 12, disappeared after returning home from school. Their bodies were found five days later in the South Anna River. Investigators also recovered notes suggesting that Evonitz had considered other potential victims.

Gower is helping reconstruct his movements with old calendars, dates and locations. Chamberlain is reviewing cases dating to the 1980s, including periods when Evonitz served in the Navy. She emphasized that no additional connection has been confirmed.

DNA evidence and the survivors’ continuing effort

Chamberlain said Evonitz’s DNA profile was not in the national CODIS database, although authorities in Spotsylvania County retain a blood sample that could be compared with evidence from other investigations. She hopes the profile can eventually be entered into the system for broader searches.

During the docuseries investigation, Gower also learned that Evonitz had hidden a photograph of her taken when she was 11, years before they dated. She described the discovery as disturbing. Gower and Chamberlain became close while working together, and both continue to seek answers while acknowledging that possible links remain unproven.

Summary

The investigation shows how Evonitz concealed criminal conduct from people close to him while maintaining an outwardly ordinary life. Gower’s records may help establish his movements, while Chamberlain’s experience and investigative work are directing attention to unresolved cases. Any further connection will require corroborating evidence, including potential DNA matches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Richard Evonitz?

Evonitz was a former U.S. Navy serviceman who was linked to the abduction of Chamberlain and the killings of three teenage girls. He died by suicide in Florida in 2002 as police pursued him.

How did Kara Robinson Chamberlain escape?

After being held for 18 hours, Chamberlain freed one hand from handcuffs, removed a leg restraint and escaped while Evonitz slept. She then reached police and helped identify his apartment.

Could Evonitz be linked to other crimes?

Chamberlain and Gower are examining possible connections, but no additional cases have been confirmed. DNA comparisons may provide further evidence.

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