Melissa G. Moore’s life took a shocking turn when she learned that her father, Keith Hunter Jesperson, was the infamous “Happy Face Killer,” who murdered eight women in the 1990s. Jesperson, who gained notoriety for sending letters with smiley faces to the media, has claimed to have killed as many as 160 people and is currently serving a life sentence.
Now, Moore’s story is being told in a new series called Happy Face, which premiered on March 20 on Paramount+. Annaleigh Ashford plays Moore, while Dennis Quaid portrays her father.
Growing up with Jesperson as her father has always been complicated for Moore. In an interview, she shared a memory from high school when her father almost confessed to her before his arrest. They were having lunch in a diner, and a casual conversation about her getting a first car took an unsettling turn when he hinted that he had something serious to share.
Despite his tension-filled moment, Jesperson didn’t go through with his confession. Moore later reflected that had he revealed the truth, it could have ended very differently for her. She believes that at that time, her father was struggling with his dual life, showing signs that he couldn’t maintain his façade anymore.
The moment Moore discovered her father’s crimes was particularly painful. She lived with her mother and siblings in her grandparents’ home at the time, where her mother gathered them to explain that their father had been arrested for murder. Jesperson had also written a letter to his children, but Moore has never read it.
Now a mother of two, Moore has channeled her experiences into advocacy for families affected by crime. She published a book in 2009 about her story and created a podcast in 2018, which inspired the upcoming eight-part series.
Expressing pride in how the series portrays the broader impact of crime on families, Moore shared that it offers her a new perspective on her life and parenting. Though her children have faced challenges because of their grandfather’s actions, she hopes the series reflects her commitment to being a good parent.
Moore’s journey is a reminder of the far-reaching consequences of crime and the complexity of familial relationships intertwined with such dark legacies.
