A 35-year-old woman is sharing her story of how she helped capture a serial killer after he kidnapped her 20 years ago.
Kara Robinson Chamberlain was just 15 years old when serial killer Richard Evonitz approached her outside her friend's house and pulled a gun on her, forcing her to get in to a large storage bin he carried in the back of his car.
In spite of the traumatic situation she found herself in, the teenager managed to pay attention to the turns Evonitz made while driving to his apartment, as well as the music he was listening to, the cigarettes he was smoking and the serial number on the inside of the container in which she was forced to kneel.
During the drive, Evonitz pulled over to restrain Kara with handcuffs and to put a gag in her mouth. When they arrived at his apartment, he assaulted her for 18 hours.
Advert
Throughout the entire ordeal Kara continued to try and find ways to identify her kidnapper, realising the names of his doctor and dentist were on the fridge. She tried to keep Evonitz calm, and ended up sweeping his kitchen after asking if there was anything she could do for him.
Twenty years on, Kara told People that her 'survival mechanism' was to 'gather as much information' as possible, and noted that 'fear barely even kicked in'.
Sheriff Leon Lott, of Richland County, South Carolina, explained that Kara's calming behaviour may have helped save her life as she was 'gaining [Evonitz's] trust'.
He added: 'That's what police negotiators do. She controlled her emotions to the point where she was able to develop a plan.'
Kara managed to make her escape while Evonitz was sleeping, when she freed one hand from the handcuffs and unclipped a leg restraint before tiptoeing to the front door. She ran towards a car and asked to be taken to the police station, where she recounted her ordeal and directed officers back to the apartment.
Advert
With the help of her observation skills and an apartment maintenance man, officers found the location but realised Evonitz had already run away. Inside his home, they found newspaper clippings about the unsolved murders of three girls who had gone missing more than five years before Kara was kidnapped.
The killer was tracked to Sarasota, Florida, where a high speed chase ended when he ran over spike strips on the road and was attacked by a police dog. With no escape, Evonitz then took his own life.
Kara received reward money for her help in solving the murders of the three girls, and was able to meet their family members.
Advert
She recalled their meeting as 'one of the most important things that's ever happened' to her because she realised the families would have not learned what happened to the girls if it weren't for her. The teen went on to become a school resource officer and an investigator on child abuse and sexual assault cases, and now shares her story in a bid to spread 'hope and encouragement to other survivors.'
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, you can contact Victim Support free on 08 08 16 89 111 available 24/7, every day of the year, including Christmas
Male Survivors Partnership is available to support adult male survivors of sexual abuse and rape. You can contact the organisation on their website or on their free helpline 0808 800 5005, open 9am–5pm Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays; 8am–8pm Tuesdays and Thursdays; 10am–2pm Saturdays
Topics: US News, Life, Crime, True crime