Is Murder Suspect a Serial Killer?

Feb. 23, 2006 — -- The FBI is investigating whether the man charged with murdering Brigham Young University student Brooke Wilberger is responsible for three other murders in Oregon.

Wilberger vanished nearly two years ago from the Corvallis, Ore., apartment complex her sister manages. Police say Wilberger, 19 at the time, was last seen May 24, 2004, while helping with some cleaning chores.

Authorities believed her disappearance was suspicious because her cleaning supplies were left behind, her flip-flops were found in the complex parking lot, and her cell phone and other personal items were left in her sister's apartment.

Her body has never been found, but Joel Patrick Courtney, 39, was indicted in August on 19 counts, including aggravated murder, kidnapping, sodomy, rape and sexual abuse in connection with Wilberger's disappearance. Police have not disclosed details of what led them to charge Courtney with murdering Wilberger.

Courtney has been jailed in Albuquerque, N.M., since the fall of 2004, charged with abducting and raping a 22-year-old college student whom he forced into his car at knife point as she walked down the street. According to the FBI, Courtney allegedly tied her up with her shoelaces, drove to a parking lot and sexually assaulted her.

Theresa Whatley, the senior trial attorney in the Albuquerque district attorney's office, told The Associated Press that Oregon officials want the woman to complete the prosecution of Courtney on the Albuquerque rape and kidnapping charges before they try to bring him back to Oregon.

"It's a very serious case and a strong one," Whatley said. "Having a live victim makes our case much easier."

Now the FBI's Violent Criminal Apprehension Program unit is investigating whether Courtney may have sexually assaulted and killed three other young women in Oregon. "It is believed that he is a serial sex offender and killer," the FBI said in a statement. "He is inclined to abduct white females, 15 to 25 years of age, with blond hair and blue eyes, in an outside setting."