The Hitchhiker Slayer : The True Story of Thor Nis Christiansen: An anthology of True Crime

By Jess Willard

This is the true and harrowing story of Thor Nis Christiansen. He could give every single budding criminologist the best insight into just how a serial killer evolves. 

His story is very hard hitting and indeed at times unbearable to contemplate. It is a chance to step into the shoes of a monster who showed the world just how his heinous crimes intensified. Was his upbringing to blame; or a head injury, maybe a trauma in life that set his world alight? 
This is a case that is now over forty years old. A case that must be revisited due to its many elements of interest both scientifically and for future profiling purposes. 
How did Thor Nis Christiansen become a monster?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trellis Publishing
• Release date: Jun 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201956035

Book preview

THE HITCHHIKER SLAYER : THE TRUE STORY OF THOR NIS CHRISTIANSEN

JESS WILLARD

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THOR NIS CHRISTIANSEN

VALENTINES DAY MURDER

ASHLEY FALLIS

BROOKE WILBERGER

CAROL TAGGART

DOMINIQUE DUNNE

FAITH HEDGEPETH

Thor Nis Christiansen the Necrophiliac Serial killer.

This is the true and harrowing story of Thor Nis Christiansen. He could give every single budding criminologist the best insight into just how a serial killer evolves.

His story is very hard hitting and indeed at times unbearable to contemplate. It is a chance to step into the shoes of a monster who showed the world just how his heinous crimes intensified. Was his upbringing to blame; or a head injury, maybe a trauma in life that set his world alight?

This is a case that is now over forty years old. A case that must be revisited due to its many elements of interest both scientifically and for future profiling purposes.

Thor was born in 1957 in Denmark, Europe and at aged just five, his parents emigrated to the USA.

Nis Christiansen took his family firstly to Inglewood, California. They then settled permanently in Solvang, which was nicknamed the unofficial Danish Capital of America, due to the influx of Danish immigrants that had eventually settled there. 

Solvang really is quite the place, with its beautiful architecture and colourful houses and even windmills, you could be forgiven for thinking you were in Denmark. Its location in Santa Barbara County is idyllic, with its many tasty bakery’s providing authentic Danish Pastries and well known for its wine county. It has a laid back and peaceful setting, no wonder the literal translation means Sunny Field.

Nis and his wife decided to open an authentic Danish restaurant in the heart and soul of the town during the mid-1960s and, it was to be an overnight success. Armed with strong work ethics and strong belief,s Nis was now able to provide an extremely high standard of living for his family - they had all the tools in place that they needed to prosper and excel in life.

Thor as a young child was easily recognizable with his stunning blue eyes and white blonde hair. He was quiet and often sought only his own solace for company. He was to be enrolled at the local Santa Ynez High School, once here he was at first to excel in all subjects and his good behavior and work ethics made for a balanced student, after all he was from a prosperous important family.

During his early years at school Thor befriended a fellow student called, Ron Bender, the two were becoming good chums and enjoyed playing together. Ron’s mother was not a fan of her son’s new friend, she felt uncomfortable in his presence and found him to be quite strange, not right in the head.

The two continued to play together but Thor was starting to change.

He would go into rages for no apparent reason and would stomp on small creatures at first to vent his frustrations. Later he would move on to catching birds and bull frogs with a butterfly net and as Ron watched on, he reminded himself of what went through his mind at the time. I’m not sure where he got the fire crackers from, but he’d tape them to these animals and then he’d let the birds go and they would explode and kill the bird. Same with the bullfrogs.

Thor seemed truly transfixed by the carnage and his blood lust was starting to grow with each distasteful act. By this time Thor’s grades were dropping and he ultimately took little interest in his education. 

He effectively wanted to do as he pleased.

Norman Skau would also become friends with Thor, this time they would talk about how hard Thor’s father was hard on him. Apparently, a violent alcoholic himself, he would inflict regular brutal punishments on his son to appease his own inner rages of anger.

Thor’s Mother would turn a blind eye, leaving at least 20 dollars a day on his dresser for his daily expenses. Thor was by now in to drinking and smoking marijuana in a big way and was enjoying experimenting with other drugs. His friend thought him very spoilt but, he also noticed how he was being bullied at school, especially by girls.  The truth was, that the girls had absolutely no romantic interests in him and found him to be strange and referred to him as a weirdo.

The two young friend’s daily routine before school was to drive past the liquor store, where Thor would buy cigarettes and a bottle of Scotch Whiskey. This was to be their breakfast and a daily occurrence.

Eventually when he was old enough, Thor’s parents brought him a flash new Audi car, so he could get around with ease and have more independence. With hindsight this was to become just a status symbol on his parent’s part.

Norman was noticing just how unpredictable Thor was becoming and his ever-increasing dark mood that seemed to follow his shadow.

In 7th grade Thor began to bully his friend at school, he strolled over to me and kicked me in the ass in the school playground for no reason.  This was shrugged off by both and they simply enjoyed a beer together as part of the reconciliation ritual.

A new pattern of driving late at night and seeking out reclusive areas was next on the agenda for Thor.  He sought out places to park and smoke weed in peace and isolation. By aged 16, Thor has left school, fed up with the rules and humdrum of a predictable life and, instead chose to work at a local Petrol station as an assistant.  His new pleasure in life was his evening travels to the local college called Santa Barbara University. Its Location is both ideal and unique due to its beautiful seaside town location and the fact that the only people around were basically students living off campus, with lots of beautiful young women to feast young adolescent eyes upon.

Ultimately, no one had any business being in this area unless you yourself were attending the USB.  Located just 15 miles from the local town, it was a hotspot where students would hang out.

It was the 1970s after all, freedom, love and peace with the heavy influence of the hippy temperament and ideology.

People were free and safe to do as they pleased. The young students would have many get togethers, at local bars and socialise in the comfortable cascading parks. Enjoying life listening and playing music, the culture and generally socialising and having fun.

After all further education can’t just focus on all work and no play. It’s the only time really in one’s life where we can ourselves, indulge in self exploration and personal growth.

During the 70s, students felt safe to hitch hike or take a ride from a total stranger; it was normal practice. Isla Vista, California was a happy place to be, a haven in which to grow and educate yourself and to explore life.

Sadly, this beautiful bubble was about to burst. Unbeknown to all a predator was watching on ever so closely.

In November 1976 the unfathomable happened.  A female student had gone missing. 

Local police reported that this wasn’t unusual as a number of students normally were accounted for within 24 hours of the initial missing person call.  So, when the young female student disappeared, it didn’t necessarily ring alarm bells.

Jacqueline Anne Rook aged just 21 years old, was reported missing by her friends.

She would never return home or be seen alive again.

After further calls from worried students to the sheriff station, Santa Barbara Officers sprang into action to find this young lady. She was last seen by witnesses hitchhiking at a now notoriously known junction near the Goelada Hospital just off Patterson Avenue and Holliester.

The Tides had now changed, the lives of so many people would change for generations to come.

A now very overweight and slovenly Thor was sitting at home watching the local news station with great interest and deep enthusiasm. 

He still worked at the garage on and off and kept mainly to himself but had become a bit of an unkept shabby young man. The local television station was reporting the disappearance of Jacqueline and pleaded with its viewers for any information on her whereabouts.

Thor sat comfortably in his armchair just 40 miles away from all the panic but decided to go for an evening drive, a pleasurable pastime for him. Meanwhile at campus a young Patti Laney, who was an aspiring actress and social rights activist started a petition for extra buses to be available for all students, in which