The Truck Stop Killer Stories of True Crime

By Ana Benson

Robert Ben Rhoades became a truck driver in the 1980s. He was a disturbed individual who saw his new employment as a perfect hunting ground. After all, the victims would come to him, asking for a ride. He was known nationwide as The Truck Stop Killer. While the total number of his victims is still unconfirmed, Rhoades was one of the most dangerous serial killers because he was driven by his sexual fantasies and the need to dominate.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trellis Publishing
• Release date: Jun 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201739119

Book preview

THE TRUCK STOP KILLER

ANA BENSON

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE TRUCK STOP KILLER

THE ICE KILLER

TRACEY GRISSOM

The United States is known for long desolate highways and interstates. Designed to make traveling easier and faster, thousands of vehicles go down these roads on a daily basis. During the 1960s and 1970s, seeing hitchhikers was nothing unusual. But not every one of them got to their desired destination. The number of missing hitchhikers made people change their minds about this type of travel. It became very risky in the second half of the 1970s, and parents started warning their children about the dangers that loom on the interstates. After all, it is impossible to know the person who picks you up or their intentions.

Robert Ben Rhoades became a truck driver in the 1980s. He was a disturbed individual who saw his new employment as a perfect hunting ground. After all, the victims would come to him, asking for a ride. He was known nationwide as The Truck Stop Killer. While the total number of his victims is still unconfirmed, Rhoades was one of the most dangerous serial killers because he was driven by his sexual fantasies and the need to dominate.

Early life

Robert Ben Rhoades was born on November 22nd, 1945 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Since his father was an officer in the US Army and was stationed in West Germany at the time, Robert Ben Rhoades was raised by his mother. His father was discharged from the army a couple of years later while Rhoades was in elementary school. According to his peers, Rhoades was a good student who loved learning and was involved in numerous extracurricular activities. He was a member of a choir and excelled at the French language. Not to forget that Rhoades was also interested in sports such as football and wrestling. It appears that he had an average upbringing without any indications of verbal or physical abuse by the people who were close to him.

The first signs of trouble appeared when Rhoades was sixteen years old. He was arrested for tampering with a vehicle. It was very likely that Rhoades was attempting to steal the said car. He was once again arrested a year later for public fighting. While this can be seen as a typical teenage behavior, it was very unlike Rhoades to break the law. His grades didn’t change too much, and Rhoades graduated from Monticello High School in 1964. Inspired by his father’s service in the US Army, Rhoades enlisted in Marine Corps immediately after the graduation. But his family life took a strange turn that same year.

Rhoades’ father was arrested for sexually assaulting and molesting a 12 years old girl. He took his own life while waiting for the trial. It is still unclear whether Rhoades’ father abused his son while he was young, but it is evident that the death of a parent did have an impact on Rhoades. His personality changed, and he just wasn’t into Marine Corps anymore. Rhoades was dishonorably discharged sometime around 1967 or 1968 because he participated in a robbery. He saw this as a chance to earn a college diploma, so he enrolled into a university in 1969. His enthusiasm for learning was short-lived, and Rhoades dropped out soon after.

Even though Rhoades was a promising young man, he simply lost his spark. After leaving the college, he tried to join the law enforcement, but that didn’t go well either. He was rejected due to his previous arrests