Man Searches for Missing Girl He Buried Weeks Earlier: The Serial Murders of Penny Davis and the Hoffman Family

A hiker discovers a human jawbone in a rural valley, and within weeks, a double homicide shakes a quiet Washington town. The man arrested had a documented history-a prison file from 1989 explicitly predicting he would become a threat to the community. No one acted on it. The investigation uncovers something far worse: the same suspect had participated in the organized searches for a missing nine-year-old girl, appearing affected and helpful, all while returning to her burial site at night.

In this episode, we trace how Jack Spilman operated for months under institutional radar, balancing a functional facade with methodical predation. The evidence includes a verification phone call made from a gas station before the attack, a knife buried in a nearby dumpster, and a balaclava containing the blood of both victims-the highest concentration at the mouth opening. Psychiatric evaluations ruled out psychosis: Spilman knew exactly what he was doing and chose to do it anyway. What separates calculated evil from impulse? And how many warnings must exist before a system responds?

Victim: Penny Davis (age 9), Rita Hoffman (age 31), Amanda Hoffman (age 16)
Date: September 17, 1994 - April 13, 1995
Location: Eneas Valley and Wenatchee, Washington
Status: Convicted

- Spilman participated in daytime search efforts for Penny Davis while returning to her burial site at night to commit necrophilia
- A 1989 prison file contained an explicit prediction that he would become a threat to the community, filed and archived without action
- He made a verification call from a gas station to confirm Rita Hoffman was home before entering through an unlocked kitchen door at 11:30 p.m.
- A balaclava discovered in his room contained blood from both murder victims, with forensic evidence suggesting ingestion during the attack

Penny Davis, Rita Hoffman, Amanda Hoffman, Wenatchee Washington murders 1995, serial killer, homicide investigation, forensic evidence, psychopathy, true crime English

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