Who Is Robert Hansen? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Robert Hansen, born on February 15, 1939, in Estherville, Iowa, was an American serial killer known for murdering at least 17 women between 1971 and 1983 in Alaska. He was captured in 1983 and later sentenced to 461 years in prison without the possibility of parole. Hansen’s life was marked by a troubled childhood, which contributed to his later violent tendencies. He passed away on August 21, 2014, in Anchorage, Alaska, but his disturbing legacy continues to resonate in the true crime community and beyond.
| Occupation | Serial Killers |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | February 15, 1939 |
| Age | 75 Years |
| Birth Place | Estherville, Iowa, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Aquarius |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 21 August, 2014 |
| Died Place | N/A |
Popularity
Robert Hansen's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Robert Hansen was known to be of average build. Although precise measurements of his height and weight were not systematically recorded, he was reported to stand around 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighed approximately 160 pounds during his active years. His physical appearance, coupled with his hunting skills, played a significant role in the methods he employed to elude authorities.
On June 13, 1983, Hansen offered 17-year-old Cindy Paulson $200 to perform oral sex; when she got into the car, he pulled out a gun and drove her to his home in Muldoon. There, he held her captive and proceeded to rape and torture her.
Paulson later told police that after Hansen chained her by the neck to a post in his basement, he took a nap on a nearby couch.
When he awoke, he put her in his car and took her to Merrill Field, where he told her that he intended to take her to his shack near the Knik River area of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, accessible only by boat or bush plane.
Paulson, crouched in the back seat of Hansen's car with her wrists cuffed in front of her body, saw a chance to escape when he was busy loading the cockpit of his airplane, a Piper PA-18 Super Cub. While Hansen's back was turned, Paulson crawled out of the back seat, opened the driver's side door and ran toward nearby Sixth Avenue.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Despite his heinous crimes, Robert Hansen had a family life that seemed ordinary on the surface. He was married to a woman named Mary, with whom he had two children. However, details surrounding his relationships are overshadowed by his criminal activities. His interactions with women outside of his family were often violent and predatory. His family largely distanced themselves from him after his arrest, struggling to reconcile the man they knew with the monster he became.
Robert was employed at his father's bakery. The family moved to Richmond, California, in 1942, but returned to Iowa in 1949 and settled in the city of Pocahontas.
Net Worth and Salary
Before his capture, Robert Hansen was a successful businessman who owned a bakery in Anchorage. Estimates of his net worth at the time of his arrest suggest it was around $1 million. However, following his incarceration, much of his wealth was forfeited, and he had little to no income while imprisoned. As of 2025, the financial aspects of Hansen's life remain stagnant due to his long-term imprisonment.
When Anchorage Police Department (APD) officers arrived at the Mush Inn, they were told that Paulson had taken a cab to the Big Timber Motel. APD officers arrived there and found Paulson in Room 110, still handcuffed and alone. She was taken to APD headquarters, where she described her attacker.
Hansen, when questioned by investigators, denied Paulson's accusation, stating that she was trying to cause trouble for him because he would not pay her extortion demands.
This excuse became one Hansen used on other occasions, but although he had several prior run-ins with the law, Hansen's meek demeanor and humble occupation as a baker, along with an alibi from his friend John Henning, persuaded police not to consider him a serious suspect.
Career, Business, and Investments
Hansen had a diverse career before his criminal activities were discovered. He operated a successful bakery and was involved in various business ventures in Alaska. However, his dark turn toward serial killing overshadowed any entrepreneurial achievements. His methods of luring victims often involved his previous life working as a pilot and a hunter, utilizing his skills to stalk and abduct women in remote areas of Alaska.
* Teresa Watson, age 22, was last seen in Anchorage on March 25, 1983. She informed her roommate that she was meeting a man who would give her $300 in exchange for an hour or two of company. At Scenic Lake, Hansen abducted her and killed her. Hansen was unable to bury her since the earth in the region was still frozen.
He abandoned her where she had died. Her body was discovered on April 26, 1984.
Social Network
While Robert Hansen did not have any significant public social network presence, his story has been widely discussed in true crime circles, documentaries, and television shows over the years. His case continues to be a subject of fascination, often discussed in forums dedicated to serial killers and true crime enthusiasts. Hansen's story highlights the duality between an outwardly normal facade and the hidden darkness within.
Flothe contacted Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent John E. Douglas and requested help with an offender profile based on the three recovered bodies.
Douglas thought the killer would be an experienced hunter with low self-esteem, have a history of being rejected by women and would feel compelled to keep "souvenirs" of his murders, such as a victim's jewelry. He also suggested that the assailant might stutter.
Using this profile, Flothe investigated possible suspects until he reached Hansen, who fit the profile and owned a plane.
Education
Details regarding Robert Hansen's education reveal little about formal achievements, but he attended local schools in Iowa. His early years were marked by social struggles and an apparent lack of supportive relationships, which significantly impacted his social development. This tumultuous upbringing likely contributed to his later criminal behavior.
* Megan Siobhan Emerick, age 17, vanished on July 7, 1973, in Seward. She was last spotted leaving a dorm laundry room while attending the Seward Skill Center, a boarding school. She has not been seen or heard from since. Emerick left behind all of her personal items, including her identification.
Before contacting the police, her roommate conducted a three-day search for her. Hansen denied killing Emerick to authorities, but he did admit he was in Seward on the day she vanished. Due to an "x" on his murder map in the Seward region, he is thought to be responsible.
Apparently, Hansen admitted to a former inmate that he transported Emerick to a cabin in the Seward region that was only reachable by boat, where he killed and buried her.
