The Killer in My Backyard: Robert Lee Yates Jr. and Spokane’s Grocery Bag Murders

In this episode, we launch our new series The Killer in My Backyard with the case that hit closest to home: Robert Lee Yates Jr., Spokane, Washington’s infamous Grocery Bag Killer.Yates lived in a quiet South Hill neighborhood, just minutes from where we live, blending into everyday life while committing a series of murders across Washington State. From his early life and military career to the crimes committed in Spokane, Walla Walla, and beyond, we walk through the full timeline of his known victims, his arrest, and the disturbing details that only came to light years later.We also explore how Yates avoided suspicion for so long, the chilling trade he made with investigators to avoid the death penalty, and how later developments revealed that not all victims originally attributed to him were actually his. This case intersects with other notorious Pacific Northwest killers, making it a key chapter in Spokane’s darkest era.Told from a local perspective, this episode goes deeper than most retellings, not just into the crimes, but into what it’s like to realize a serial killer once lived in your metaphorical backyard.