Piehl to appear on ABC’s ‘GMA’

Emmy award-winning investigative reporter Kristi Piehl will discuss the Smiley Face Killers investigation, its new direction and her involvement with the familes Monday, March 23, on “Good Morning America.”

Joining Piehl will be Bill Szostak, the father of a 2007 victim. Szostak is a retired firefighter and a licensed fire investigator. The television show airs at 7 a.m. on ABC.

The Smiley Face Killers refers to a theory originally advanced by two retired New York City detectives. The theory is that a number of young men who died over the past decade did not accidentally drown, as believed by most law enforcement sources, but were victims of a serial killer or killers.

In 2008, Piehl earned an Upper Midwest Emmy for her investigative report on the Smiley Face Serial Killers. The story looked at possible links between the drowning deaths of 40 young men around the country. The story received national coverage.

Earlier this year, Piehl launched a Web site, www.sfkillers.com. It details information about the investigation, the victims and contact information.

Kay Johnson is a staff writer for the Leader. She can be reached at johnson@hutchinsonleader.com.