Kacey Robinson: The Second Victim of the Boogeyman

Overview

Kacey Robinson is a fifteen-year-old girl living in Edgewood, Maryland, who becomes the second victim of the serial killer dubbed "the Boogeyman" in Richard Chizmar's novel Chasing the Boogeyman. Her murder, occurring eighteen days after the first victim Natasha Gallagher, intensifies the town's fear and drives the narrator's obsession with the case. Kacey's character is known primarily through the aftermath of her death, the investigation, and the memories of her family and friends. While the narrative provides few direct scenes of Kacey alive, her tragedy becomes a central pillar of the story, highlighting themes of innocence lost, small-town vulnerability, and the consuming nature of true crime.

Plot Role

Kacey's disappearance and murder serve as the inciting event that transforms a local tragedy into a full-blown crisis. Her body is discovered at a playground slide, posed and bearing injuries that mirror those of Natasha Gallagher: strangulation, a severed left ear, signs of sexual assault, and a bite mark. The striking similarities lead the media to link the two killings and give the unknown assailant the moniker "the Boogeyman." Kacey's case also provides key details that advance the investigation, such as the mysterious "Have You Seen This Dog?" sign posted near her home—a fake sign with a nonexistent phone number that baffles detectives and hints at the killer's theatrical cruelty. Additionally, Kacey's murder prompts the narrator, Rich Chizmar, to purchase a police scanner and intensify his personal investigation, drawing him deeper into the story's metafictional blend of fact and fiction.

Motivations and Traits

As a victim, Kacey's own motivations and traits are inferred from the recollections of others. The text portrays her as exceptionally bright (president of the Math Club), kind (her neighbor Mrs. Starsia recalls her loving conversations with dogs), and hardworking—her English teacher calls her papers "college level As." She is also described as having a sunny personality and a close-knit family. These qualities make her murder all the more tragic and underscore the novel's theme of innocent life cut short by an inexplicable evil. The narrative does not directly explore Kacey's inner world; instead, her goodness is established through dialogue and testimonies, a technique that deepens the reader's sympathy and the town's collective grief.

Chronological Arc

Kacey's chronology in the novel unfolds in fragments:

Before June 20, 1988: Kacey lives a normal teenage life with her parents, older brother David, and two younger sisters. She is best friends with Riley Holt, and they plan to attend Clemson University and become veterinarians.
June 20, 1988: Kacey disappears while walking from Riley's house to her own, a short distance of about a quarter mile. Her father finds one of her green Chuck Taylor sneakers in the road. Later that night, Officer Aaron Hubbard discovers her body at the Cedar Drive Elementary playground.
Aftermath: The investigation reveals the brutality of the crime, including the severed ear and bite mark. Kacey's mother gives an interview in which she recounts how her younger daughter, Janie, had claimed the boogeyman tried to get into her window weeks earlier. This comment gives the killer his enduring nickname.
Later developments: Kacey's case remains unsolved for decades. In 2019, DNA evidence eventually leads to the arrest of Joshua Gallagher, who confesses to her murder along with seven others. The novel’s afterword confirms that justice is finally served, though Kacey’s family has endured decades of pain.

Relationships

Family: Kacey’s father, Mr. Robinson, is the one who finds her shoe and leads the frantic search. Her mother, Evelyn, becomes a public voice for the victims, speaking to the media about the boogeyman claim. Kacey's siblings are deeply affected, with her younger sisters struggling to understand death.
Best Friend Riley Holt: Riley is the last person to see Kacey alive. Their friendship is described as sister-like; they share dreams of becoming veterinarians and traveling the world. Riley's guilt and fear after the disappearance are palpable.
School Community: Teachers like Miss Watson praise Kacey's intellect and character. The neighbor Mrs. Starsia remembers her kindness toward dogs. These relationships paint a portrait of a beloved community member.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Because Kacey is a victim, the "key decisions" belong largely to the killer and the investigators. However, the consequences of her murder ripple through the narrative:

Killer's choice to pose Kacey's body at a playground — a location associated with childhood innocence — amplifies the horror and ensures the crime receives maximum media attention. This decision escalates public panic and cements the Boogeyman persona.
The police's failure to find forensic evidence leads to prolonged frustration and the eventual creation of a cold case. The lack of clues forces detectives to rely on psychological profiling and public tips.
The narrator Rich's decision to buy a police scanner and visit the playground repeatedly results from his obsession with Kacey's case, driving the book's metafictional and true-crime themes.
Mrs. Robinson's decision to share her younger daughter's "boogeyman" story with a reporter inadvertently gives the killer his lasting nickname, a consequence that both sensationalizes the case and pressures law enforcement.

Theme/Symbol Connections

Kacey Robinson embodies several key themes in Chasing the Boogeyman:

Small-Town Evil: Edgewood is portrayed as a close-knit community where everyone knows each other. Kacey's murder shatters that illusion, revealing that evil can hide in plain sight. Learn more about this theme.
True-Crime Obsession: The narrator's fixation on Kacey's death mirrors the reader's own voyeuristic interest. The novel questions whether such attention honors the victim or exploits her. Explore true-crime obsession.
Memory and Nostalgia: Kacey's story is filtered through the memories of those who knew her — her English teacher, neighbor, and parents. These recollections are tinted with nostalgia for a lost innocence, both personal and communal. Read more about memory and nostalgia.
Metafiction and Blurred Reality: By including photographs, newspaper articles, and interviews with "real" townspeople, the novel blurs the line between fiction and documentary. Kacey becomes both a character and a stand-in for countless real-world victims. Discover metafiction and blurred reality.
Nature of Evil: The killer's methodical, almost theatrical staging of Kacey's body raises questions about the nature of evil. The "Have You Seen This Dog?" sign — a fake clue left to taunt investigators — suggests a perpetrator who enjoys psychological games. Examine the nature of evil.

The playground slide itself becomes a powerful symbol: a place of childhood joy transformed into a site of death. The memorial of flowers and stuffed animals that appears there reflects the community's attempt to reclaim the space.

Book-Specific Questions and Answers

What exactly happened to Kacey Robinson on the night of June 20, 1988?
Kacey disappeared while walking from her best friend Riley's house to her own home, a distance of about a quarter mile. Her father found one of her sneakers in the road. Later that night, Officer Hubbard discovered her body at the bottom of a slide at the Cedar Drive Elementary playground. She had been strangled, sexually assaulted, and her left ear was severed. A bite mark was also present on her breast.
Why did the media start calling the killer "the Boogeyman"?
The nickname originated from an interview Kacey's mother gave to the Aegis newspaper. She revealed that her younger daughter, Janie, had claimed the boogeyman tried to enter her window weeks before Kacey's murder. Mrs. Robinson asked, "What if there really is a boogeyman… and he came back and got Kacey?" The name stuck despite police objections.
Was Kacey connected to Natasha Gallagher?
According to the investigation, the two girls knew each other through school but were not close. They shared a handful of mutual friends but had never spent time alone together or attended each other's parties. The police found no significant overlap in their lives, making the killer's choice of victims appear random.
What was the mysterious "Have You Seen This Dog?" sign?
A square white cardboard sign with a photo of a poodle and the text "Have You Seen This Dog?" and a phone number was found on a telephone pole across from the Robinson house. No one in the neighborhood recognized the dog, and the phone number did not exist. Police regarded it as a taunt from the killer, but no evidence connected it directly to the crime.
How does Kacey's story finally end?
In 2019, cold case detective Lieutenant Clara McClernan reopened the case and used DNA evidence to identify Joshua Gallagher, Natasha's brother, as the killer. Gallagher confessed to eight murders, including Kacey's. The confession brought closure to the families, although the narrator notes that the town of Edgewood never fully recovered. Read the full ending explained.

For more discussion on the novel's plot and unanswered mysteries, visit the Questions and Answers page.