True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers

Theodore Bundy was one of the more infamous, and flamboyant, American serial killers on record, and his story is a complex mix of psychopathology, criminal investigation, and the U.S. legal system. This in-depth examination of Bundy's life and his killing spree that totaled dozens of victims is drawn from legal transcripts, correspondence and interviews with detectives and prosecutors. Using these sources, new information on several murders is unveiled. The biography follows Bundy from his broken family background to his execution in the electric chair. THE BUNDY MURDERS-Kevin Sullivan

  A 12-year-old boy cowers in his closet while a lunatic killer slaughters his family . . . a nursing student unwittingly opens her home to the serial killer on her front porch . . . an 11-year-old girl drifts alone at sea on a flimsy cork raft for almost four days after a mass murderer kills her vacationing family aboard a chartered yacht . . . a brave firefighter suddenly finds himself in the crosshairs of a racist sniper almost nine stories above the ground . . . And, astonishingly, they all survived. From Howard Unruh’s 1949 shooting rampage through a quiet New Jersey neighborhood to Louisiana serial killer Derrick Todd Lee’s reign of terror in 2002, the corpses piled up and few lived to tell their tale of  horror. Award-winning journalist Ron Franscell explores the wounded hearts and minds of the ordinary people these monsters couldn’t kill. His mesmerizing accounts crackle with gritty details that put the reader in the midst of the carnage—and offer a front-row seat on the complex, painful process of surviving the rest of their haunted lives. Delivered From Evil takes the reader on a pulse-pounding dash through the murky intersection of pure evil and the potency of the human spirit, a journey into the darkest corners of the American crime-scape. DELIVERED FROM EVIL-Ron Franscell.

Richard and Victoria Tinyes feared the worst when their thirteen-year-old daughter Kelly Ann vanished from their quiet suburban community of Valley Stream, New York on March 3, 1989. But the nightmare to come was worse than they could ever imagine.Only five doors away, in the home of John and Elizabeth Golub, police found Kelly Ann's body stuffed in a plastic garbage bag. She'd been brutally beaten, stabbed, strangled and mutilated. After weeks of intense investigation, police arrested the Golubs' twenty-one-year-old son, Robert – a reclusive young man obsessed with bodybuilding and given to fits of rage.The sensational trial and subsequent conviction of Robert Golub shocked the nation and tore the once-peaceful community apart. Neighbors took sides. So did the media. And no one who lived on Horton Road would ever be the same.Acclaimed journalist Ronald J. Watkins takes you into the dark heart of an idyllic American suburb, where the savage murder of a young girl shattered the innocence of a town forever. AGAINST HER WILL: The Senseless Murder of Kelly Ann Tinyes-Ronald J. Watkins

Sheila LaBarre liked to troll the personal ads and homeless shelters, looking for men whom society had rejected for one reason or another - men she could easily dominate both verbally and sexually. One by one, she invited them to her remote New Hampshire farmhouse, where she engaged them in S&M. But over time, sex gave way to brutal acts of torture as she mercilessly flogged and beat her captives until they confessed to committing unspeakable acts. Once satisfied that they had paid for their sins, Sheila savagely slaughtered them and burned their remains on her farm...From the disturbing audiotapes Sheila made of her victims' confessions to her own bizarre statements in which she claimed to have returned from the dead to be God's avenger. "The Burn Farm" takes you behind the scenes of the scandal that rocked a quiet New England town, and into the twisted, depraved mind of a manipulative, cold-blooded murderer. THE BURN FARM-Michael Benson

In the midst of Pennsylvania's Amish country, on a peaceful summer night in 2008, the body of 45-year-old Jan Roseboro was found at the bottom of her backyard pool. Her husband Michael, a successful businessman and a member of a prominent family, showed no emotion as he learned of her death. But the next day an autopsy revealed Jan had been savagely beaten and strangled before being tossed in the water to drown. Soon Michael's secret lover, pregnant with his child, stepped into the media spotlight. And a horrifying true story of illicit passion, deadly deceit, and cold-blooded murder unfolded...LOVE HER TO DEATH-M. William Phelps

Mary Jean Pearle and John Battaglia's marriage seemed picture perfect from the outside. With their two young daughters, Faith and Liberty, they made their home in a wealthy Dallas suburb. John was handsome, charming, and successful - but behind his mask of normality lay a vicious, violent abuser who'd brutally beaten his first wife - and who made Mary Jean the new target of his irrational rages. After nine hellish years, she divorced Battaglia. 'I Never Thought He'd Hurt The Children...' On Christmas Day, 1999, during a court-ordered family visit, he attacked her in front of their daughters. For the next two years, he threatened, harassed and stalked her. Mary Jean feared for her life, but not for the lives of the children, with whom Battaglia was never anything less than caring, loving, and gentle. But in spring, 2001, when Faith and Liberty were visiting their father, Mary Jean received a message to call her daughters. Helpless, horrified, she heard her older daughter's pleading cries. Then came the sound of gunshots - followed by silence. What evil impulses had driven a seemingly devoted father the ultimate act of violence and Betrayal...and how would justice be served? NO, DADDY DON'T-A Father's Murderous Rage,a Mother's Worst Nightmare-IRENE PENCE

On January 11, 1995, deputies outside Austin, Texas, found a mutilated body laid across a cold campfire—head destroyed, hands cut off, skin singed by fire. In less than three days, they had the kill zone: a small apartment, where shy Christopher Hatton was shot at point blank range in his bed.Stephanie Lynn Martin, despite her devout Southern Baptist upbringing, was reborn as a sultry stripper and calendar girl. William M. Busenburg was a good-looking wannabe living his own lies. They came together in an explosion of violence and sex. Then they decided there was only one thing missing from their romance-Murder.But within days, they were under arrest and savvy prosecutors learned the ugly truth behind the senseless slaughter of Busenburg's friend. How twisted fantasies of murder fueled the couple's lust and led to the unspeakable crime. And how they both tried to cover up their heinous deed...until they finally ran out of lies. WAGES OF SIN-Murder Was Their Turn-On-SUZY SPENCER

It took almost 10 years for investigators to arrest two men for the brutal murders of seven workers in a fast-food restaurant in suburban Chicago. The tragic events captured headlines nationwide. When the arrests finally were made, the evidence against one man was virtually irrefutable. His DNA was found on chicken bones recovered from a trash bin at Brown's Chicken and Pasta; investigators contended that he ate pieces of chicken before killing the victims - the so-called "last meal." He confessed, indicating that he got "caught up in the moment" as he slit the throat of one victim. If someone ever deserved the death sentence, he did.The Last Meal is the story of horrific crime. It is also the riveting account of how a team of defense attorneys fought to show how their client did not commit the killings, and what happened when that failed to save him from a death sentence. This true-crime story is unique as it is written from the perspective of the defense attorneys rather than the prosecutors. THE LAST MEAL-Dennis Shere

In November 1970, Charles Manson was sentenced to death for the horrifying and cold-blooded murders of seven people near Los Angeles. His sentence was later reduced to life imprisonment after California abolished its death penalty. At Manson's trial, lead prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi spun the story of a demonic cult leader who hypnotized people to commit murder. He published his theory in Helter Skelter, the bestselling true crime book of all time.When author Marlin Marynick was eight years old, he discovered a beat up copy of Helter Skelter. The book’s portrayal of Charles Manson as an icon of unbridled evil haunted Marynick for years, well into his career as a psychiatric nurse. So when a chance conversation with a man selling Manson memorabilia on the Internet facilitated a connection to Manson himself, Marynick went along for the ride. This happenstance journey introduced Marynick to Manson’s closest confidants, eager to share Manson’s story, his talent, his passion, and his philosophy. The adventure crescendoed through Marynick’s phone conversations with Manson and ultimately culminated when the two met behind the tightly locked doors of California's Corcoran State Prison.Charles Manson Now is a critical dissection of what happened forty-one years ago, when Manson family members stormed the Polanski estate and murdered five people, among them one of America’s most beautiful, beloved actresses, Sharon Tate.The book is also a collage of Manson’s own writing, a poetic, ironic, and disturbing account of his universe, from his childhood to his time in the 8x12 prison cell where he is condemned to stay forever. It is Charles Manson, uncensored, unedited, in his own words. CHARLES MANSON NOW-Marlin Marynick

On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold left an indelible stamp on the American psyche. Their plan was staggering: to blow up their school, surpass Oklahoma City in horror, and leave "a lasting impression on the world." The bombs failed. But the unprecedented attack unleashed a new era of violence in schools—branding every future shooting "another Columbine."When we think of Columbine, we think of the Trench Coat Mafia; Cassie Bernall, mistaken Columbine martyr; and Patrick Ireland, "the boy in the window"—the whole world watching his gutsy escape. Now, in a gripping work of journalism a full decade in the making, comes the story we never knew. In this revelatory book, Dave Cullen debunks the myths and produces a profile of teen killers that burrows to the core of psychopathology. He reveals two radically different killers: Eric Harris, the callously brutal mastermind, and Dylan Klebold, the quivering depressive who journaled obsessively about love and attended the Columbine prom three days before opening fire.Columbine unfolds seamlessly, in an unforgettable tale of two honor students with a healthy circle of friends, secretly stockpiling a cache of weapons in the basement. They recorded their vitriol on film while manipulating every adult who could have stopped them. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold left warnings all around them—described by Cullen with a sharp investigative eye and psychological acumen. Culling from hundreds of interviews, thousands of police files, testimony from world-class psychologists brought in by the FBI, and the boys' videos and journals, he delivers the first comprehensive account of the tragic Columbine school shooting. A riveting tale of murder, redemption, police cover-up, and a town torn apart—the haunting cautionary tale for our age. COLUMBINE-Dave Cullen

A True Crime Story and The Birth of Forensic Science. Starr eloquently juxtaposes the crimes of French serial killer Joseph Vacher and the achievements of famed criminologist Dr. Alexandre Lacassagne during France's belle époque. From 1894 to 1897, Vacher is thought to have raped, killed, and mutilated at least 25 people, though he would confess to only 11 murders. Lacassagne, who headed the department of legal medicine at the university in Lyon, was a pioneer in crime scene analysis, body decomposition, and early profiling, and investigated suspicious deaths, all in an era when rural autopsies were often performed on the victim's dinner table. Lacassagne's contributions to the burgeoning field of forensic science, as well as the persistence of investigating magistrate Émile Fourquet, who connected crimes while crisscrossing the French countryside, eventually brought Vacher to justice. Vacher claimed insanity, which then (as now) was a vexed legal issue. Lacassagne proved the "systematic nature" of the crimes. Starr, codirector of Boston University's Center for Science and Medical Journalism, creates tension worthy of a thriller; in Lacassagne, he portrays a man determined to understand the "how" behind some of humanity's most depraved and perhaps take us one step closer to the "why." THE KILLING OF LITTLE SHEPHERDS-A True Crime Story and The Birth of Forensic Science-Douglas Starr. www.douglasstarr.com

The Last Six Minutes is the true account of the random and violent murder of 16 year-old Matthew Martins, and his family's journey through the Canadian Criminal Justice System. On July 2, 2005 Matthew Martins, while waiting near a Sky Train Station for a friend was approached by a woman named Katherine Quinn. Quinn wanted Matthew's crucifix and jumped him trying to get it from him. In the scuffle she was scratched by something and began screaming to her friends and her boyfriend Forslund, that she had been stabbed by Matthew. He ran but was chased and they cornered him at the bottom of the escalators, robbing and then beating and stomping him to death. Forslund had even slit Matthew's throat. Quinn and Forslund were arrested, charged and sentenced for second-degree murder. Now the family faced the killer's appeals and the threat of another trial. As a result of the family's nightmarish ordeal Matthew's mother Sandra founded F.A.C.T. families Against Crime and Trauma working tirelessly to help others who have lost a loved one to a violent crime. She has witnessed first hand the imbalance in the Canadian Justice System, and believes it is time to see the rights of victims supersede those of the offenders. THE LAST SIX MINUTES-Sandra Martins-Toner

In this account of the trial of controversial death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal, O'Connor, editor and publisher of crimemagazine.com, clearly lays out his case that Abu-Jamal should receive at least a new trial, if not complete exoneration. O'Connor asserts that Abu-Jamal was framed for the 1981 murder of police officer Daniel Faulkner because of a vendetta by Philadelphia mayor Frank Rizzo and the police due to Abu-Jamal's defense, as a journalist, of the cultish countercultural group MOVE. Relying heavily on court transcripts and prior books on the case, O'Connor shows what he sees as the judge's bias, troubled relations between Abu-Jamal and his defense lawyer and dubious statements by various witnesses. Abu-Jamal was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death; later overturned, the sentence could still be reinstated pending a decision by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Now in the wake of Faulkner's widow's recent book alleging Abu-Jamal's guilt, it has made it more difficult to be swayed entirely by O'Connor's arguments, but he makes a strong case that the investigation into Faulkner's murder deserves another look. THE FRAMING OF MUMIA ABU-JAMAL-J. Patrick O'Conner

On May 21, 2002, twenty-three-year-old Raleigh, North Carolina resident Stephanie Bennett was found murdered in her apartment. Despite ample DNA evidence at the scene, investigators could find no matches in their criminal databases.Two years into the investigation, Detective Ken Copeland-known as "the garbage man" for leaving no stone unturned in his search for evidence-and his partner, Jackie Taylor, joined the case. After culling through the entire file with fresh eyes and re-interviewing witnesses, they re-released a description of a suspect neighbors had seen nearby, a man who'd once lived just next door to the murder scene. But the suspect refused to hand over a DNA sample, wiping down anything he touched, and even planting decoy samples. This is the gripping story of how a team of aggressive detectives doggedly tracked down a killer (under suspicion for a killing spree that investigators believe might have spanned years and crossed state lines)and brought closure to an innocent young woman's grieving family. EVIL NEXT DOOR-THE UNTOLD STORY OF A KILLER UNDONE BY DNA-AMANDA LAMB

Rebecca Salcedo had an easy smile, a sexy body, and strong appetites-she wanted the world. Bruce Cleland, she decided, would buy it for her. The shy engineer quickly fell victim to her charms, getting her whatever she wanted. A new car. A boat. A house. But he wasn’t Rebecca’s only admirer… Even after Rebecca manipulated Bruce into marrying her, hoping to divorce him and take him for everything he had, she occupied herself with a series of lovers…Male strippers, women…they all spent time in Rebecca’s bed. But when she learned that a divorce would only get her a few pennies, she knew she had to find another way to secure Bruce’s fortune. Enlisting two family members as killers-for-hire, Rebecca set in motion her solution to the problem. While she watched, the first bullet hit Bruce in the face. Three more would follow. But while Rebecca kept the blood off her hands, she could not conceal evidence that led straight to her, culminating in a trial that would shock a community. HONEYMOON WITH A KILLER-Don Lasseter.