True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers

Where was Sandra? Across the country, parents watched with growing panic as the surveillance video was replayed on the evening news: a young girl in black leggings and a Hello Kitty t-shirt, skipping alone through the mobile home park where she lived. Her bouncing steps carried her quickly across the screen and beyond the camera's view-just two weeks after she celebrated her eighth birthday, Sandra Cantu disappeared. Within days, panic gave way to horror when investigators reported that Sandra's neighbor, 28-year-old Melissa Huckaby, had been arrested and charged with the rape and murder of the young girl. Sandra's death at the hands of a trusted adult female sent a powerful message to parents everywhere: The days of warning against "Stranger Danger" are long gone, having been replaced by an even darker era where stereotypes no longer exist and families can never be sure who to trust. SEARCHING FOR SANDRA-THE STORY BEHIND THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SANDRA CANTU-Stacy Dittrich

From ancient Rome through the Dark Ages to the burgeoning West to the open highways of urban America, from the unconscionable exploits of French religious zealot Gilles de Rais to such all-American monsters as Jeffrey Dahmer and Aileen Wournos, Katherine Ramsland makes an eye-opening case for the existence of serial killers throughout time, and offers a complete chronological record of the serial-killer phenomenon-as well as the parallel development of psychology, forensic science, and FBI profiling in the serial killer's evolving manifestation throughout human history. THE HUMAN PREDATOR-A HISTORICAL CHRONICLE OF SERIAL MURDER AND FORENSIC INVESTIGATION-Katherine Ramsland

For twenty-five years, John E. Douglas worked for the FBI, where he headed the elite Investigative Support Unit. The real-life model for FBI Agent Jack Crawford in "The Silence of the Lambs", he's had a brilliant and terrifying career, getting inside the minds of notorious murderers and serial killers including Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and David Berkowitz (Son of Sam). Written with long-time collaborator Mark Olshaker, "Law & Disorder" is Douglas' most provocative and personal book to date. In it, he addresses every law enforcement professional's worst nightmare: those cases where, for one reason or another, justice was delayed ...or even denied. Through a series of character-driven case histories - from the earliest trials in Salem, Massachusetts to the bungled trial of Amanda Knox - Douglas shows what happens when the system breaks down and bias, media coverage, and other influences get in the way of a dispassionate pursuit of the evidence. Here also are Douglas' personal reflections on his ongoing search for the truth - from painful lessons learned early in his career to his controversial findings in the West Memphis Three and Jon Benet Ramsey investigations. Brimming with procedural detail, "Law & Disorder" is an eye-opening insider's account of the exhilaration and frustration that attend the quest for justice. LAW AND DISORDER-Mark Olshaker

The behavior and activities exhibited by offenders that distinguish lust murderers from among other types of serial murderers are presented through a multiple case studies analysis of the offenders' psychosocial histories and offense patterns. The lust murderers examined include Theodore Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Dennis Rader. The study advocates that a primary function of the development of typologies is to provide aid and assistance in the investigation of violent crime, specifically violent sexualized homicides. EROTOPHONOPHILIA-INVESTIGATING LUST MURDER-Janet McClellan

What goes through the dark minds of such notorious killers as Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, David Berkowitz ("Son of Sam"), John Wayne Gacy, Dennis Rader (the "BTK Killer"), and others? In this chilling book, you'll read exactly what they were thinking in their own words as they committed horrible crimes. Using court transcripts and police interviews, veteran true-crime and crime-fiction writer Tom Philbin has compiled the testimony of twenty infamous serial killers-nineteen men and one woman. For fans of crime stories who look for realism, this book is like no other. The descriptions couldn't be more realistic since, in effect, the book is written by the serial killers themselves. Their words range from the bizarre and weirdly fascinating to the revolting and horrific. In each case, Philbin provides a background profile to give readers a sense of the context from which these monsters emerged. Though they come from different backgrounds, nationalities, and generations, their words do reveal certain common elements. Not one evinces any sense of compassion or sensitivity in regard to their victims. They appear to be unable to control the impulses that lead them to kill. And in many cases, they derive a perverse sexual satisfaction from their deeds. Taking true-crime reading to a new level of immediacy, this disturbing book offers a glimpse into the worst side of human nature. I, MONSTER-SERIAL KILLERS IN THEIR OWN CHILLING WORDS-Tom Philbin

Returning for another chilling season, Investigation Discovery’s DARK MINDS transports the most dangerous of all criminals right into your own home. In the series, returning on February 27, non-fiction crime author M. William Phelps ( his latest is The Kiss of the She-Devil) and criminal profiler John Kelly revisit unsolved homicides believed to be the work of serial killers. The twist? They have an insider that intimately understands the disturbed mind of a murderer – because he is one, currently serving multiple life sentences in a maximum security prison. With a new voice on the other end of the line this season, known only to audiences as “Raven,” this unique source offers his “expert” opinion to profile the killers whose victims deserve justice and whose families deserve answers. Raven’s voice and identity are disguised as he uses his own personal experience to formulate theories about the motives and practices of each murderer, providing unorthodox yet invaluable information that Phelps and Kelly make sense of in an effort to provide law enforcement with critical leads. DARK MINDS-M. William Phelps

Seldom, if ever, has a writer been given access to a former major drug dealer in the Mafia underworld and three generations of legitimate family members that followed. After nearly two years of interviews and subsequent research, it has been discovered that a close relative of the family was one of the most powerful figures in the Mafia from the 1940s Thru the mid 1980s, yet his identity until now has never been revealed to the public. He was the successor to Charles "Lucky" Luciano and became the conduit between Sicily and the United States as well as the Advisor for all five New York families for four (4) decades. The book tells in detail the life and times of a family who escaped the threat of Fascism in Sicily at the turn of the century and the rise of one of the children to a major figure in the Mob. Another sibling returned from a tragic life in an orphanage only to become an adept criminal. He ultimately spent twenty years off and on in prison with the Who's Who of the Mafia, men who became friends and had secret stories to tell. After prison, he became one of the pioneers of Off Off Broadway in NYC. The book details the influence and protection afforded later generations of the family to this day. It offers a unique insight into the real life of people during this 100 year period. Myths about the Mob are disclosed and inaccuracies in the history of the Mafia are corrected. FOR MEMBERS ONLY-THE STORY OFTHE MOB'S SECRET JUDGE -(G.T. Harrell) JERRY VAIRO

In May 2012 suspected serial killer Angel Guridy-Cabral was extradited from the Dominican Republic for the 1993 murder of his girlfriend Altagracia Valdez, 24, after new DNA technology linked him to the crime. Valdez was found on the living room floor of her apartment, her baby son unharmed nearby. She was stabbed in the neck and shoulder and appeared to have been sexually assaulted. Guridy-Cabral fought his extradition from the Dominican Republic for nearly two years. Police also suspect him in a half-dozen other crimes in the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens, including rapes and murders. But he could only be charged with the 1993 murder due to a clause in the extradition deal. He was a detective supervisor for 19 years and Commanding Officer of the Bronx Cold Case Homicide Squad, personally working on hundreds of murder and missing person cases in his career. He has written The Criminal Investigative Function: A Guide for New Investigators, a real-world look into criminal investigations-from the crime scene all the way to the courtroom-all the actual legalities that impact investigations the most. BRONX COLD CASE HOMICIDE-Joseph L. Giacalone

"Never Trust a Chained Captive." That was one of the rules David Parker Ray posted on the isolated property where he and his girlfriend Cynthia Hendy lived near New Mexico's Elephant Butte Lake. They called their windowless trailer, "The Toybox." And over the years, they lured countless young women into its chamber of unspeakable pain and horror - and filmed every moment. A Satanist, Ray was the centre of a web of sadism, sex slavery, and murder. Authorities suspect he murdered more than 60 women. In October 2011, a flood of tips led to a renewed search for the remains of more possible victims. This updated edition reveals all the details, along with the inside story on the controversial movie based on these unforgettable events. SLOW DEATH by Jim Fielder-Sheila Johnson

IT IS THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF TRUE MURDER AND THANKS TO THE INCREDIBLE FANS-2.5 MILLION PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN DOWNLOADED SINCE JANUARY 2010-THANK YOU VERY MUCH TRUE MURDER FANS!NEWS, UPDATES AND UPCOMING AUTHOR INTERVIEWS AND...                                                                                           REVEALED: THE HORRIFYING TRUTH REGARDING THE SERIAL KILLER MIND AND THE FAILING JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT CANNOT POSSIBLY STOP THEMEXPOSED: HE HAS DEFENDED MORE KILLERS THAN ANYONE IN THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING WORLD-HOW HE ACTUALLY DEFENDSDISCOVERED: THE INCREDIBLE ROLE SUSAN SARANDON’S STOLEN GOLD NECKLACE HAD IN THE MOTIVE FOR MURDER  EXCLUSIVE: THE KILLER’S TERRIFYINGLY GRAPHIC LETTERS AND GHASTLY DIAGRAMS DEPICTING THE MURDER-HORROR SPECTACLEINTRODUCTION: THE HOST OF TRUE MURDER-THE MOST SHOCKING KILLERS IN TRUE CRIME HISTORY AND AUTHOR OF TROPHY KILL-THE SHALL WE DANCE MURDER-HOW I BECAME INEXTRICABLY INVOLVED WITH A PSYCHOPATHIC SERIAL KILLER AND WOUND UP TESTIFYING FOR THE PROSECUTION-DESPERATE TO SEE HIM SENT TO PRISON FOR LIFE. ANNOUNCING:THE KINDLE VERSION RELEASE OF TROPHY KILL-CHILLING AND DISTURBING EXCERPTS OF THE MOST SHOCKING BOOK YOU WILL EVER DARE TO READ

The East Area Rapist would break into middle-class homes in respectable neighborhoods in the dark of night, tie up his victims and tell them over and over they were going to die. Only he didn’t kill anyone-not at first.  The East Area Rapist got his start in the summer of 1976 in Sacramento County and raped 30 women between June 1976 and July 1978. He moved on to Contra Costa County in October 1978, then continued south to Santa Barbara and Orange counties (where he was known as the Night Stalker, named before his crimes were linked to those up north). Psychiatrists helping the task force talked with imprisoned sex offenders, who said EAR was looking for an excuse to kill, not just to rape. They were right. Crompton was working in the crime lab in Contra Costa County doing crime scene investigations when EAR arrived  in late 1979. After EAR’s third attack, a task force of local police agencies, the DA’s office and the crime lab was formed and Crompton was appointed to it. The first murder was a double homicide in Santa Barbara County in December 1979. His attacks continued until, after another double homicide in 1981, the East Area Rapist vanished for five years. He reappeared for another double homicide in May 1986. Crompton had retired but In May 2000, he got a call from a criminologist in Contra Costa County who was working with DNA and the EAR files. Crompton gave him the names of three rape victims, and by July it was confirmed that the same man was behind them. Further DNA worked proved in March 2001 that six of the 1o murders then attributed to EAR were by the same person. And in April 2002, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office flew Crompton down to help with the investigation. The East Area Rapist, Original Night Stalker has yet to be arrested. SUDDEN TERROR-Larry Crompton  

Not since the Green River Killer had the Pacific Northwest been terrorized by so savage a serial killer. By day, Robert Lee Yates, Jr., 48 was a respected father of five, a skilled helicopter pilot who served in Desert Storm and the National Guard, and a man no one suspected of a deadly hidden life. By night he prowled the streets where prostitutes gathered, gaining their trust before betraying them with a bullet to the head. On August 26, 1997, the half-naked body of 16-year-old street prostitute Jennifer Joseph was found in an empty lot in Spokane, Washington. The same day, the decomposed corpse of prostitute Heather Hernandez, 20, was discovered in a wheat field. Both women had been shot point blank in the head. By the day after Christmas, four more women were added to the mounting death toll. All were found with plastic grocery bags tied over their heads - the gruesome signature of a killer who had sexually violated each one of them after snuffing out their lives. Spokane's elite Homicide Task Force's intense investigation turned up only one common link: a white Corvette driven by a frequent customer of Spokane's prostitutes. Investigators found a button from Jennifer Joseph's blouse and multiple blood stains in a vehicle recently sold by Yates Jr. On October 18, 2000, Yates pled guilty to 13 murders and was sentenced to 408 years. Sentenced for two similar murders in Washington's Pierce County, Yates is now on death row, awaiting execution. BODY COUNT-RE-RELEASE-Burl Barer

Shawn Griffith spent over 23 years in various Florida prisons for an armed robbery he committed in 1992 at the age of 21. He has just recently been conditionally released from prison. He documents in elaborate and exacting detail what is wrong with the corrections system in the U. S and provides a host of solutions about how to improve it and save the taxpayers millions of dollars, while making our streets safer at the same time. "Facing the U.S. Prison Problem 2.3 Million Strong" is written by someone from inside "the belly of the beast," who knows from years of personal experience what works and what doesn't. Ironically, most prisons today are not set up to rehabilitate prisoners but to do the opposite --simply to warehouse ever-increasing numbers of them until their eventual release with little or no practical training to succeed on the outside. Shawn advocates that the real purpose of prison, in addition to punishment, should be to enable the 90 percent who will eventually be released to cope on the outside and not return to prison within the first three years, as now just under half of all released prisoners do. Shawn shows how tough-on-crime politicians, supported by guard unions and private prison corporations, have a vested interest in keeping the recidivism rate high. Instead of fostering in-prison drug rehab, job training, impulse control, and close family ties, prisons continually slash these critical programs to hire more guards and build more prisons. In California, 70 percent of the prison budget goes to pay the 31,000 guards it employs and only 5 percent to vocational programs to reduce recidivism. Until taxpayers grasp how counterproductive this approach truly is in providing public safety, there will be no chance for meaningful prison reform. FACING THE U.S. PRISON PROBLEM 2.3 MILLION STRONG-Shawn Griffith  

Victoria Redstall is a glamorous model, actress, filmmaker, and investigative journalist who has spent years visiting high-security prisons and interviewing sadistic killers like Gary Ray Bowles and Keith Hunter Jesperson, "The Happy Face Killer." These hardened killers have opened up to her in a way that they would never do to psychiatrists, prosecutors, or other authority figures, and have revealed terrifying chapters of their lives that might otherwise have stayed hidden forever. In this chilling book she shares every detail and insight, bringing the reader up close and very personal with some of the most dangerous and disturbed serial killers that the world has ever seen. SERIAL KILLERS UP CLOSE AND VERY PERSONAL:-MY DEATH ROW INTERVIEWS WITH THE MOST DANGEROUS MEN ON THE PLANET-Victoria Redstall

Anthony J. LaRette Jr., had been on a ten-year-long path of violence, murder, and rape.Everyone knew Mickey, with her stellar grades and driving ambition, would eventually follow her older brother’s path and become the only other family member to graduate from university. Though separated by twelve years, Mickey and Dennis had always felt a common bond. On July 25, 1980, at 11:10 a.m., LaRette parked his car in a corner grocery store lot in the small town of St. Charles, Missouri, and followed Mickey into her apartment. When the savagery was over, he thought he had left the girl dead on the kitchen floor. But despite a gash across her throat that nearly decapitated her and two deep knife wounds to her heart, she somehow ran naked across the street to a neighbor’s house, where she died on their front porch. Her final desperate attempt to live provided a key to capturing her killer. For nine years, LaRette sat uncooperative on death row in Potosi, Missouri, until he was introduced to a young deputy, Patricia Juhl, from Florida. After that first meeting, the killer promised to cooperate on other murders and rapes in which he was implicated, but insisted on being interviewed by Juhl. So began a six-year odyssey as Juhl made numerous trips from Florida  to Missouri in order to interview LaRette. The investigation eventually led to LaRette’s confession to thirty murders and rapes in eleven states. The serial killer carried a portrait of Juhl into his holding cell and awaited his execution. THE GIRL THAT HAD NO ENEMIES AND THE MAN WHO HATED WOMEN-Dennis Fleming