NEW THRILLER: MAPPING THE DARKNESS BY J. David Bethel

 

Best. Book. Ever. (Out June 1, 2024!)

I just finished reading J. David Bethel 's suspenseful new thriller, Mapping the Darkness, which has the flavor of true crime rather than fiction. Fully exploring the realism that he is known for; Bethel hits this one out of Yankee stadium! Our favorite characters, FBI Special Agents Eileen Prado and Ira Fisher, are back, deep into an elaborate, twisting investigation into a series of murders on New York City’s Upper East Side.  Infused with international intrigue and political corruption, they team up with NYC’s Commanding Investigator Nadine Robinson.   Meandering through the gritty investigation that powerful forces want to derail, roadblocks hurdled to get a serial killer off the streets before more lives are lost. At times, I laughed aloud, taking adject pleasure as the story unfolded, while at others, the tension and anticipation swept me away. By the end, there was not a dry eye to be found. I highly recommend Mapping the Darkness; the satisfaction is as extreme as the evil they hunt. 

 

Available at most book stores - June 1, 2024.

Amazon: 

Jill- Host of the Murder Shelf Book Club

Book Review- Imprisoned by Fear by Kathy Lange (Byron Smith Case)

 Oh my. 

Having researched the case, which was featured on my podcast, the Murder Shelf Book Club, having spoken with the lead investigator, Jeremy Luberts, listened to the Byron Smith's audio and watched the video evidence from Smith's security cameras, I eagerly read Ms. Lange's book. Wow.  

The misinformation is astounding.  Once can tell that she is emotionally involved in the case, that her friend is in jail for premeditated murder, and she feels that this is unjust. However, feelings do not create evidence.  The evidence, much produced by the Defendant, Byron Smith, himself, is undeniable, and yet, Ms. Lange denies it, misconstrues it, and is dishonest.  

I gave this book 2 stars because her emotion is sincere. The problem is-- the story is fiction.  I cannot recommend it.  IF you want to know about the Byron Smith case, listen to my episodes 84, 85 and 86 on the Murder Shelf Book Club, where I cover the case in depth. Or better, read Murder on Elm Street by lead investigator Jeremy L. Luberts.  He provides transcripts of Byron Smith's statements, details into the burglary investigation, and testimony at Smith's trial. 

Goodreads Reviews:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54614743-imprisoned-by-fear?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=hNv6SR8pun&rank=1#CommunityReviews

MISSING GEYAHNA MEDWATZ aka "GG"- 3/21/24 in West Rockhill, PA!

UPDATE:  STILL MISSING APRIL 5, 2024.

 

Geyahna Medwartz aka “GG” was last seen March 21, 2024 in West Rockhill, PA. She was last seen at 12:20 am in her home by a family member and has not been seen afterward. GG suffers from mental health issues and it is believed she has not taken her medication. There is concern for her well-being as she had made threats of self-harm the day she went missing. IF you have ANY information, please contact Pennridge Regional Police Department – 215- 257-5104. 

Minnesota Pear Bundt Cake Recipe!

   Minnesota Pear Bundt Cake Recipe

SCENE FROM MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING (Bundt Cake)

Ingredients

1 can sliced pears, drained (Save the syrup!)

1 box of white cake mix

2 large eggs whites- room temperature

1 large egg, room temperature

2 tsps Confectioner's sugar

 Ta-Daa!

1. Drain pears, reserving the syrup this makes chopping up the pears easier).  Chop pears. Put pears and syrup into a large bowl. Add the cake mix, egg whites and egg. 

2. Beat for 30 seconds. Then, beat on high for 4 minutes;

3. Coat a fluted tube pan with cooking spray and dust with flour. Add batter to fluted tube.

4. Bake at 350 degrees until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, approximately 50-55 minutes.

5. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar. 

(I added sprinkles!)

Thank you Taste of Home!  So yummy!

Thank you, Naked Wines, for this wonderful Michaud Columbia Valley Savignon blanc 2021! 

Ep 84-87 Murder on Elm Street by Jeremy L Luberts

 MURDER ON ELM STREET 

BY JEREMY L. LUBERTS

Jeremy L. Luberts- used with permission

 

Buy Murder on Elm Street- a True Life Crime Story on Amazon

Shop for Murder Shelf Book Club merch on Spreadshop! 

Listen to the Murder Shelf Book Club podcast!

Scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding (Bundt Cake)

Look Up Your States laws on Castle Doctrine, Stand Your Ground & Duty to Retreat- 2024

Basement of Smith's home on Elm Street

LazyBoy chair where Smith sat

Haile Kifer (Dateline NBC)

Nicholas Brady (Dateline NBC)

Byron Smith (CBS.com)

Bullet Casings (Dateline NBC)

Smith basement (CBS.com)

Bloody carpet in basement (Dateline NBC0

Broken window, Smith residence (Dateline NBC)

SOURCES

12 Minutes on Elm Street, Dateline- Uncovered, NBCNews.com, Aug 22, 2018.

Allen Costantini, MN Supreme Court upholds Byron Smith conviction, KARE11.com, March 6, 2016, 

Alicia Thompson, A Man's Home is His Castle: Byron David Smith's Thanksgiving Day Murder, Investigation/Discovery- ID Crimefeed, Nov 24, 2016.

Associated Press, Byron Smith must pay $21K to teens' families, KARE11.com, Nov 19, 2014, 

Associated Press, Man who killed two teens appealing conviction, KARE11.com, Aug 31, 2018. 

Brent McClusky, Crime Scene Photos released from Byron Smith Trial, Guns.com, May 5, 2014. 

Byron David Smith's full length audio recording (full 29 minutes), Across the Table, 2020.

Byron Smith Murder Tapes, Audio of Minnesota man killing teens, TOMONews US, 2015.

Byron Smith, Serving life for murdering teen in Little Falls, Denied appeal by SCOTUS, CBS Minnesota, March 21, 2021.

Byron Smith's Best Friend: 'All he wanted was Peace and Quiet', CBS

 Minnesota/WCCONews, May 27, 2014.

Castle Doctrine States, WiseVoter.com, 2022

Castle Doctrine States 2024, World Population Review, 2024.

"Castle Doctrine Supporter"- Smith's Actions go Beyond Protection, CBS Minnesota/WCCONews, Nov 22, 2012. 

Dana Thiede, US Supreme Court won't hear case of man convicted of murdering Little Falls teens, KARE11.com, Marach 23, 2021.

DilanLange, Justice for Byron Smith, 2022.

E 04- The Double Murder of Nick Brady & Haile Kifer, Something Criminal podcast, LPR, April 23, 2020.

Jeremy L. Luberts, Murder on Elm Street- A True Life Crime Story, Beaver's Pond Press, Saint Paul, MN 2024.

Joseph Stanichar, Investigator pens 'Murder on Elm Street,' the story of the Byron Smith murder case, Morrison County Record, August 25, 2023.

Karen M Frieze, Cuffed together:  A study on low law enforcement works impacts the officer's spouse, International Journal of Police Science and Management, Vol 22, Issue 4, 2022.

Karolus Law, Can You Stand Your Ground in Minnesota, April 17, 2019.

Medical examiner: 18-year old woman was intoxicated in Minnesota break-in that led to deaths, FoxNews.com, April 24, 2014.

Nancy Grace Mysteries, HLN.com, May 2, 2014.

Pam Louwagie, Byron Smith gets life sentence for murdering two Little Falls teens,  Star Tribune, August 16, 2014.

Pear Bundt Cake Recipe, Taste of Home, Jan 2024.

Season 1, Episode 1 Whispers from the Dead, Hear No Evil, ID Channel, 2017.

Self-Defense and 'Stand Your Ground', National Conference of State Legislatures, 2024.

State vs. Smith, Casetext.com, March 9, 2016.

Supreme Court Rejects Byron Smith's Appeal, KNSI Radio.com, March 3, 2021.

Writ of Certiorari- Byron Smith, US Supreme Court, Nov 2020.

Ep 80-82 Frozen in Fear- The true story of surviving the shadows of death by Jane Carson-Sandler

 

RECIPE- CALIFORNIA CHORIZO QUESO FUNDIDO

Listen to the Murder Shelf Book Club podcast!

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp avocado oil

6 oz sauteed chorizo sausage, casings removed

1 small white onion, finely diced

1 green bell pepper, finely diced (or Poblano pepper for some heat)

1 minced jalapeno

½ tsp chili powder

¼ tsp sea salt

2 lbs Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

1 cup pico de gallo

Cilantro for topping (optional)

1. Preheat over to 400 F.

2. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat; add the chorizo, crumbling, for 4-5 minutes.

3. Add diced onion, jalapeno and pepper, cook 3-4 minutes until soften.  Add chili powder and sea salt, cook for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

4. Add 1/3 of the cheese to the skillet and ½ of the chorizo. Stir to combine. Top with the remaining cheese, placing the rest of the chorizo in the middle.

5. Transfer skillet to over (or place in oven pan) and bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese melts and is bubbly. Top with Pico de Gallo and cilantro (optional)

Serves 12

Thank you Castironketo.com 

ANDD- my wine pairing 

-Antonio Díez Martín Spain Tempranillo 2022 from Naked Wines! Fruity, dry, and really enhances the spicy of the Chorizo Queso! Enjoy Murder Bookies!

Ep 80-82- Frozen in Fear- Surviving the Shadows of Death by Jane Carson-Sandler

 

LISTEN to the MURDER SHELF BOOK CLUB! 

Buy the book 'Frozen in Fear' on Amazon!

Buy the book 'She Survived: Jane" on Amazon

Buy the book 'Killers Keep Secrets: The Golden State Killer's Other Life' on Amazon

Jill and Jane Carson-Sandler at Crimecon 2018! 

Sister Survivors- Crimecon 2018

(Michelle Cruz, sister of murder victim- Janelle Cruz, Debbie Domingo, Jane Carson-Sandler

BOOM!  Hahaha!  Good for them!

(I forget if I took these photos, or it belong to Mike Morford, the truecrimeguy! 

He's taken some similar ones, so-- giving him credit just in case.) 

To make a donation to Hope Haven of Lowcounty - 
Child Advocacy and Rape Center, Beauford, SC 

  SOURCES FOR FROZEN IN FEAR- THE TRUE STORY OF SURVIVING THE         SHADOWS OF DEATH  by Jane Carson-Sandler                                               AND SHE SURVIVED: JANE by M. William Phelps

5 years later, A Golden State Killer Family Reunion, Crimecon Orlando 2023, September 2023.

Antonio Díez Martín Spain Tempranillo 2022, Naked Wines.com, Jan 3, 2024.

Bill Hutchinson, One of the Golden State Killer's Youngest Victims recalls attacker in her bedroom 'I'm not afraid of you', ABCNews, May 4, 2018.

Chasing the Original Nightstalker, Dark Minds S02, Ep1, 2012.

Christine Pelisek, Survivors of Gold State Killer and His Ex-Fiancee Confront Him at Sentencing, People Magazine, Aug 20, 2020.

Daniela Pardo, East Area Rapist shares story to empower other women, ABCNews 10, May 1, 2018.

David Davies, After a career of cracking cold cases, Paul Holes opens up, NPR.com, Oct 6, 2023.

Dominique A Simons, Chapter 3- Sex Offender Typologies, Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, apprehending, Registering & Tracking, July 2015. 

First Survivor of EAR /Serial Killer recalls encounter, FBI.gov, June 2016.

Gina Tron, 'This is not our secret anymore'- Who were the victims and survivors of the Golden State killer?, Oxygen True Crime, Aug 18, 2020.

Golden State killer to hear victim impact statements, Law and Crime Network, Aug 18, 2020.

Golden State killer to hear victim impact statements, Law and Crime Network, Aug. 19, 2020.

Impact Statement 1, CBSNews.com, July 23, 2020.

Impact Statement 2, CBSNews.com, July 23, 2020

Jamie Kennedy, Sexual abuse survivors find solace in unique support group, Spectrum News1, July 14, 2023. 

Jane Carson-Sandler, Frozen in Fear- A True Story of Surviving the Shadows of Death, iUniverse, 2014.

Jeremy L Luberts, Amazon Summary, Murder on Elms Street, Beaver Pond Press, St Paul, Minnesota, 2024.

Lauren Fruend, 'Monsters are real': Woman who was raped by the Golden State killer, 74, when she was just 15 calls him a 'repulsive, pathetic coward' and another victims calls him 'subhuman' during sentencing hearing for 13 murders and kidnappings, Daily Mail, Aug 18, 2020.

M. William Phelps, She Survived- Jane, Pinnacle Books, 2015.

Michelle McNamara, I'll Be Gone in the Dark, Harper Collins, New York, 2018

Michelle Roldan-Shaw, Jane Carson-Sandler, Pink Magazine, 2019.

Mike Morford- Photos- Crimecon 2018.

Phyllis Hennemann, Victim Impact Statement, CBSNews.com, Aug 20, 2020.

Queso Fundido Dip with Chorizo, CastIronKeto.com, Dec 13, 2023.

Robert Hazelwood, Ann Burgess, An Introduction to the Serial Rapist- Research by the FBI, FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, Sept 1987.

Sex Offenders, SART Tool Kit, Office of Justice Programs, US Dept of Justice, March 2011.

Sexual Predator Typologies, Typologies and  Case Examples by ProfilingEvil, April 7, 2021.

The Golden State Killer, 2024.

The Golden State Killer Deep Dive, Crimecon Nashville, 2018.

Vicky Haddock, Four Types of Serial Rapists- and what makes them tick, SFGate.com, Jan 1996.

Whitney Woodworth, Salem Man recalls the obsessive search for Golden State Killer, Statesman Journal, April 27, 2018