BOOK REVIEW: The Baby Doll Serial Killer: The John Eric Armstrong Homicides by BR Bates & Gerald Cliff, PhD.

 

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Murder Bookies, I have read many books about serail killers, and The Baby Doll Serial Killer: John Eric Armstrong's Homicides by BR Bates with Gerald Cliff, PhD. is one of the most thoroughly researched and written true crime books to date.  I had never heard of this Michigan serial killer, who terrorized Detroit, Michigan and the surrounding region from 1999-2000.  Targeting sex workers, the veteran, married father operated invisibly, murdering at least 5 women, and likely many more. A reserved and unassuming wallflower, the life of John Eric Armstrong is explored, a man who left a benign impression on those he met, with none suspecting the shocking malevolent side of his personality. BR Bates also endeavors to present a well-rounded picture of each victim and their families, treating them with dignity and respect, so necessary in the true crime genre.

Arrested, the investigation is narrated by law enforcement from a variety of jurisdictions, who reflect back on how the case was built against Armstrong, their interrogations of the suspect, as well as the impact on the city, local communities and public at large.  As confessions come forth, the scope of the investigation shifts from Detroit to the wider world, focusing on Armstrong's years in the Navy aboard the U.S.S. Nimitz. The author punctuates this time with interviews with Armstrong's shipmates, whose insights are invaluable.

Taken through the judicial process, we learn of Armstrong's fate, but the book does not end with his conviction. Bates explores the disturbing question of WHY Armstrong killed, comparing and contrasting his statements with family recollections and other serial killers, allowing the reader to make decisions for themselves, powerfully conveyed.  Bates then walks us through the lives of sex workers, and the realities of addition induced choices.  Armstrong will never walk free, which provides some sense of justice for the families who had loved ones ripped out of their lives. This is a complex, disturbing case, and a book that juggles all the elements that are drawn into the black void of serail murder and its consequences. As your host, I highly recommend adding The Baby Doll Serial Killer: The John Eric Armstrong Homicides to your murder shelf. It does not disappoint.