I think I've mentioned, previously, that I like to read True Crime books. And that my favorite author of such books is Ann Rule. Ann Rule lives in the Seattle area. Many of Ann Rule's True Crime Tales have been about Washington cases, with the most notorious being her book about her "friend," Ted Bundy, with the book being Stranger Beside Me.When one of Ann Rule's tales is about a crime I either remember or have been to the places described, it adds an element that makes it more interesting. I remember reading the Cinnamon Brown story, I think the title was If You Really Love Me. This bizarre story took place in the Los Angeles area. I had recently driven by many of the places described in that book.
Anyway, all that is preamble to this...
When I'm in the library I check out the True Crime section to see if there are any new books. On my last visit I saw one titled Scream at the Sky, by Carlton Stowers. I read the blurb reviews, sounded good, checked it out.
By about page one I realized this story took place in Texas. And once more I found myself reading a True Crime story and being familiar with many of the places being described.
Then, when I was reading last night, til it put me to sleep, the story took a turn right into my neighborhood. The murderer, Faryion Wardrip, had confessed to 3 long time unsolved murders in the Wichita Falls area.
Then Wardrip surprised the detectives by telling them about another murder.
Wardrip was in east Fort Worth where he found another victim, Debra Taylor, killed her and left her body near the intersection of Randol Mill Road and Interstate 820. That's right where I live. There are 3 or 4 liquor stores at that intersection, due to it being on the border of a dry zone. There is also a lot of open land.
I've not finished this book yet. I know Faryion Wardrip got the death penalty. The murders took place in 1984-5. Almost 15 years later a detective cracked the case, using the new DNA tools. His trial took place in Denton. At the start of the trial he plead guilty, which was a surprise to the prosecution. The trial took place after I'd arrived in Texas, but I have no memory of reading about it.
I don't know if Faryion Wardrip has gotten the lethal needle in Huntsville yet.
