Two New Stacy Dittrich Books Hit the Shelves!

NONFICTION
Stumbling along the Beat:
A Policewoman’s Uncensored Story from the World of Law Enforcement

When you’re a cop, you lay your life on the line every day. It’s one of the toughest jobs in the world, and the common belief that women aren’t up to it doesn’t make it any easier. But even as a kid, Stacy Dittrich craved the adrenaline rush of putting bad guys behind bars. When her father and uncles, all police officers, gathered to share their stories, Stacy was in the front row. Riding along in her father’s cruiser with the sirens blaring, she knew she’d found something that could make her feel alive.

There were dark days on the beat, days when Stacy, a detective specializing in sex crimes, could hardly believe the horrors she faced. Parents whose neglect of their own children seemed outright evil. Men and women whose sadistic acts made the world a terrifying place. But for Stacy, getting these depraved criminals off the streets was all that mattered. She was protecting the innocent, doing whatever she could to help them feel safe … until she became a target herself. Terrifyingly, some of the most dangerous people she encountered were her fellow cops. And they would not stop until Stacy gave up—her career, her dreams, and even her life.

But Stacy Dittrich was no victim.

Broken. Bloodied. Stabbed in the back. Stumbling Along the Beat, Stacy Dittrich never knew which one she’d be. But the desire for danger was in her blood—and the hunt for justice was all that mattered to her. This is her brutally honest, true story of survival on the streets.

Stacy Dittrich’s father, retired police lieutenant Joseph Wendling, wrote the foreword for this book. The book's already grabbed the attention of a few people we’ve heard of.

“Humorous and shocking, Stacy Dittrich’s account of life as a female police officer and growing up in a law enforcement family will undoubtedly grab your attention. A fascinating read!”
--Ray Liotta, award-winning actor and star of Goodfellas and Cop Land.

 

FICTION
In The Body Mafia, the third book in Stacy Dittrich’s intense CeeCee Gallagher thriller series, CeeCee risks her life to uncover a ring of Mafia killers who murder people to sell their body parts on the black market. When the bodies of local homeless men begin turning up missing major organs, Detective CeeCee Gallagher is hot on the trail of the perpetrators. Only after her husband, FBI Agent Michael Hagerman, is the target of a car bomb, does CeeCee realize what she’s really dealing with. This is no mere madman. These killers are organized—and more dangerous than any CeeCee’s seen before.

Both of Stacy Dittrich's new books are available in bookstores and online now. She'll be signing STUMBLING ALONG THE BEAT and THE BODY MAFIA on Saturday, May 8th, at Barnes and Noble, Mansfield, Ohio from 5pm-7pm.

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STACY DITTRICH AT BOOKEXPO AMERICA

Policewoman / Novelist Stacy Dittrich is in California this weekend, attending the nation's largest annual event in publishing: BookExpo America. Held this year at the Los Angeles Convention Center, BEA is a four-day gathering of power players in the bookselling industry. This year, BEA was expecting to draw 30,000 publishers, booksellers, librarians, and authors, including crime fiction masters Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane, who will both be speaking. Also in attendance is our own Stacy Dittrich (pictured right), whose first crime novel debuts this fall.

At the publishing showcase each year, booksellers trot out celebrities with their tell-alls. Actor Alec Baldwin (below) spoke to attendees on his upcoming book, A Promise to Ourselves: Fatherhood, Divorce and Family Law. Joining Baldwin on the panel was basketball great Magic Johnson who has a book coming out next year. Magic's first book, What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS, was removed by a school in 1996. According to PEN, a champion of the rights of authors and journalists, freedom of expression is under fire now more than ever, with government posing the greatest threat. During yesterday's program at BookExpo, PEN co-hosted "Something to Hide: Writers and Artists Against the Surveillance State," part of PEN's Campaign for Core Freedoms.

PEN (Poets, Essayists and Novelists) has joined forces with other influential human rights groups to combat government infringements on basic civil liberties. Through its campaign, PEN aims to restore privacy protections for records maintained by bookstores and libraries.

In such causes, marks made by the power of the PEN are indelible. PEN supported WCI contributor Vanessa Leggett during her fight with the Justice Department. The feds jailed Vanessa in an unsuccessful attempt to seize her records and identify her confidential sources.

WCI's Private Investigator Donna Weaver knows firsthand about governnment interference. Donna holds the FBI responsible for her husband's mysterious disappearance and presumed murder in 1983. For a book on her quest for justice, Donna has teamed with New Times columnist Bob Norman. In researching her story, Bob accompanied Donna to the Bahamas to search for answers as well as her husband's body, which has never been found. (Above, Donna and husband Gary feed their twin daughters.)

The literary agent for Donna's story is attending BEA this weekend. And a busy agent she will be. Claire Gerus is shopping the book proposal for Bob Norman and Donna in addition to representing Stacy Dittrich, also a client. (WCI's Robin Sax, an L.A. County prosecutor, is yet another author Gerus represents. With BEA meeting in Los Angeles this year, Robin was able to join Stacy and Gerus for dinner last night.)

This year's venue was timely for Stacy, whose detective series has caught the attention of the Academy Award-winning producer of The Devil Wears Prada, another book-to-screen adaptation. That producer contacted Gerus about adapting Stacy's first crime novel for Lifetime as a movie of the week, or even as a TV series featuring Stacy's heroine, Detective CeeCee Gallagher, whose storyline was inspired by Stacy's real-life work as a Richland County Sheriff's deputy in Mansfield, Ohio.

"It's very exciting and a little intimidating," Stacy told the Mansfield News Journal in a recent article announcing new developments in the veteran police officer's writing career. Donna's attitude is slightly more tempered. "I'm praying for a miracle--that Claire finds us a home. I know it doesn't usually happen that fast, but it could happen, right?"

Industry insiders who have weathered a turbulent year in publishing are less than enthusiastic. "I would anticipate a somewhat more subdued mood than in past years," HarperCollins publisher Steve Ross told reporters, speaking of "shake-ups and shakeouts and impending changes bad and good" in the book business. "I also expect the usual jockeying for possession of `The Next Big Book,'" he added, "since there are no clear candidates."

Stacy? . . . Donna? . . . Are those your hands we see waving in the air? . . . Have fun at BookExpo, "Where the world gathers to get a great READ on the industry."

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Stacy Dittrich on Nancy Grace!

Don't miss Nancy Grace on CNN tonight. WCI's Policewoman and Novelist Stacy Dittrich will appear as a guest. The topic? Your guess is as good as Stacy's. She won't know until hours before the show. "It's very exciting and a little intimidating," she told the Mansfield News Journal, in a recent article announcing new developments in the veteran police officer's writing career. Two of her crime novels are slated for publication, the first in October. One of those books caught the attention of the Academy Award-winning producer of The Devil Wears Prada, another book-to-screen adaptation. That movie producer contacted Stacy's agent. The Devil's Closet could be adapted for Lifetime as a movie of the week, or even as a TV series featuring Stacy's heroine, Detective CeeCee Gallagher, whose storyline has been lifted from Stacy's real-life work as a Richland County Sheriff's deputy in Mansfield, Ohio. Stacy is a former detective specializing in sexual crimes. In her fifteen-year career in law enforcement, Stacy has been involved in federal task forces as well as numerous homicide investigations. Several years ago, she trained under former FBI Behavioral Specialist Roy Hazelwood in the area of sexual homicides. She is also a certified voice stress analyst and an instructor for law enforcement. So how did Stacy's police work and crime writing lead to a gig with Nancy Grace? From a CNN producer doing exactly what you're doing right now--reading Women in Crime Ink. Just two days after we launched, CNN's Debony Miller found Stacy on our blog. "We are currently in the process of expanding our Investigator roster," read Miller's e-mail to Stacy, "and we were wondering if you would be interested in appearing on the show." She was. And if you're interested in watching her, you can catch WCI's Stacy Dittrich on Nancy Grace on Friday at 8:00 p.m.

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Stacy Dittrich on Nancy Grace!

WCI contributor Stacy Dittrich appears on Nancy Grace tonight to discuss today's crime stories. As with her first appearance on the show in April, Stacy will be commenting as a law enforcement consultant. Officially, our policewoman-turned-novelist retired from the Richland County Sheriff's Office in Ohio just yesterday.

"I was sworn in as an auxiliary," she explained to WCI, "so I still get to carry a badge and gun. Whew."

Nowadays her fingers will be on the keyboard more than her crime-fighting arsenal as Stacy embarks on a career as a full-time writer. "This was what I worked so hard for and finally made it," she said. "I'm loving this stay-at-home stuff--except I've been busier than I've ever been in my whole life." She's not kidding. Stacy just returned from BookExpo in Los Angeles. Two of her crime novels are scheduled for publication in the next year, the first in October. And she also has a contract for her first hardcover true-crime book. A memoir is in the works as well.

This past spring, Stacy's agent received a call from the Academy Award-winning producer of the movie The Devil Wears Prada. Hollywood is interested in a screen adaptation of Stacy's debut novel. The Devil's Closet is first in the CeeCee Gallagher detective series. The protagonist was patterned after Stacy, who was a detective specializing in sex crimes.

Stacy's hometown newspaper has chronicled the adventures of their local girl made good. Click here for a link to the story in today's Mansfield News Journal, which includes current news on Women in Crime Ink.

Make sure to tune in to Nancy Grace tonight to catch Stacy Dittrich in her first TV appearance since retirement.

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Mary Jane's Grave

by Women in Crime Ink

If you've been wondering how life for fictional detective CeeCee Gallagher could possibly get any more difficult, the wait is officially over. Mary Jane's Grave, the highly anticipated second novel of the CeeCee Gallagher detective series is in bookstores now. The follow-up to The Devil's Closet, WCI's own Stacy Dittrich continues taking the reader down a road filled with unknowns, romance, and mystery.

Summary of the book:

“Long known for its history of being haunted by a witch who was hanged and buried there, Mary Jane’s Grave has been a teenage staple for decades. Local historians have since disproved the area as mere folk lore, but when a local teen is found brutally murdered at the grave, Detective Sergeant CeeCee Gallagher is forced to re-investigate the history, and find its link to the teen’s murder. With the aid of her powerful co-workers, Naomi and Jeff Cooper, CeeCee is thrown into the depths of a secret so horrifying; locals have kept it hidden for over a hundred years. Finding the chilling connection between Mary Jane, and an eighteenth century murderess, Ceely Rose, CeeCee refuses to believe in the supernatural occurrences that witnesses claim are taking place at the grave. CeeCee’s investigation takes her across the country in her hunt for the true killer while she tries to keep her relationship with FBI Agent, Michael Hagerman, from unraveling. CeeCee takes readers along with her to face their darkest fears, while holding their breath until the secret of the grave, and the identity of the killer, is revealed.”

Extremely detailed, Mary Jane's Grave tends to be one of those novels that the reader will get lost if one page is missed. Mixing history with modern day policing, the research on this book took Stacy the longest of the entire Gallagher series, as she had to delve into 18th century writing and history. Stacy also had complete access to the case files (investigated by her police department) of some of the crimes that occurred at the actual grave; some of which are depicted in the book.

The novel revolves around the local folklore that surrounds a real grave in Stacy's area in Richland County, Ohio. She combined the myth with a true case of an 18th century murderess whose crimes occurred at Pulitzer Prize winning author Louis Bromfield’s farm-Malabar Farm. (This also happened to be the location of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall’s wedding and is just a mile or so down the road from the grave). For over 5 decades, people from all over the state have flocked to the “real” Mary Jane’s Grave in Lucas, Ohio (pictured right) to see the burnt cross on the famed witches tree, and to indulge in possible paranormal experiences. Although there is much written about the myth on web sites, there has never been a book written about it, or the murderess Ceely Rose, until now.

Most Recent Reviews:

“A creepy ghost story lies at the heart of Dittrich’s second thriller starring detective CeeCee Gallagher. The crime is horrific and puzzling, and Dittrich does an excellent job laying out a clever procedural that is hauntingly laced with eeriness. A book to send true chills down the spine! Four and a half stars!
--Romantic Times Book Review

“In March 1898, four men killed her infant son, raped her and her daughter Madeline, and burned her as a witch. With her last breath, Mary Jane Hendrickson, using her gift, cursed the men and the grounds where they committed their atrocities. The sexual assault of Madeline left her pregnant. In the present, the grave of Mary Jane was buried by a tree in the middle of an old cemetery where teens fool around scaring one another.

Sergeant CeeCee Gallagher is called to the Mount Olive Cemetery because the murdered body of Keri Sutter was found on Mary Jane’s grave. She had been separated from her friends who swore they saw an old woman and heard the scream of a baby crying though no infant was seen. CeeCee assumes one of the students killed Keri and used the Mary Jane witch tale to frighten the others. Elder Walter Morris suggests CeeCee look up the history. The detective does and learns that twenty years ago another teen was stoned to death on the grave-site; the culprit got away with murder. CeeCee continues investigating into Mary Jane’s life and death tracking ancestry and descendants onto the present in order to prevent more homicides.

A CeeCee Gallagher police procedural is always a treat (see THE DEVIL’S CLOSET) as the sergeant gives her readers a deep look at how she runs an investigation and why she takes some of the key steps that she does. The audience also receives glimpses of her love affair with FBI Agent Michael Hagerman while he deals with a treacherous former wife who will do anything to get him back. The who-done-it is terrific with its ties to the late nineteenth century atrocities as Stacy Dittrich provides a unique voice with a fresh brisk thriller starring a heroine who resonates with readers.” --MidWest Book Review

"...Mary Jane's Grave provides a fast-paced storyline with a ghostly flair, emotional turmoil and multi-generational twists."--Fresh Fiction Book Review

Mary Jane's Grave is available in bookstores and online now. Stacy will be at BookExpo of America in New York City May 29th and May 30th for signings and also June 6, 2009 at the Barnes and Noble in Ontario, Ohio.

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Ohio Honors One of Their Own- Stacy Dittrich

By Robin Sax

Women in Crime Ink's Stacy Dittrich is a wonder: a beautiful blond, intelligent woman, and a tough cookie. She is a 16-year law enforcement officer and a former detective. I know she sounds like something out of a movie, but Stacy is a real person. A woman of many talents who deserves to be recognized for not only helping to break down barriers for women in crime, but also as someone who has made a deep and lasting impact on her field.

Stacy’s pursuit of justice and her quest to bring people into the world of crime solving has landed her in the media spotlight. She's written books that capture our imaginations and appeared as a commentator on many high profile shows including: Fox, The Nancy Grace Show, E! True Hollywood In Crime, The War On Crime, The Dana Pretzer Show and others. Stacy has been recognized by former Ohio Attorney General, Jim Petro, for her contributions to the field of law enforcement. And now Stacy is being honored by Representative Margaret Ann Ruhl of the Ohio House of Representatives.

I have the privilege of co-hosting Justice Interrupted with Stacy, a radio blog show dedicated to providing justice for those whose lives have been interrupted by rape, murder, sexual predators of children, unexplained disappearances, domestic violence, and cold cases.

I am proud of Stacy, my colleague and friend, for her many accomplishments, and I'm grateful to the Ohio House of Representatives for honoring such a deserving woman. Way to go Stacy!!!

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Dittrich's Murder Behind the Badge: True Stories of Cops Who Kill Makes its Debut

by Women in Crime Ink

Most men and women who aspire to be police officers begin their careers with a noble dream of community service, upholding the law, and helping those in need. Yet over time the rigors and emotional strain of dealing with society’s worst element wear on even the most idealistic officers like a sheet of sandpaper, until their compassion is slowly rubbed away.

A few become corrupted and slip into criminal behavior, directly contradicting their oath to guard the public. Even worse, there are some who hide behind their badges to commit the most heinous crimes imaginable.

In a shocking true-crime narrative that reads like a thriller, former police officer, former detective, and mystery writer Stacy Dittrich tells 18 stories about cops who kill. From the brutal to the bizarre, the senseless to the extreme, these men and women abused their power, took human lives, and are now paying the consequences. Line-of-duty shootings aren't featured within the pages of "Murder Behind the Badge: True Stories of Cops Who Kill." Society typically sees these crimes from serial killers, rapists, and other violent criminals.

Some of the officers killed for love, others for money, and still others because of seemingly trivial personality conflicts. Dittrich profiles, among others:

• New Orleans cop Antoinette Frank, who brutally murdered four innocent people: her own partner, two restaurant owners, and her own father, whom she buried underneath her home.
• 
  Canton, Ohio, police officer Bobby Cutts Jr., who murdered his former girlfriend when she was nine-months pregnant.
• 
  Bollingbrook, Ill., police sergeant Drew Peterson, currently indicted in the death of his second wife, and being investigated for the disappearance of his third.

• California Highway Patrolman Craig Peyer, who pulled over San Diego State college student Cara Knott over a frivolous traffic violation, then murdered her.

• Prince George County, Md., officer Keith Washington, who brutally gunned down two furniture delivery men in his own home for simply being late with the delivery.

• Columbia, Mo., officer Steven Rios, who slit the throat of his gay lover after the man threatened to tell everyone, including Rios’ wife and police chief, of their relationship.

• Gerard Schaefer, one of Florida’s most notorious serial killers, who found it easiest to commit his crimes while working as a police officer and deputy sheriff.

• New York City cop Charles Becker, the first police officer ever executed for the crime of murder in 1915.

With a foreword written by WCI’s own Pat Brown, "Murder Behind the Badge: True Stories of Cops Who Kill" is already receiving praise:

“As a crime victim myself who went on to become a felony prosecutor, police have been a constant in my life for many, many years. They are some of the most honorable people I have ever known. Dittrich exposes the dichotomy between police who fight crime every day vs. those who have become criminals themselves…a real mind twister!” -- Nancy Grace, host of HLN’s The Nancy Grace Show

"Murder Behind the Badge" reveals the dark underbelly of the cop-shop, the evil that can lurk within. Some of these cases you may have heard about, many you have not. Now, learn the inside details of how a murderer gets a badge and is sometimes protected by fellow officers. Only another cop could walk the public through how a psycho gets on a police force in the first place. Only another cop could explain how the mindset of the thin blue line is sometimes so similar to the mindset of the truly disturbed. Author Stacy Dittrich is that cop. This is the book. In the realm of true crime this is a must-have!” -- Diane Dimond, Investigative Journalist/Author of "Who You Love: Inside the Michael Jackson Case"

"Murder Behind the Badge: True Stories of Cops Who Kill" is now available for pre-order on line and will be in book stores everywhere Nov. 16, 2009 (Prometheus, Hardcover).

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Booksigning - The Devil Comes Out of the Closet

Susan Murphy-Milano

WCI's Stacy Dittrich had her first booksigning since last week's release of The Devil's Closet, her debut crime novel. Saturday's event was held at the Barnes & Noble in Mansfield, Ohio—Stacy's hometown—where for 15 years she was a deputy for the Richland County Sheriff's Office. As the Mansfield News Journal recently reported, Stacy (pictured with daughter Jordan at yesterday's event) retired earlier this year to write full-time.

Any second thoughts Stacy may have had about her decision were shoved aside this past spring, when Stacy's agent received a call from the Academy Award-winning producer of the movie The Devil Wears Prada (based on the novel of the same title). Hollywood is interested in a screen adaptation of The Devil's Closet, which is first in the series of CeeCee Gallagher thrillers. The protagonist was patterned after Stacy, who was a detective specializing in sex crimes.

What this means for readers is that Stacy's novel smacks of the kind of authenticity that comes from pages written by someone who's actually carried a badge and gun and fought crime on the streets—a good gal who understands duty and knows how to take down the bad guys without having to unholster her duty weapon. Like Stacy, I come from a family of law enforcement, so I can vouch for Friday's review from our Sex-crimes Prosecutor that Stacy "captured the essence of what someone on the front lines of crime is really like."

You don't want to miss this book, the first in a series. Stacy's next CeeCee novel, Mary Jane's Grave, is scheduled for publication in 2009. Her first hardcover true-crime book will hit shelves following Murder Behind the Badge, another true-crime title expected within a year.

Stacy's next signing for The Devil's Closet will be on Saturday, October the 11th, at the Barnes & Noble in Westlake, Ohio. If you're in the area, stop by from 2:00 to 4:00 that afternoon for an autographed copy. But get there early. According to one of the fans who attended yesterday's signing in Mansfield, "lines were out the door." The 200 copies the store had in stock sold out very quickly.

"For a debut novel," B&N store manager Rich Krizan said, "it was a great success—one of our best."

Krizan was quick to add that a new shipment is expected this week and that the author will be stopping by the store to sign copies for those who didn't get one yesterday.

If you make it to the Westlake signing on the 11th, send your photo with Stacy to womenincrimeink@yahoo.com and we'll post it, like this pic from yesterday's signing, with fan Jo Ann Krausman. Thanks to Jo Ann for sending this in, and congrats, Stacy!

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A Stroll Down The Crime Aisle

by Diane Dimond

Scene: Book Expo, New York City, May 30, 2009 – Inside the mammoth Javitz Center

Players: Tens of thousands of publishers, book dealers, authors and fans

What I’ll remember most: I finally got to meet Mary Jo Buttafuoco, the ultimate crime survivor! (Pictured right, photo courtesy of WCI Contributor Stacy Dittrich)

Back in 1992, I was just one in the horde of reporters to descend on a sleepy waterfront neighborhood in Massapequa, New York. We came, like moths to a flame, because the sensational news story of that time revolved around a cad of a married man, his teenage Lolita, and his long suffering wife who had simply opened the front door of her home one day and was shot in the head.

As we were introduced Mary Jo said, “I remember you. You were with Hard Copy!”

I immediately ‘fessed up. “Yes. I was one of those reporters camping out in your front yard back then. I apologize.” And I braced myself for criticism. After all we had further and completely disrupted her life at the worst possible time in her life – as she came home from the hospital (weighing just 89 pounds) to recover from what could have been life-ending injuries inflicted by her cheating husband’s 17-year-old lover, Amy Fisher.

But Mary Jo Buttafuoco was sweet as could be. She waved off any awkwardness and smiled brightly as she signed my copy of her soon to be released book, “GETTING IT THROUGH MY THICK SKULL - Why I Stayed, What I Learned, And What Millions Of People Involved With Sociopaths Need To Know.” We spoke briefly about how wonderful her life is now, with a new man, upcoming wedding and their blended family of children. We spoke about the “train wreck” that her shooter, Amy Fisher’s, life had become, but Mary Jo didn’t dwell on it. She didn't have much to say about her sociopathic ex-husband Joey either.

After all she’d been through I got a lump in my throat at her graciousness and near complete recovery. Only the slightest droop in an eyelid and on one side of her mouth gives a hint at how grievously she was wounded.

Earlier, at that very same table I’d stopped by to see my friend, TV journalist Jane Velez Mitchell (pictured right with me, photo courtesy of Diane Cohen). She signed a copy of her new book, “I Want” for me. It is also about surviving what life deals you. My courageous friend lays bare her once crippling addiction to alcohol and other bad habits and holds out her hand to help others walk a path to recovery. On air for her nightly HLN Network show, “Issues” she may seem like a tough, aggressive person. Off air she is a darling with a soft side who spends much of her time on causes like animal rights and the environment. I appear on her program once in a while as a guest commentator and I appreciate the fact that Jane allows her guests to actually finish a sentence and put the subject-at-hand into perspective.

Then, while sitting in the Justice Interrupted booth with my friends Stacy Dittrich and Susan Murphy Milano (Robin Sax had taken a quick break to go shopping on 5^th Avenue!) I ran into author Julie Spira (below) whose book “The Perils of Cyber-Dating: Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking for Love Online,” outlines the do’s and don’ts of internet dating from a safety standpoint. She knows of what she speaks! This veteran of the digital-age-date lays out her first hand experiences with many of the losers who troll the internet superhighway just looking for vulnerable women. As smart as she is Julie was duped into loving and marrying a criminal liar she met on the net. He wasn’t really an architect. He wasn’t really self sufficient. And he really took her for a ride that, in the end, cost her about 100 thousand dollars as well as her dignity. If you’re considering internet dating do yourself a favor and read this book FIRST.

Three women, three very different and inspirational stories of survival in this world where criminals often seem to have the upper hand.

I experienced lots more at Book Expo. Wandering the never ending aisles hung with huge signs over head - Simon and Schuster, Harper Collins, Penguin, Prometheus – I stocked up on brand new give-away books. Naturally, I went for those with a crime and justice angle. Although not new this season I was riveted by two books at the Good Books booth by Howard Zehr. “Transcending: Reflections of Crime Victims” and “Doing Life: Reflections of Men and women Serving Life Sentences.” Both books are exactly what their titles imply. And they both offer stunning, haunting photographic portraits of the subjects – those who’ve miraculously survived violent crimes only to feel victimized in a different way by the court system that doesn’t really account for their participation and those men and women who are serving the rest of their lives in prison with no possibility of ever being released.

I saw my old pal Mark Klass and we were both delighted when Dr. Ruth walked by and stopped to chat with Mark. (We giggled later at how Mark was able to stay seated while he spoke with her and at the same time look right into her eyes - Yes! She's that short!) I think I spotted singer Paul Simon wandering around but I was too shy to run after him to see if it was really him. There were women wearing skimpy hot pink bathing suits touting the “perfect diet” books and Tibetan-looking monks strolling the aisles in saffron colored robes. The Justice Interrupted ladies were approached by the Tyra Banks producers who were enthusiastic about booking them for her show. Hero Pilot Sully Sullenberg charmed folks in the Borders Books Booth.

As Stacy Dittrich (pictured below with me in the Justice Interrupted booth), Susan Murphy Milano and I left for the day Susan and I marveled at the quality and number of books in the booths around us. We wondered how much longer books as we know them will exist. Will the internet, the kindle and devices we can’t even imagine replace these lovely companions one day? Will libraries become museums in the future? Maybe.

But for now I’ve got a bag full of books to keep me company! And, I got to shake hands with Mary Jo Buttafuoco, a woman I’d done so many stories about but never met.

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Stacy Dittrich on Internet radio

After the Ink Blotter chat today, tune in to The War on Crime's radio program between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. EDT. WCI's Policewoman/Novelist Stacy Dittrich is a guest on this week's show. Listeners can call in during the live broadcast: 347/838-9781. Visitors can also participate in an interactive discussion board. Sunday is your day to sound off. Meet us here at the Ink Blotter at 4:00 p.m. EDT then click over to http://www.thewaroncrime.blogspot.com/ and listen to Stacy. Other guests include CNN's Nancy Grace, and Susan Murphy-Milano, author and advocate for battered women. Today the women are discussing cases including the murder of Amy Giordano; the disappearance and suspected killing of Stacy Peterson; the recent appellate court decision concerning the 1982 conviction of former Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal; and Women in Crime Ink. The War on Crime's Levi is hosting. They're taking calls now.

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Stacy Dittrich on "Geraldo at Large"

Watch Stacy Dittrich this evening on FOX's "Geraldo at Large." Our Policewoman / Novelist will discuss unfolding developments in three high-profile missing persons cases. This past week, some revealing tape-recorded conversations surfaced in the disappearances of missing Illinois mom Stacy Peterson and Florida toddler Caylee Anthony. Both are presumed dead.

In Bolingbrook, two longtime friends of Drew Peterson have been secretly recording their conversations with the suspected wife killer for several months. According to the friends, a married couple, Peterson made incriminating statements.

And from the Orange County Jail in Orlando, missing child Caylee's mother Casey Anthony was taped in telephone conversations with the little girl's grandmother, Cindy Anthony. The telling exchange between the women is ripe for analysis. Plus, earlier this week, a 911 tape of Cindy was released. On it, Cindy tells the operator that her daughter's car smelled "like there's been a dead body" in it. Prosecutors suspect that the two year old is dead, but so far a body has not been found.

A third disappearance Geraldo will address has officially turned into a murder case. The body of Nancy Cooper was found earlier this month in North Carolina. Her husband skipped the memorial service.

Other guests on Saturday's program include ex-New York D. A. and FOX News analyst Jeanine Pirro. The time to watch tonight is 10:00 ET, when Geraldo and his guests will bring you insightful commentary on "all the news that matters to you, LIVE and 'at large.' "

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Getting Away with Murder - Part 1

by Stacy Dittrich

Is it really that easy? Any prudent person would formulate the opinion that committing an act of murder—and getting away with it—is a fairly simple task. A little skill, minimal thought, and a final resting place is all you need these days. Or, so it seems. Now that the elections are over, we are once again barraged with the latest crime stories in the news—those that are new, and those we have been subjected to over the last five years. Every day a new piece of evidence emerges that may, or may not, solve one of the grisly murders that we have been talking about daily in coffee shops and beauty salons everywhere.

Today and Monday, I will cover those cases that refuse to go away, those that have earned their rightful places in the Crime Hall of Fame. Solved, unsolved, body, or no body, guilty, or not guilty, these cases continuously permeate an air of mystery or suspicion at the slightest mention of their names. At the mere hint of the stories taking a back seat, crime bloggers and media worldwide drive these cases to the forefront once again.

I’ll begin with the most recent:

1. Caylee Anthony—Missing since June, 2008, No Body Found.

Perhaps one of the most high-profile cases in recent history, the case of missing 2-year-old Caylee Anthony continues to draw our attention. The circus-like atmosphere that has attached itself to the missing Orlando toddler’s mother, Casey Anthony (pictured right with Caylee), has undoubtedly clouded the true focus of the case—finding Caylee and bringing her killer to justice.

Her daughter last seen sometime in mid-June, Casey Anthony waited almost a month before reporting Caylee missing. In fact, she didn’t report it all; it was her mother Cindy Anthony that called 911 to report her granddaughter missing after they found Casey’s car, a white Pontiac that, in Cindy’s own words “smell[ed] like a dead body was in the damn car!” Cindy Anthony, a former nurse, and her husband, George, a former police officer, quickly dismissed the obvious when they realized the horror of what most likely had transpired: their own daughter murdered their granddaughter. Both familiar to the stomach-churning odor of a decomposing body, they later brushed off the smell as "rotting pizza."

Regardless, Casey Anthony wouldn’t talk. She insisted her daughter had been taken by a nanny whose existence the police quickly disproved. After finding chloroform in Casey’s trunk—coupled with computer searches on obtaining the deadly chemical—police were convinced that little Caylee was deceased. Add to that the physical evidence of decomposition in the trunk and one would think it is a clear-cut case of murder. Unfortunately, there is no body, and the prosecutors are dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s to make sure they can put forth the best case possible against Casey Anthony.

Her attorney, Jose Baez, continues to maintain “we’ll all be sorry” when the real truth comes out. Of course, neither he nor his client has bothered to expose that truth during the investigation. It seems that they would rather wait until Casey is facing the death penalty to say, “I told ya so!” Public displays of affection shown between Baez and Casey has reared its ugly head as well.

Then comes along the colorful, gun-totin’, cowboy-hat-wearing, bounty hunter, Leonard Padilla. Padilla, at first, believed in Casey’s innocence, enough to post her bond before realizing what a fool he looked like. Apparently, he didn’t mind because he subsequently launched a search frenzy, which included divers from the controversial Blackwater USA and thousands of people walking through the dense woods in search of little Caylee. Undaunted by the fact he and his people could potentially taint or alter much-needed evidence, Padilla (proudly posing left) has become a thorn in the side of law enforcement. He even pushed out the well-respected Tim Miller of Texas EquuSearch by telling Tim, “Imagine the money we could make if we’re photographed holding little Caylee’s skull?” Ugh.

Yes, he’s searching, but he's doing more harm than good, and it is past time for him to go home and bury his cowboy hat in the desert sand while squatting over a cactus.

Merge all of this with the numerous protesters in front of the Anthony home—with George and Cindy parading around town with their “Find Caylee” t-shirts—and the stone-cold monster, Casey Anthony, sitting in jail painting her nails, along with the book and movie deals, and it would appear this melee isn’t going away any time soon.

In the meantime, the remains of a beautiful, innocent, 2-year-old little girl are out there somewhere, and her mother stays silent as she sits in jail.

2. Stacy Peterson—Missing, October 28, 2007, No Body Found.

Women in Crime Ink’s Susan Murphy-Milano refuses to mention his name, and as much as I hate to give Drew Peterson any attention at all, his missing wife certainly deserves it. Former Bolingbrook, Illinois police sergeant Drew Peterson is not only a suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy (pictured right with Drew), but he is also suspected in the recently determined homicide of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. He has yet to be charged with either.

Stacy Peterson was last seen October, 28, 2007, and was reported missing by her sister when she failed to show up to a scheduled meeting. Drew reportedly told the family that Stacy had left him for another man and he found her car at the airport—claims Stacy’s family deems utterly preposterous. She left behind two small children that she completely adored.

Nonetheless, new evidence surfaced that Drew’s third wife, Kathleen, had not died accidentally and the focus intensified on the arrogant, publicity-seeking, former police officer. Not that he was worried. Hiring a publicist and accompanied by his shady lawyer, Joel Brodsky—a man with his own history of domestic problems—Drew hit the media circuit, hamming it up and posing for the cameras, insisting that his wife was still alive.

With a significant lack of evidence in Stacy’s disappearance, authorities focused on the homicide of Kathleen Savio. At this time, the grand jury is still hearing testimony and deciding if there is enough evidence to indict Drew for murder. However, while they wait for the grand jury, the authorities are holding a gun charge over his head that most likely won’t amount to much. A new book out on Drew claims he failed a polygraph test that related to his missing wife. Like everything else, Drew dismisses the test as inaccurate.

Drew continues to push the envelope and mock law enforcement. Just recently, he met with a divorce attorney to file against his wife for “abandonment,” in an attempt to sell off their assets and move from the neighborhood.

3. Madeleine McCann—Missing, May 3, 2007, No Body Found

Three-year-old Madeleine McCann (pictured below) disappeared from her family’s apartment at the resort of Praia da Luz, in the Algarve region of Portugal. The British family was vacationing there when Kate and Gerry McCann went to dinner with another couple, leaving Madeleine and her 2-year-old twin siblings alone in the apartment. The restaurant was only 130 yards away from the apartment.

At approximately 10 p.m., Kate McCann allegedly checked on the children and found Madeleine gone, and a window to the apartment open. What followed was an international frenzy of theories, finger-pointing, and searches in hopes of finding the little girl alive.

Kate and Gerry McCann immediately fell under an umbrella of suspicion. Both doctors, the theory they had given Madeleine too much medicine to make her sleep causing an accidental death began to circulate. The McCanns, who vowed to not leave the country until their daughter was found, fled months later after an intense focus on them by investigators.

The Portuguese police compiled an impressive list of suspects and theories relating to Madeleine’s disappearance, all of which were disproved and unfounded. In July 2008, the McCanns were officially cleared as suspects in their daughter’s disappearance, raising eyebrows of other law enforcement investigators worldwide.

If there were ever a case where I believed there was a minuscule (and I mean microscopic!) chance that the missing were actually alive—this would be the one. An international investigation such as this can bring forth many possibilities. It’s doubtful, but it wouldn’t be surprising.

Why haven’t these bodies been found? And, why haven’t some of the suspects been charged? It’s a touchy subject. A lack of evidence in some of the cases prohibits the prosecutors from launching a tirade of charges against the most likely suspect. Or, as in the case of Natalee Holloway, the evidence is there but politics play a far bigger role than an American teenager’s death. That said, it appears that most of the suspects in these high-profile cases will undoubtedly get away with murder.

On Monday, November 24th, in Part 2 of this story, I will touch on the cases of Natalee Holloway, Rilya Wilson, O.J. Simpson, and JonBenét Ramsey. Please leave your thoughts and comments on each of these stories. I’m curious to see who believes in innocence, guilt, and whether any of these bodies will be found.

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Octomom Donor Reveals Paternity Results Exclusively to Women in Crime Ink!

by Stacy Dittrich

Women in Crime Ink has breaking news. And when I say breaking—I mean earth-shattering. In all of my years in law enforcement, I have reached a point in life where there is very little that will shock me. I strongly urge you to not eat, put down your drink, and sit down before reading this post for fear of vomiting or loss of consciousness.

From a letter written exclusively to Women in Crime Ink, we have learned the paternity of “Octomom’s” (pictured above) babies. Of course, it took several days of numerous phone calls, faxes, and interviews to verify the information, but here it is, folks.

In what seems to be the epitome of the strange and unexplained, disgraced former police sergeant Drew Peterson has come forward to claim paternity of famed “Octomom” Nadya Suleman’s newborns. What’s even more startling is Suleman is backing this claim. The latest merger of the two high-profile, yet sub-par, celebrities will have even the likes of Geraldo Rivera shaking his head in disbelief.

Suleman, 33, through her now third publicist, Lilly Ramira-Bambatista, has issued the following statement, exclusively, to Women in Crime Ink:

"Although I forever promised the biological father of my eight miracles that I would never release his identity, we have come to a mutual agreement—given the mayhem that has surrounded my babies, that maybe its (sic) best if he were known. As hard as this is going to be to believe, Drew Peterson was the sperm donor, and is the father, of my angels. He simply felt that the press was becoming entirely too negative about myself and the children, and felt his known identity would provide some relief."

Clearly the claim was not to be believed via the mainstream press until Suleman’s own doctor produced the results of a secret paternity test that was taken last Wednesday, March 22nd in San Diego, CA. The results of the test are clear: Drew Peterson (pictured right) is 99.9% the biological father of all eight children. In an era where one thought that news couldn’t possibly get any more bizarre, the story of how Suleman and Peterson allegedly met rises to the top of the ladder.

According to Suleman, the disgraced duo first met in February 2008, through an on-line dating site. By her own admission, she sought out Peterson after his search for a fifth wife was made public—including his e-mail address.

Following various exchanges (numerous messages in which Peterson claimed that actress and serial mom Angelina Jolie was the most beautiful woman on earth), the two agreed to meet for dinner. It was several weeks later that Peterson flew to California, obviously under the scope of the media radar, and the two began a short-term affair. With constant pressure from Suleman, it was Peterson who funded the several plastic surgeries performed in an attempt to forge a resemblance to Angelina Jolie (after she’d gone through a garbage disposal).

According to Peterson, via his attorney, Joel Brodsky, Suleman exhibited extreme signs of mental instability during their brief time together and that it was actually Peterson who broke it off. Hold on. . . .

. . . I’m sorry, I had to pick myself off of the floor after falling over.

The version of how Peterson decided to donate the sperm to Suleman is up for interpretation. According to Brodsky, at the beginning of the creepy couple’s relationship, Suleman frequently spoke of having more children through in vitro fertilization and Peterson simply felt bad for her. At the end, as she was clearly unraveling, he felt that if he donated his sperm she would leave him alone. However, Suleman’s camp is telling a very different story. Her publicist claims that it was Peterson (pictured left leaving an adult video store with Suleman in May 2008), not Suleman, who propositioned the young mother to get pregnant.

Suleman was very knowledgeable about the procedure which in turn produced dollar signs in Peterson’s eyes. It was his idea to be the donor, and keep fingers crossed in the hopes the fertilization would produce, at least, six babies. Peterson, a self-proclaimed fan of the reality show “Jon and Kate plus 8,” and in dire straits financially, felt that Hollywood producers would pay millions for a reality show following a single mother of 12 to 14 kids. Suleman agreed, and the deal was that Peterson would remain anonymous and obtain a percentage of proceeds from promotions, television, and book deals. It was only after the recent media frenzy that Peterson decided to come forward.

My guess is the million-dollar porn deal was just too tempting. Perfect timing as the grand jury is wrapping up their session to determine whether Peterson is responsible for the deaths of two wives. Only a mind like Peterson’s would believe that his having 12 children would sway a judge or jury to spare him. (Go ahead and vomit here.)

When I contacted Joel Brodsky for a statement from Peterson regarding this post, he replied almost immediately:

"I have always been, and always will be, family oriented. I have never been one to shy away from my responsibilities as a father and a husband. . . .” cough-cough "Contrary to some of the rumors going around about my reasons for becoming the donor for Nadya, I simply did it to help a young woman bring new life into the world. For those that are printing and believing those nasty rumors, all of you are as much a fool as the ones who believe this post written by Stacy Dittrich."

Don't be fooled on this April 1st 2009.

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