United States of True Crime is an anthology series with books devoted to the most disturbing cases in each of the 50 states. This book focuses on ten of the most chilling crimes in Alaska history.
True crime junkies may recognize some of the highly publicized cases, but I've made sure to include lesser-known, equally unsettling crimes. Not all of the cases included in this book are the most violent in state history. While serial murderers are covered, I've also included some cases that are unsettling because of the gnawing sense of injustice they leave.
The cases included in this book:
Robert Hansen: Serial killer who flew his victims to the remote wilderness and hunted them like animals. He confessed to murdering 17 women and raping at least 30.
Thomas Richard Bunday: Confessed to the brutal slaying of four women and a young girl but committed suicide before standing trial, leading investigators to believe his victim count may have been much higher.
Michael Silka: Murdered his neighbor in Fairbanks before embarking on a killing spree in a remote Arctic town.
Joshua Wade: Acquitted for murdering an indigenous Alaskan woman then went on to kill another woman when he was released. While incarcerated he also confessed to murdering three men.
Gary Zieger: Serial killer killed in retaliation for murdering a mother and her young son. Investigators assert that he was connected to at least five murders.
Lisa Donlon: Shot her husband to death after years of abuse then forced to stand trial.
James Dale Ritchie: Killed in a shootout with police. After his death police connected him to five unsolved homicides.
Robert Allen Hale: Frontiersman who physically, mentally, and sexually abused his 15 children for decades in rural Alaska.
Steven H. Downs: Accused of the murder of a young woman after DNA evidence was linked to him over 25 years after her death.
Israel Keyes: Serial murderer who defied everything the FBI thought they knew about serial killers. He evaded capture for decades by abducting his victims in one state, murdering them in another, and disposing of them in a third. Although he only ever confessed to three murders before he committed suicide in prison, the FBI believes he had at least 11 victims.
If you're a true crime enthusiast who enjoys reading about some of the most depraved monsters in our country, you will love United States of True Crime.