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The Eastbound Strangler
In this first exclusive e-book accompanying the Investigation Discovery series he created, “Dark Minds,” investigative journalist M. William Phelps, author of 20 books, a noted serial killer expert, explores what goes on behind-the-scenes in this unique serial killer series as he investigates and films an episode.
Here, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Phelps takes readers and fans of the series deep into his personal life and a dark connection to the Eastbound Strangler case, how he feels about several suspects named by law enforcement, and shares an exclusive interview he conducted with a woman who claims she was with the Eastbound Strangler and his final victim, Kim Raffo, on the night before Kim’s body was found.
What kind of serial killer removes his victims’ shoes and socks…and lays them out in a row, facing east?
This is the mystery confronting M. William Phelps in the bizarre cold case of the Eastbound Strangler. In November 2006, the bodies of four women were discovered in a drainage ditch behind a row of hotels, on the fringes of Atlantic City, New Jersey. After years of intense investigation, law enforcement remains baffled by the fact the victims’ shoes were missing, and their heads were all pointing east. Three of the women were known prostitutes who worked “The Track,” a wasteland of broken dreams behind the casinos, on the dark side of Atlantic City’s famous boardwalk.
Does the Eastbound Strangler have a cross to bear against women he considers “fallen?” Is there a religious basis for the eastward positioning of the bodies? And are the later murders of four prostitutes in Long Island connected?
To get inside the Dark Mind of this murderer, Phelps must rely on criminal profiler John Kelly —and personal insight from Kelly’s secret source, a convicted serial killer code-named “13.”
Author Bio
Investigative journalist M. William Phelps, a serial killer expert, is the national bestselling, award-winning author of twenty nonfiction books, including five about serial murderers. Winner of 2008 New England Book Festival Award for I'll Be Watching You, Phelps has appeared on over 100 television shows as a crime expert, the USA Radio Network, Catholic Radio, Ava Maria Radio, ABC News Radio and Radio America, who calls him "the nation's leading authority on the mind of the female murderer." He frequently appears on the hit Investigation Discovery show "Deadly Women." He's written for the Providence Journal, Hartford Courant, the New London Day, and has been profiled in such noted publications as Writer's Digest, NY Daily News, Newsday, Albany Times-Union, Hartford Courant, Connecticut Magazine, Suspense magazine, Forensic Nursing, and the NY Post. He also consulted on the first season of the Showtime cable television series "Dexter."
Beyond his non-fiction crime work, in 2008 Phelps published a highly acclaimed narrative nonfiction biography of Revolutionary War patriot Nathan Hale: NATHAN HALE: The Life and Death of America's First Spy, which was optioned for film by Warner Bros.
In 1996, Phelps's pregnant sister-in-law, Diana Ferris, was savagely murdered in Hartford, Connecticut. Through his writing and work with crime victims, M. William Phelps is on an obsessive quest to not only find his sister-in-law's killer, but the reasons why people kill and what stirs inside the dark minds of serial murderers.
Phelps lives in a small Connecticut farming community near the Massachusetts border.
Here, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Phelps takes readers and fans of the series deep into his personal life and a dark connection to the Eastbound Strangler case, how he feels about several suspects named by law enforcement, and shares an exclusive interview he conducted with a woman who claims she was with the Eastbound Strangler and his final victim, Kim Raffo, on the night before Kim’s body was found.
What kind of serial killer removes his victims’ shoes and socks…and lays them out in a row, facing east?
This is the mystery confronting M. William Phelps in the bizarre cold case of the Eastbound Strangler. In November 2006, the bodies of four women were discovered in a drainage ditch behind a row of hotels, on the fringes of Atlantic City, New Jersey. After years of intense investigation, law enforcement remains baffled by the fact the victims’ shoes were missing, and their heads were all pointing east. Three of the women were known prostitutes who worked “The Track,” a wasteland of broken dreams behind the casinos, on the dark side of Atlantic City’s famous boardwalk.
Does the Eastbound Strangler have a cross to bear against women he considers “fallen?” Is there a religious basis for the eastward positioning of the bodies? And are the later murders of four prostitutes in Long Island connected?
To get inside the Dark Mind of this murderer, Phelps must rely on criminal profiler John Kelly —and personal insight from Kelly’s secret source, a convicted serial killer code-named “13.”
Author Bio
Investigative journalist M. William Phelps, a serial killer expert, is the national bestselling, award-winning author of twenty nonfiction books, including five about serial murderers. Winner of 2008 New England Book Festival Award for I'll Be Watching You, Phelps has appeared on over 100 television shows as a crime expert, the USA Radio Network, Catholic Radio, Ava Maria Radio, ABC News Radio and Radio America, who calls him "the nation's leading authority on the mind of the female murderer." He frequently appears on the hit Investigation Discovery show "Deadly Women." He's written for the Providence Journal, Hartford Courant, the New London Day, and has been profiled in such noted publications as Writer's Digest, NY Daily News, Newsday, Albany Times-Union, Hartford Courant, Connecticut Magazine, Suspense magazine, Forensic Nursing, and the NY Post. He also consulted on the first season of the Showtime cable television series "Dexter."
Beyond his non-fiction crime work, in 2008 Phelps published a highly acclaimed narrative nonfiction biography of Revolutionary War patriot Nathan Hale: NATHAN HALE: The Life and Death of America's First Spy, which was optioned for film by Warner Bros.
In 1996, Phelps's pregnant sister-in-law, Diana Ferris, was savagely murdered in Hartford, Connecticut. Through his writing and work with crime victims, M. William Phelps is on an obsessive quest to not only find his sister-in-law's killer, but the reasons why people kill and what stirs inside the dark minds of serial murderers.
Phelps lives in a small Connecticut farming community near the Massachusetts border.
- GenresTrue Crime
40 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 29, 2012
15 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
M. William Phelps
87 books1,155 followersCrime, murder and serial killer expert, creator/producer/writer and former host of the Investigation Discovery series DARK MINDS, acclaimed, award-winning investigative journalist M. William Phelps is the New York Times best-selling author of 30 books and winner of the 2013 Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award and the 2008 New England Book Festival Award. A highly sought-after pundit, Phelps has made over 100 media-related television appearances: Early Show, The Today Show, The View, Fox & Friends, truTV, Discovery Channel, Fox News Channel, Good Morning America, TLC, BIO, History, Oxygen, OWN, on top of over 100 additional media appearances: USA Radio Network, Catholic Radio, Mancow, Wall Street Journal Radio, Zac Daniel, Ave Maria Radio, Catholic Channel, EWTN Radio, ABC News Radio, and many more.
Phelps is also a member of the Multidisciplinary Collaborative on Sexual Crime and Violence (MCSCV), also known as the Atypical Homicide Research Group (AHRG) at Northeastern University, maintained by NU alumni Enzo Yaksic.
Phelps is one of the regular and recurring experts frequently appearing on two long-running series, Deadly Women and Snapped. Radio America calls Phelps “the nation’s leading authority on the mind of the female murderer,” and TV Rage says, “M. William Phelps dares to tread where few others will: into the mind of a killer.” A respected journalist, beyond his book writing Phelps has written for numerous publications—including the Providence Journal, Connecticut Magazine and Hartford Courant—and consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter.
Phelps grew up in East Hartford, CT, moved to Vernon, CT, at age 12, where he lived for 25 years. He now lives in a reclusive Connecticut farming community north of Hartford.
Beyond crime, Phelps has also written several history books, including the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling NATHAN HALE: The Life and Death of America’s First Spy, THE DEVIL’S ROOMING HOUSE, THE DEVIL’S RIGHT HAND, MURDER, NEW ENGLAND, and more.
Phelps is also a member of the Multidisciplinary Collaborative on Sexual Crime and Violence (MCSCV), also known as the Atypical Homicide Research Group (AHRG) at Northeastern University, maintained by NU alumni Enzo Yaksic.
Phelps is one of the regular and recurring experts frequently appearing on two long-running series, Deadly Women and Snapped. Radio America calls Phelps “the nation’s leading authority on the mind of the female murderer,” and TV Rage says, “M. William Phelps dares to tread where few others will: into the mind of a killer.” A respected journalist, beyond his book writing Phelps has written for numerous publications—including the Providence Journal, Connecticut Magazine and Hartford Courant—and consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter.
Phelps grew up in East Hartford, CT, moved to Vernon, CT, at age 12, where he lived for 25 years. He now lives in a reclusive Connecticut farming community north of Hartford.
Beyond crime, Phelps has also written several history books, including the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling NATHAN HALE: The Life and Death of America’s First Spy, THE DEVIL’S ROOMING HOUSE, THE DEVIL’S RIGHT HAND, MURDER, NEW ENGLAND, and more.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 26, 2017
I honestly don't think Phelps can write anything that is bad. Every time I read something by him, I fall in love with him all over again. I love his wit, his honesty, and candor. He is not afraid to let you know where you stand with him and that comes across in all his writings: everything from his books to his Facebook posts.
This is another book by him where Phelps gets personal and lets the reader know his true heart on the crimes mentioned. It is a very short read. It only took me an hour to read it (and that is with my note taking: any time I read something I have to take notes on quotes that I like or anything that might pop out at me, in the event I need to return to it).
This is another book by him where Phelps gets personal and lets the reader know his true heart on the crimes mentioned. It is a very short read. It only took me an hour to read it (and that is with my note taking: any time I read something I have to take notes on quotes that I like or anything that might pop out at me, in the event I need to return to it).
November 6, 2019
True Crime short
M. William Phelps remains my favorite true crime author. In this short he discusses the unsolved case of the Eastbound Strangler from his television show Dark Minds on the I.D. Channel. He does an excellent job of investigating the cold case, describing the victims and putting forth his opinion. Awesome short true crime book for all lovers of true crime.
M. William Phelps remains my favorite true crime author. In this short he discusses the unsolved case of the Eastbound Strangler from his television show Dark Minds on the I.D. Channel. He does an excellent job of investigating the cold case, describing the victims and putting forth his opinion. Awesome short true crime book for all lovers of true crime.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews