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The Valley of the Shadow of Death: A Tale of Tragedy and Redemption
In this gripping memoir, perfect for true crime fans, former San Francisco 49er Kermit Alexander recounts his thirty-year-journey to redemption after the brutal and senseless murder of his family in South Central Los Angeles. “A deeply moving story of one man’s pain and hard-won peace” ( Booklist , starred review).
With vivid detail, former NFL All Pro and president of the NFL Players Association Kermit Alexander tells, for the first time, the full story of the senseless murders that took the lives of his mother, sister, and nephews.
Part murder mystery, part redemption tale, and a fascinating history of Los Angeles, The Valley of the Shadow of Death begins when Kermit’s father moves the family from Louisiana to Los Angeles. After his storied career with the San Francisco 49ers, the Los Angeles Rams, and the Philadelphia Eagles, Kermit returned to LA and lived a short drive from his beloved mother.
But the inexplicable slaughter in 1984 of Kermit’s family changed his life. He recounts the hours leading up to the massacre, and the tragic aftermath as he loses himself in the LA underworld trying to find answers. He describes his journey through the “wilderness” of despair—the years of isolation living out of his car, broke, depressed, and ill. Kermit opens up about his darkest hours and what it took to turn his life around, rebuild his family, and ultimately find peace.
Ominous and intense, powerful and uplifting, The Valley of the Shadow of Death is a testament to the value of family and the resiliency of the human spirit.
With vivid detail, former NFL All Pro and president of the NFL Players Association Kermit Alexander tells, for the first time, the full story of the senseless murders that took the lives of his mother, sister, and nephews.
Part murder mystery, part redemption tale, and a fascinating history of Los Angeles, The Valley of the Shadow of Death begins when Kermit’s father moves the family from Louisiana to Los Angeles. After his storied career with the San Francisco 49ers, the Los Angeles Rams, and the Philadelphia Eagles, Kermit returned to LA and lived a short drive from his beloved mother.
But the inexplicable slaughter in 1984 of Kermit’s family changed his life. He recounts the hours leading up to the massacre, and the tragic aftermath as he loses himself in the LA underworld trying to find answers. He describes his journey through the “wilderness” of despair—the years of isolation living out of his car, broke, depressed, and ill. Kermit opens up about his darkest hours and what it took to turn his life around, rebuild his family, and ultimately find peace.
Ominous and intense, powerful and uplifting, The Valley of the Shadow of Death is a testament to the value of family and the resiliency of the human spirit.
368 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
July 6, 2016
This book presents a realistic and challenging story about growing up poor in Los Angeles, playing professional football, being devastated by the brutal murder of a mother and 3 other family members, following the legal trail through conviction, sentencing, and prison time of gang members who carried out the murder, and ultimate personal renewal of the survivor through a focus on helping others. Kermit Alexander and his co-writers (two professors of criminal justice) have written a non-fiction story that is as compelling as fiction. Kermit Alexander is very honest in portraying how emotionally "low" he became and the obsessive thoughts that would not give him peace.
It was fascinating to have so many details of the criminal justice process portrayed through the eyes of the grieving family -- including California's ambiguous attitude toward the death penalty over the years since the murder in 1984. The book also attempts to protray the lives of the gang members who participated in the murder. I was especially touched by the details of the horrible early life of the man who became the shooter. Yet Alexander clearly comments on choice and responsibility of the individual.
This book helps illuminate why there are no easy answers regarding crime, drugs, gangs, poverty, hopelessness, and individual choice.
It was fascinating to have so many details of the criminal justice process portrayed through the eyes of the grieving family -- including California's ambiguous attitude toward the death penalty over the years since the murder in 1984. The book also attempts to protray the lives of the gang members who participated in the murder. I was especially touched by the details of the horrible early life of the man who became the shooter. Yet Alexander clearly comments on choice and responsibility of the individual.
This book helps illuminate why there are no easy answers regarding crime, drugs, gangs, poverty, hopelessness, and individual choice.
June 5, 2018
Oh my, this was tough, both due to the subject matter and to the somewhat inept writing.
Being the world's least sports-minded person, I had never heard of Kermit Alexander. He is a retired NFL All-Pro cornerback who played for the San Francisco 49ers, the Los Angeles Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles. He is a Black man born and raised in South Central Los Angeles.
His co-writers (not ghost writers because they are credited by name) Alex Gerould and Jeff Snipes are criminal justice professors at San Francisco State University. Creative non-fiction is clearly not their forte. The Bookie Babes (reading group) were unanimous on the terrible clunkiness of the writing.
Los Angeles is the city where I live, though I am on the outskirts. South Central is deep in the ghetto and in 1984 was beset by drugs, gangs and violence. Some of the brothers there were responsible for the urban legend about blacks killing blacks.
On August 31, 1984, three armed men broke into the home of Kermit's grandmother and slaughtered her, his sister, and two of his nephews. The book tells the story of this seemingly senseless act of violence from the viewpoint of Kermit Alexander. It covers his coming of age in the 1950s, his family history, and the many years of police investigation and trials. The perpetrators were all eventually discovered, the reason for the crime determined, and the perps sent to prison with the death penalty. But Kermit and his remaining family were almost destroyed in the aftermath by their loss and some of the attitudes towards them.
I guess conditions are better in South Central these days but it is still a ghetto, drug fueled and killing the hopes of black children who are born and raised there. I just felt ruined by what I learned from this book and being forced to really confront what goes on in a neighborhood less than 30 miles from where I live.
One of the most informative parts of the book was a history of gangs in American cities. The shootings of Alexander's family members were traced to Crips, one of LA's most infamous gangs. They have a deep network in and out of and between the prisons and life on the streets.
Another educational point was the interaction of the death penalty with the fates of those who receive that as their punishment. I have read about some of that in other books but in this one it was more thoroughly covered. Capital punishment is still the law in California though there has not been an execution since 2006. Close to 750 prisoners are on death row in the state. It is one gnarly topic.
Kermit Alexander did finally recover from his decades of obsession with the murders and rebuilt his family. I am glad I read the book, as horrific as the story is, but I will tell you it was not easy.
One of the Bookie Babes, who recommended the book, is the wife of a retired policeman and the mother of a current one. She assured us that big improvements have been made in the police force as regards brutality, racism and workable community programs. I believe her but there is a long way to go and it is not only in law enforcement that change is needed.
I recommend the book, as well as Paul Beatty's novel, The Sellout. All of the Babes agreed that if we intend to be the change we want to see in the world, we cannot say we are too faint of heart to read such books.
Being the world's least sports-minded person, I had never heard of Kermit Alexander. He is a retired NFL All-Pro cornerback who played for the San Francisco 49ers, the Los Angeles Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles. He is a Black man born and raised in South Central Los Angeles.
His co-writers (not ghost writers because they are credited by name) Alex Gerould and Jeff Snipes are criminal justice professors at San Francisco State University. Creative non-fiction is clearly not their forte. The Bookie Babes (reading group) were unanimous on the terrible clunkiness of the writing.
Los Angeles is the city where I live, though I am on the outskirts. South Central is deep in the ghetto and in 1984 was beset by drugs, gangs and violence. Some of the brothers there were responsible for the urban legend about blacks killing blacks.
On August 31, 1984, three armed men broke into the home of Kermit's grandmother and slaughtered her, his sister, and two of his nephews. The book tells the story of this seemingly senseless act of violence from the viewpoint of Kermit Alexander. It covers his coming of age in the 1950s, his family history, and the many years of police investigation and trials. The perpetrators were all eventually discovered, the reason for the crime determined, and the perps sent to prison with the death penalty. But Kermit and his remaining family were almost destroyed in the aftermath by their loss and some of the attitudes towards them.
I guess conditions are better in South Central these days but it is still a ghetto, drug fueled and killing the hopes of black children who are born and raised there. I just felt ruined by what I learned from this book and being forced to really confront what goes on in a neighborhood less than 30 miles from where I live.
One of the most informative parts of the book was a history of gangs in American cities. The shootings of Alexander's family members were traced to Crips, one of LA's most infamous gangs. They have a deep network in and out of and between the prisons and life on the streets.
Another educational point was the interaction of the death penalty with the fates of those who receive that as their punishment. I have read about some of that in other books but in this one it was more thoroughly covered. Capital punishment is still the law in California though there has not been an execution since 2006. Close to 750 prisoners are on death row in the state. It is one gnarly topic.
Kermit Alexander did finally recover from his decades of obsession with the murders and rebuilt his family. I am glad I read the book, as horrific as the story is, but I will tell you it was not easy.
One of the Bookie Babes, who recommended the book, is the wife of a retired policeman and the mother of a current one. She assured us that big improvements have been made in the police force as regards brutality, racism and workable community programs. I believe her but there is a long way to go and it is not only in law enforcement that change is needed.
I recommend the book, as well as Paul Beatty's novel, The Sellout. All of the Babes agreed that if we intend to be the change we want to see in the world, we cannot say we are too faint of heart to read such books.
November 11, 2016
I was a Freshman at Mount Carmel High School In Los Angeles when the main author Kermit Alexander was a Senior. We once play a handball game where he hit me in the face with the ball and that really hurt. Years later I saw him at UCLA when I was a student there. I took a look at the book just because I knew who the author was. Despite the above, I almost didn't read the book. I was going to send it back unread. I am so glad I didn't send it back but began reading it instead and found out that it turned out to be one of the best book I have read in a very long time. It is immediately engaging and works on so many levels, as a memoir, local history, essay on crime and punishment, a story of personal redemption, and what it means to be a committed loving human being. By the end, I was overwhelmed and I cried for the losses and the love and the path to forgiveness and redemption and the acknowledgement of the acceptance of responsibility we all share.
February 9, 2017
This personal story takes the reader inside an event so shattering that the author never really recovers. He finally finds redemption by creating a brand new life with an entirely new family. Raw truth well-written and unforgettable.
November 28, 2019
This is the non-fiction story of four murders that happened in South Central Los Angeles and the affect it had on their family, the community, and the law. The family is the Kermit Alexander family who was a great NFL star for the 49ers and the Rams in the 60's and 70's. It was a terrible occurrence as anyone can imagine. The book follows Kermit through his life from when it happened until the book was finished being written. There were parts of the book that I found difficult to get through, dealing with some subjects that I happened to find a bit uninteresting. Those being mostly dark writing of the stuff that was happening in Kermit's mind as a result of losing his Mom, some nephews, and I think a sister and an uncle. Also following the law concerning death penalty in California was a bit blocky. I would have read it one way or the other because I remember watching him play football as a child and I liked him. His journey is well illustrated in the writing. A very tough thing to endure. The story has an ending that brings some lightness into the picture, which I think was a big plus. In thinking of who I might recommend this book to, I come up with someone who is perhaps a sportsfan, a fan of crime reading, and someone who wants to find out what a real live multi murder can do to the victims family and loved ones. It shows a horrible impact. I admire Kermit for his endurance and will to survive through this experience, and his willingness to tell the tale. That had to be salt in an old wound, but it has a very powerful message.
September 8, 2020
Not just a true-crime narrative but a detailed description of the anger, frustration and guilt Kermit Alexander experienced when four members of his family were brutally murdered, and how he finally recovered. Occasionally I found myself thinking the level of detail was unnecessary (as with the history of the death penalty, both in the U.S. and in California) but I always ended up appreciating the added depth it gave to the story.
January 31, 2020
In the fashion of letter-writing, open minded discussion, and monologue, former NFL player Kermit Alexander writes about many of his own hardships in "The Valley of the Shadow of Death: A Tale of Tragedy and Redemption." In late August of 1984, Alexander's mother's, sister's, and nephews' lives were taken in a brutal murder and break-in scene. In the book, Alexander writes of his immense struggles: physically and mentally. He needed space from reporters, news sources, or any other line-stepping groups, which would be nearly impossible in the present. Giving hope by overcoming most odds turned against him, Alexander appears an inspiration to those dealing with self-inflicted isolation. I would recommend this book to those comfortable enough to read through extremely awful, triggering events. Uplifting and a symbol of hope, Alexander's story lives purposeful in a hardcover book.
March 29, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: … AND THE HEART BREAKS…
-----------------------------------------------------
If only not to start my review like the inside book jacket… I will tell you that as a child growing up in Los Angeles I watched one of the authors… Kermit Alexander become an All-American football player at UCLA… become an NFL All-Pro player… first for the San Francisco 49ers… then coming back home to my/our hometown Los Angeles Rams… and then finishing his career with the Philadelphia Eagles.
This gripping… gritty… heart wrenching… maddening… story… is not about Kermit’s NFL career… it’s about the death and destruction… and crumbling of his family… the very mangling… of Kermit’s very soul…
It is also about… the dregs of our society… and at the bottom of that despicable outhouse of humanity… gang life.
AND THE HEART BREAKS…
On August31, 1984… in South Central Los Angeles three lowlife “men”… broke in… actually walked into… what was a loving house… where Kermit’s Mother… sister… and two nephews were. They were brutally shot and killed… and the two boys… were murdered while innocently asleep…
AND THE HEART BREAKS…
From there on Kermit and co-authors Alex Gerould and Jeff Snipes… carve a literary masterpiece… as they not only take you literally by the hand through the actual event… but put you in… not “his shoes”… but into Kermit’s actual heart and soul. The author’s do not sugar coat what Kermit became along the way… an actual one-man-vigilante who goes undercover into the ghetto streets and alleys of South Central Los Angeles. They do not hold back that Kermit “goes off the rails” as far as everyday society deems… (though in my opinion… if it happened to me I’d do the same thing)… he lived in cheap motels… he slept on the ground at a cemetery… he openly dedicates himself to finding and killing the vermin… that brutally and without feeling or remorse… killed his family members.
Here… to me… is what makes the writing (I don’t want to accidentally demean the seriousness of this subject… to call it storytelling)… so unbelievably effective… (And I should note… if this is the co-authors first book… because I don’t see any previous credits… they have one helluva future ahead of them)… the reader always… only knows… what Kermit knew chronologically. When he is helpless and imploding inside… when the police can’t find out who perpetrated this horrendous crime… you are there… inside Kermit… feeling nauseous… and helpless. When the suspects are found… you… right along with Kermit are finding out their history. The next superlative regarding the writers… is how every step of the way… when a new milestone… or character… or plot point is come upon… the reader is immediately educated in such a complete… yet easy to understand way.
As an example… the background of Kermit and his family… as they came from Louisiana… and why they came to Los Angeles… then you’re educated on how that period Los Angeles metamorphosed… both the dream and the reality. The same thing with the how and why of gang life… the how and why of the death penalty… the how and why of prison life… the how and why of Kermit’s (living) family disintegration…
The murderer’s… whose names I will never mention in this review… life history… before… during… and after. The beauty of the author’s work is that… all of this is done… so meticulously… so smoothly… like silk over polished steel… WITHOUT EVER… breaking stride in the agonizing time line… of the murders… Kermit’s life… the investigation… the trials… the convictions… the incarcerations… the nuclear… collateral damage on lives… left living.
I have written OVER-NINE-HUNDRED-REVIEWS-ON-NATIONAL-SITES… and counting before I wrote reviews… by my latest count… I have read close to TWO THOUSAND books… Simply put… this is a TOUR DE FORCE… up there with Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood”. If this book were given a break… and some P.R…. it would rightfully find its way to the top of the New York Times Best Seller List.
AND THE HEART BREAKS…
-----------------------------------------------------
If only not to start my review like the inside book jacket… I will tell you that as a child growing up in Los Angeles I watched one of the authors… Kermit Alexander become an All-American football player at UCLA… become an NFL All-Pro player… first for the San Francisco 49ers… then coming back home to my/our hometown Los Angeles Rams… and then finishing his career with the Philadelphia Eagles.
This gripping… gritty… heart wrenching… maddening… story… is not about Kermit’s NFL career… it’s about the death and destruction… and crumbling of his family… the very mangling… of Kermit’s very soul…
It is also about… the dregs of our society… and at the bottom of that despicable outhouse of humanity… gang life.
AND THE HEART BREAKS…
On August31, 1984… in South Central Los Angeles three lowlife “men”… broke in… actually walked into… what was a loving house… where Kermit’s Mother… sister… and two nephews were. They were brutally shot and killed… and the two boys… were murdered while innocently asleep…
AND THE HEART BREAKS…
From there on Kermit and co-authors Alex Gerould and Jeff Snipes… carve a literary masterpiece… as they not only take you literally by the hand through the actual event… but put you in… not “his shoes”… but into Kermit’s actual heart and soul. The author’s do not sugar coat what Kermit became along the way… an actual one-man-vigilante who goes undercover into the ghetto streets and alleys of South Central Los Angeles. They do not hold back that Kermit “goes off the rails” as far as everyday society deems… (though in my opinion… if it happened to me I’d do the same thing)… he lived in cheap motels… he slept on the ground at a cemetery… he openly dedicates himself to finding and killing the vermin… that brutally and without feeling or remorse… killed his family members.
Here… to me… is what makes the writing (I don’t want to accidentally demean the seriousness of this subject… to call it storytelling)… so unbelievably effective… (And I should note… if this is the co-authors first book… because I don’t see any previous credits… they have one helluva future ahead of them)… the reader always… only knows… what Kermit knew chronologically. When he is helpless and imploding inside… when the police can’t find out who perpetrated this horrendous crime… you are there… inside Kermit… feeling nauseous… and helpless. When the suspects are found… you… right along with Kermit are finding out their history. The next superlative regarding the writers… is how every step of the way… when a new milestone… or character… or plot point is come upon… the reader is immediately educated in such a complete… yet easy to understand way.
As an example… the background of Kermit and his family… as they came from Louisiana… and why they came to Los Angeles… then you’re educated on how that period Los Angeles metamorphosed… both the dream and the reality. The same thing with the how and why of gang life… the how and why of the death penalty… the how and why of prison life… the how and why of Kermit’s (living) family disintegration…
The murderer’s… whose names I will never mention in this review… life history… before… during… and after. The beauty of the author’s work is that… all of this is done… so meticulously… so smoothly… like silk over polished steel… WITHOUT EVER… breaking stride in the agonizing time line… of the murders… Kermit’s life… the investigation… the trials… the convictions… the incarcerations… the nuclear… collateral damage on lives… left living.
I have written OVER-NINE-HUNDRED-REVIEWS-ON-NATIONAL-SITES… and counting before I wrote reviews… by my latest count… I have read close to TWO THOUSAND books… Simply put… this is a TOUR DE FORCE… up there with Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood”. If this book were given a break… and some P.R…. it would rightfully find its way to the top of the New York Times Best Seller List.
AND THE HEART BREAKS…
July 15, 2018
Excellent story of a tragic event. On August 31, 1984 Kermit Alexander, who had been a star in the NFL, received a call that would forever change his life. His mother, sister and two nephews were brutally murdered in their home. The story that follows takes you through the search for the killers, events leading up to the murders, the trials, and the waiting for justice to be served. Alexander weaves a story that begins with the Watts riots in 1965, the Rodney King beating in 1992, the death penalty in California, and numerous other events that all somehow play a part in this story. He tells of the lives of the men who destroyed his family and of how it nearly destroyed him. He then tells you of his road to redemption and how he was able to find his way back through grace. This is a story that will stay with you and one I highly recommend. This book would make a great movie.
April 9, 2020
Kermit Alexander is a retired NFL player who lost four family members one morning. All four of them were shot, point blank, in their own home. Such a tragic, tragic tale. Overall, I really couldn't vibe with the writing style. It was way too descriptive but only about things that didn't seem relevant to the story or his experiences. Probably 150-200 of these pages is about the history of gang violence in LA or about the killers' pasts. While some of it was useful, a lot of it wasn't. It also felt mansplainish at a few parts. I also thought it was weird how much he focused on the perpetrators rather than the victims. I just expected him to reminisce on their life more I guess. The last 70 pages are what saved this book for me. Finally, he was able to make some good out of his situation.
November 30, 2019
This is a really amazing story and excellent book. Initially, I thought the book was based on the murders of his family but it is much, much more than that. The title is very accurate as a tale of tragedy and redemption. The things that Kermit goes through would break a lesser man. he takes you through the criminal proceedings, the fallout and breakup of family and redemption. I won't spoil the story for those wondering what the redemption is but this book will make you a better person. I found Kermit's path and story to be very similar of Neil Peart of Rush music fame. Very highly recommend.
June 4, 2017
A horrible event initiates the moral growth of a sports star. A bit long winded in parts but does keep you wanting to know the finality to the murder mystery. Many events will cause tears and horror. The book delivers a totally great story.
Then there is the history of south LA from the 1960s to the late 1980s. All events are well documented. This creates another story line that blends into the primary event.
This is one of the best books I have read -wished it could have been on audio CD
Then there is the history of south LA from the 1960s to the late 1980s. All events are well documented. This creates another story line that blends into the primary event.
This is one of the best books I have read -wished it could have been on audio CD
January 3, 2018
what I thought about this book was that it was sad and confusing because this person lost everything because his family was slaughtered in their own home and how it was confusing is that it skips to different times where the KKK was still and ongoing thing and the how the whites treated them. It just skipped around talking about lots of things hat happened i the 1900s, I rated this book 4 stares because it was good but it was so confusing and trying to keep up wit everything that was going on.
December 31, 2024
An address mix up between two thugs in the summer 1984 led to the deaths of four members of former NFL player Kermit Alexander's family which then led to the creation of one of the best books I read in 2024, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉.
For years I had heard details about the Alexander/Bonner family being gunned down in South Los Angeles back in 1984, but it wasn't until I read 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 by Kermit Alexander along with college professors Alex Gerould and Jeff Snipes, that I learned the insider details of the case.
The book was written with a heavy heart by Alexander which was evident on just about every page of the book. Writing this book I bet was therapeutic as well as cringeworthy for Alexander, as he had to write more than 300 pages on a subject that included his own mother being killed by a heartless animal in her own home. I mean look at pages 14 through 16, Alexander had to sit up there (in great detail I might add) and give the play-by-play details on what happened in his mother's home in the early morning hours of August 31, 1984.
Alexander deserves a lot of credit for writing for this book, because many, many people across this American land would have left such a gut-wrenching and sorrowful story to a true crime writer to write. But Alexander just like back in 1984 when he took on a vigilante role as to find the killers of his family, he was on a sort of justice run with this book. He made sure he conveyed to his readers he wasn't going to stop until the killers of his family were either executed or ever let out of jail. To this day the two main culprits of the Alexander/Bonner homicide case are still locked up with one of them still on death row where he has been since the late 1980s.
Reading this book was tough for me because every time I read a sentence in this book, I was reminded of how Alexander's family members were executed.
One of the strong suits of this book was that Alexander gave (Chapter 27 was the main chapter that delved into the main villain of the Alexander/Bonner homicide case) an extensive back story on one of the killers of his family, Rolling 60s gangmember Tiequon Cox. The illiterate Cox grew up with terrible parents and an abusive and no-nonsense grandmother who took care of Cox and his brothers because of those terrible parents. He was a poor student; he didn't get along with many of his teachers and he was in and out of many of the schools he attended because of his disruptive behavior. He was a great Pop Warner running back but even the success he had within that organization couldn't suppress his temper or keep him away from the streets.
To this day and these subjects were written about here and there in the book, and it's that Alexander still feels responsible for not moving his mother out of the house that she would eventually die in, and he thinks that he could have saved Cox from the Rolling 60s Crip gang that would eventually turn the kid into a heartless and vacant (emotionally) individual.
Some of the best chapters in the book included not only details about the Alexander/Bonner homicide case, but in these chapters were history lessons on the city of Los Angeles. One of those chapters was Hyde Park (chapter 16) which discussed the 1980s crack epidemic that enveloped Los Angeles. The city is still recovering from that era. Chapter 17 (Gladiators, Panthers, and Tales from the Crypt) which educated me on the subversive and nihilistic nature of gangs.
Pros of 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉: The book did its job in laying out the details on the Alexander/Bonner homicide case which included the why, the who, the what, and the huh? The book even gave you the exact figure ($60,000) on what Rollings 60s thugs Cox and Darren Charles Williams got for carrying out the hit on the Alexander/Bonner family. The book also gets praise for its flow and ability to get the reader to turn page after page as to educate themselves on the subjects discussed in the book.
Cons of 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉: I know it was a part of his healing process, but the book could have done without the chapters on his travels to Haiti and the adoption of the kids that he bonded with when he was there. I found myself drifting through the parts when the Haiti travels came up. I brought this book for the Alexander/Bonner homicide case and that was it.
In closing, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 was a touching, poignant, disturbing, as well as educational book on two main subjects, the Alexander/Bonner homicide case and the crime culture of Los Angeles. I would recommend this book to any true crime fan or anyone who wants to read a good book.
For years I had heard details about the Alexander/Bonner family being gunned down in South Los Angeles back in 1984, but it wasn't until I read 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 by Kermit Alexander along with college professors Alex Gerould and Jeff Snipes, that I learned the insider details of the case.
The book was written with a heavy heart by Alexander which was evident on just about every page of the book. Writing this book I bet was therapeutic as well as cringeworthy for Alexander, as he had to write more than 300 pages on a subject that included his own mother being killed by a heartless animal in her own home. I mean look at pages 14 through 16, Alexander had to sit up there (in great detail I might add) and give the play-by-play details on what happened in his mother's home in the early morning hours of August 31, 1984.
Alexander deserves a lot of credit for writing for this book, because many, many people across this American land would have left such a gut-wrenching and sorrowful story to a true crime writer to write. But Alexander just like back in 1984 when he took on a vigilante role as to find the killers of his family, he was on a sort of justice run with this book. He made sure he conveyed to his readers he wasn't going to stop until the killers of his family were either executed or ever let out of jail. To this day the two main culprits of the Alexander/Bonner homicide case are still locked up with one of them still on death row where he has been since the late 1980s.
Reading this book was tough for me because every time I read a sentence in this book, I was reminded of how Alexander's family members were executed.
One of the strong suits of this book was that Alexander gave (Chapter 27 was the main chapter that delved into the main villain of the Alexander/Bonner homicide case) an extensive back story on one of the killers of his family, Rolling 60s gangmember Tiequon Cox. The illiterate Cox grew up with terrible parents and an abusive and no-nonsense grandmother who took care of Cox and his brothers because of those terrible parents. He was a poor student; he didn't get along with many of his teachers and he was in and out of many of the schools he attended because of his disruptive behavior. He was a great Pop Warner running back but even the success he had within that organization couldn't suppress his temper or keep him away from the streets.
To this day and these subjects were written about here and there in the book, and it's that Alexander still feels responsible for not moving his mother out of the house that she would eventually die in, and he thinks that he could have saved Cox from the Rolling 60s Crip gang that would eventually turn the kid into a heartless and vacant (emotionally) individual.
Some of the best chapters in the book included not only details about the Alexander/Bonner homicide case, but in these chapters were history lessons on the city of Los Angeles. One of those chapters was Hyde Park (chapter 16) which discussed the 1980s crack epidemic that enveloped Los Angeles. The city is still recovering from that era. Chapter 17 (Gladiators, Panthers, and Tales from the Crypt) which educated me on the subversive and nihilistic nature of gangs.
Pros of 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉: The book did its job in laying out the details on the Alexander/Bonner homicide case which included the why, the who, the what, and the huh? The book even gave you the exact figure ($60,000) on what Rollings 60s thugs Cox and Darren Charles Williams got for carrying out the hit on the Alexander/Bonner family. The book also gets praise for its flow and ability to get the reader to turn page after page as to educate themselves on the subjects discussed in the book.
Cons of 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉: I know it was a part of his healing process, but the book could have done without the chapters on his travels to Haiti and the adoption of the kids that he bonded with when he was there. I found myself drifting through the parts when the Haiti travels came up. I brought this book for the Alexander/Bonner homicide case and that was it.
In closing, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 was a touching, poignant, disturbing, as well as educational book on two main subjects, the Alexander/Bonner homicide case and the crime culture of Los Angeles. I would recommend this book to any true crime fan or anyone who wants to read a good book.
September 24, 2019
This compelling and inspiring memoir should be much more popular than it is. It's not just the personal story of a former NFL player who came home one day to find his family murdered; it's about the intersection of personal responsibility and personal circumstances. The story takes you places you'd never expect. I couldn't put it down.
December 23, 2025
Gripping telling of inner city violence from a true life killing in early 1980s Los Angeles. The author tells of the tragedy that befell his family and his struggle with and through it. A tale of personal doubt and barely hanging on.
As a Southern California native I found the local history interesting as well.
As a Southern California native I found the local history interesting as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2024
Very powerful captivating tale of a nighmarish event which a close family was thrown in to. The saga of what this family went through is heart wrenching Beyond the saga this is provides the reader an insightful view of life in Los Angeles. It was a great read.
February 1, 2018
Important book. How do we walk through tragedy and not only make it but see redemption.
September 23, 2018
Excellent book
Love this book and it’s ultimate message of hope. I highly recommend it. Great read. Sad and inspirational at the same time.
Love this book and it’s ultimate message of hope. I highly recommend it. Great read. Sad and inspirational at the same time.
October 14, 2020
The senseless death of four members of the author's family. The book outlines his journey toward healing. At times too long in his descriptions and details. Sad story but now so strong of a writer.
April 29, 2023
3.5 stars
October 25, 2015
A fascinating and moving book, written as a memoir by former NFL player Kermit Alexander but co-authors by two colleagues in the School of Public Affairs and Civic Engagement at SF State, Jeff Snipes and Alex Gerould. Mostly a memoir of a tragedy within Alexander's family, it is interspersed by sections providing the history of African-Ameican movement from the South to LA, the development of today's gangs from the 1960s' Black Panthers, to the way trial courts function, what happens when prisoners get to penitentiaries, and the development and case law surrounding the death penalty. While it sounds confusing, the book actually flows really well and makes sense. A great achievements and one I recommend to anyone interested in criminal justice or American cities today.
September 30, 2016
This book just keeps giving. Alexander comes from humble beginnings yet finds his way out of the Deep South into what he believed to be the promised land of mid-century post war Southern California. Yet as his professional life catapults him to the pinnacle of success in the NFL his personal life drags him to the depths of unthinkable despair as he tries to unravel the mysterious murder of his mother, sister, and two young nephews in the early mornings of August 31, 1984. He later learns that he knows the killer and possibly could have prevented the outcome.
Alexander weaves an emotional trail from despair to inspiration as he finds love and purpose. This is a must read!!!
Alexander weaves an emotional trail from despair to inspiration as he finds love and purpose. This is a must read!!!
October 31, 2016
Intense and powerful in places. The attempt to give context to Kermit's life, as well as the lives of his family members' killers, often slows the narrative. I had never heard about the murders - that part & the family's disintegration is the most moving. Given his dedication to his parents and siblings, the lack of focus on his first marriage was quite surprising. I didn't even know he was married for a long stretch of the book. The book best serves as a reminder of the peril society faces by ignoring the amount of violence our children witness and personally experience, especially poor people and people of color in the US.
February 8, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. It was very well written and held my interest. It's a true crime story, co - written by Kermit Alexander, a former NFL player, who experiences a terrible tragedy , the murder of his mother and three other members of his family at her house, for no apparent reason.
All of the characters are developed well by the author. I felt as if I knew his Mother. The background of the criminals are also detailed well .
Without going into detail, fortunately the book does end on a positive , high note. I would recommend this book.
All of the characters are developed well by the author. I felt as if I knew his Mother. The background of the criminals are also detailed well .
Without going into detail, fortunately the book does end on a positive , high note. I would recommend this book.
September 24, 2015
A short excerpt: "I've been told he committed the crime to "prove himself," that he took PCP before the act, to pump himself up. For Cox it was nothing personal, just easy victims and sure success, business as usual, the deaths collateral damage. He killed for reputation. A young man filled with potential chose not to make his name through hard work on the field, instead seeking instant stardom on the streets."
September 25, 2016
Powerful Book
This book was very powerful. It not only provided a narrative of Kermit's story, it provided history and background on areas of LA, gangs, the death penalty, Haiti, and more.
This book was very powerful. It not only provided a narrative of Kermit's story, it provided history and background on areas of LA, gangs, the death penalty, Haiti, and more.
February 6, 2016
Skimmed a lot of this book. Tragic, but I'm glad the author found redemption in he end.
February 26, 2016
Wow!
Having grown up in the Midwest, I was oblivious to this having happened, despite Kermit's notoriety.
Sad how things like this happen in the US every day.
Having grown up in the Midwest, I was oblivious to this having happened, despite Kermit's notoriety.
Sad how things like this happen in the US every day.
December 29, 2018
I love inside baseball, so I picked this book up to hear about how the LA DA's office handled this high profile case in the late 1980s. I didn't know who Kermit Alexander was or what happened to his family. The book succeeds on two grounds. First, the inside baseball is there: tons of names that still bounce around the halls of LA courtrooms and law offices. It's a weird pleasure to read about someone you know. A hardback book confers a certain officiality, a kind of credibility that's hard to describe, especially when that person may be standing next to you in the men's room tomorrow. Second, the book is full of interesting esoterica about Los Angeles gangs and crime. The two professors who co-wrote the book used Alexander's story as a hook to hang all sorts of tidbits and trivia that will delight and inform you. You may not expect to learn the history of the Crips, but you will, and you'll be glad you did. When I put the book down, my expectations were exceeded, and I found myself wondering what happened to the characters, especially the killers, since publication.
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