Decades of Doubt: The John Mccabe Murder Saga

by Eric Wilson, John Turner

A high-profile and tenacious defense attorney. Three elusive suspects. An investigation that stretches across four decades. And two frenetic murder trials. Decades of Doubt: the John McCabe Murder Saga is a gripping true-life mystery that follows the case of a 15-year-old boy bound and strangled in Massachusetts in 1969, the ensuing investigation that continues for over forty years, and the shocking events of the resulting trials.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction

400 pages, Paperback

Published August 15, 2016

About the author

Eric Wilson was born and raised in Nashua, New Hampshire. After first serving in the United States Marine Corps, Eric began his legal career in 1992 as a trial associate working for a Nashua law firm. He focused and excelled in his new career as a criminal defense and litigation attorney. During that time he tried many cases for clients being charged with an array of crimes from murder, negligent homicide to other major felony matters. In 1998 he became partner in his own law firm, Wilson, Bush, Durkin & Keefe.

Through the years, Eric has represented thousands of clients after they have been arrested for a variety of offenses. He has also successfully obtained precedent-setting decisions in the New Hampshire Supreme Court. Eric is a prominent attorney in the area and due to his expertise he has lectured other attorneys on aspects of criminal defense litigation. When he is not busy with work, Eric enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. He is also an avid New England sports fan, enjoys coaching baseball and relaxing at the beach.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decades of Doubt by Eric Wilson- with John Turner- is a 2016 Waldorf Publishing publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


As often as I watch shows like 48 Hours Mystery, I could not recall this case, which made me very curious to see if the murder was ever solved, who committed the crime and if justice was finally served after nearly four decades.

This book is inspired by a ’48 Hours Mystery’, which airs on CBS. The case centers around the murder of teenager John McCabe way back in 1969. The case went cold for years, got hot a couple of times, but inevitably remained dormant. But, finally investigators and prosecutors believed they had gathered enough proof to arrest a trio of men for the crime. But, when defense attorney Eric Wilson takes one of the defendants on as a client, he discovers the evidence is not all cut and dried, and so begins a rigorous defense for his client.

This book is the about the crime, and the trial, which provides answers to some questions but leaves many others unresolved. Did the police arrest the right people? Were all three men involved or just one?

Read about Eric’s search for the truth and learn how the cold case was finally closed after all these years. You will have to decide for yourself if the verdict was the right one and if justice was ultimately served….

This cold blooded murder of a teenager in the small town of Tewksbury, Massachusetts is grisly and so sad. My heart went out to John’s parents, who never gave up hope that their son’s killer would someday be held accountable.

The facts in the case are laid out very nicely, walking the reader through the gathering of evidence, the interviews, the strange incidences that occurred while the police searched for clues, some of which sent chills down my spine, eventually taking us through two trials which ended with surprising results.

The construction of the book is unlike many other true crime books, which often read like novels. This book takes the reader down the same path as the investigators, and creates a ‘real time’ atmosphere which had me looking at the case with a critical eye, and thinking over all the odd twists and revelations that continued to come in years after the crime was committed. There is a lot to digest and the waters are pretty dark and murky, most of the way through.

Eric Wilson did a brilliant job of defending Mike Ferreira and is apparently a principled man with a stellar work ethic, and very good lawyer. The courtroom drama is thick with tension as Eric took the case apart right before our very eyes.

But, the fact remains that two other men were arrested in the connection with the murder and despite the way things turned out, the sad truth remains, ‘Who killed John McCabe?”

The case is weird, just plain weird, and very disturbing. The murder just doesn’t make a lot of sense and is so puzzling, but when those on the perimeter of the victim’s life are examined up close, it’s hard to decide how to feel about it all.
The book had me riveted, and I have to confess all the information is fascinating for a lack of a better word. The trial is gripping, enthralling, and well, I have to say, Eric Wilson is pretty impressive. But, at the end of the day, we are left with as many questions as answers, and can only hope they got it right. I have been chewing on this for a while now, and I suppose we will simply have to take it on faith that the right man is sitting in prison, because frankly, I don’t think we will ever know the whole truth.

Nevertheless, this is an intriguing case that all true crime readers should look into. Was justice served? You decide.

4.5

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decades of Doubt: The John McCabe Murder Saga by Eric Wilson with John Turner was inspired by a CBS 48 Hours Murder Mystery. The story is based on information pertaining to the John McCabe murder case and the events are true.

The John McCabe murder investigation has many dead ends and became a cold case. This story is extremely interesting, fast moving and heart wrenching, giving details of the leads and investigations and including photos of the crime scene.

Fifteen year old John McCabe was bound and strangled in Massachusetts the night of September 26, 1969. Forty-three years pass and the McCabe family long to see justice served. Finally there is a break in the case and two complex trials. Will Evelyn McCabe find out why someone murdered her little boy?

This intriguing story "has more twists and turns than a snake in a hurry."

Who murdered John McCabe?
4.5⭐️


Thanks to NetGalley and Waldorf Publishing for the opportunity to read an Arc of this story.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decades of a doubt by Eric Wilson is a non-fiction, mystery and suspense read.
A handsome high profile and tenacious defence attorney 3 elusive suspects.
very good read.
I liked the story and the characters.
A little slow but I had to finish it.
I liked the pictures of the evidence.
took me a while to read.
I liked the ending too.
4* from me.
thanks to waldorf publishing for the arc.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating account of a cold case. The book was very thorough and intriguing. I could not put it down and was impressed with the amount of information and the years it covered.

I was provided with a copy of this book by Net Galley for my honest opinion.

[Jasmine from How Useful It Is · Rating 4 out of 5]

About: Decades of Doubt: The John McCabe Murder Saga, inspired by CBS 48 Hours Murder Mystery, is a non-fiction book written by Eric Wilson with John Turner. This book was published on 8/1/2016 by Waldorf Publishing, 400 pages. I think this book was released to the market on 8/15/2016. The genres are true crime, non-fiction, tv, and mystery. Eric Wilson is a criminal defense and litigation attorney and a partner of his own law firm. Waldorf Publishing is a company that started by a professional race car driver, Barbara Terry. The name Waldorf came from her dog, yellow Labrador.

My Experience: I have this book’s picture taken with the muscadines because I thought the color goes well together. When I heard of this book and how it was inspired by CBS 48 Hours Mystery, I was super excited. I read a lot of their episodes, possibly almost all of them. I like to read the full episodes because the story is long and all info are in one article. This book, is more detailed and much longer than those articles. The timeline from when the victim was killed to when the killer was caught is perfect. This crime occurred in 1969 but the killer was not proven guilty until decades later. It’s very tough for the victim’s parents having to endure for so long. The read reminds me of how life used to be so simple back in the days, hitchhiking were the norms, nowadays, we don’t hear that type of travel much anymore because it’s not safe. I like that the authors allows us readers to see how the police handle the investigations throughout the years, even when the case became cold. It’s fun to read St. Peter’s thoughts during interrogations. Behind every crime, there’s a story to tell, but in each crime, no matter how naughty the person is, most people would say they don’t deserve to die and the power to kill doesn’t belong to another person. I’m not sure what my take on this. Since this book is a non-fiction, it is harder to read than a fiction book. It’s harder when the investigation stalled and the police try out different leads but ends up nowhere. I understand a book has to show the success and the failure of the police investigations to explain the decades of inactivity, but that can become dull and lose the readers’ attention. I enjoyed reading through the trial to prove if the person is guilty or not, even though it can be boring. I had first hand experience in this area. I was a jury on a murder case for one week. I like the close up experience as much as reading the details in this book, but it’s tough to hold my interest long. I admire lawyers and other professionals who can do this. The dead always need a speaker to defend them and the killer should not get away from the crime. I’m surprised how good people can lie and how honesty can be easily overlooked. People may often think the defense lawyers are the ones to let the killer get away, but in cases where the innocent ends up in jail for the crime they didn’t commit. Thank you Eric Wilson, for having the thick skin to withstand this kind of profession. This book is well written; however, I think paralegals, lawyers, and police officers may enjoy this read more than fiction novel lovers like me. In other words, boring people may enjoy this book more than interesting people like me hahaha.. just kidding.

I rate it 4 stars!

***Disclaimer: Thank you to Waldorf Publishing for reaching out to me via email to offer me this paperback book in an exchanged for an honest review. I am honored and happy to accept. This is my first real book directly from the publisher and I am thrilled. I would like to thank the author, Eric Wilson, for your generous offer as well and for continue doing what you do best.

xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading half like a thriller novel and half like a gritty true-crime saga, Decades of Doubt is both fast paced and fascinating. Well-written, and obviously well-researched, authors Wilson and Turner weave direct police and trial transcripts with a little masterful storytelling into a whodunnit that keeps the reader guessing and trying to solve the case alongside the detectives showcased in the book. Any fan of crime fiction OR true-crime nonfiction will have a hard time putting Decades of Doubt down. It leaves the reader guessing and deciding for themselves: Who really killed 16-year-old John McCabe?

[Susan Staudinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true life crime novel, “Decades of Doubt” is a detailed account of the John McCabe Murder case, stemming back to 1969. The cold case—that spans over 4 decades—is broken down into 3 separate parts in this novel. Based on information taken from police reports and interview transcripts during the time period of 1969-2002, parts 1 & 2 strive to give an accurate portrayal of the police investigation that had taken place right up until the arrest of two prime suspects. Part 3 is devoted to the subsequent trail of Mike Ferreira, one of the two suspects arrested for John McCabe’s murder.

A fan of true crime dramas, as well as fictional suspense thrillers, I was excited for the opportunity to receive a free review copy in exchange for my honest opinion of this book. At the very onset of the story, police investigative interviews led to a bevy of potential suspects. So much so, that at times, I found it difficult to keep all of the names and relationships to the victim straight. Still, I was immediately drawn into the story and did my best to make a mental catalog of all the people and events surrounding John McCabe’s murder.

First and foremost, I felt saddened for John McCabe’s family. Losing a child is tragic; losing a child at the hands of a murderer, horrific. But the knowledge that decades passed without the family finding closure, is simply unconscionable. Over the course of 4 decades, little progress was made in solving this case. And regardless of the arrests made or the subsequent outcome, I suspect that we’ll never truly realize the totality of events that took place on September 26, 1969, when 15 year-old John McCabe’s life was brutally taken.

To be perfectly honest, I was more than a little skeptical going into this book. Could it really be an unbiased account of the events that took place if it’s written by the defense attorney representing one of the murder suspects? As the mother of a prosecuting attorney, I had my doubts. Surely, Eric Wilson’s account would slant in the defendant’s favor. In the end, I came to two conclusions:

1. Eric Wilson is a highly skilled attorney, able to manipulate events in his client’s favor

2. Eric Wilson presented an excellent argument for his client and offered up reasonable doubt for a clearly circumstantial case.

Without forensic evidence tying the defendant(s) to John McCabe’s murder, the prosecution’s case relied primarily on one man’s testimony, decades after the fact. Inconsistency in his statements, combined with other facts that I found hard to dispute, made me question who was really telling the truth. Without laying claim to the defendant’s innocence or guilt, in my opinion, the prosecution’s theory didn’t completely add up.

This book raises many questions—some answered; some not. Not all information presented in the book was deemed admissible in court… information that I believe was quite pertinent to the case. For me, this case is shrouded in doubt. Has John McCabe’s murder been solved? Or is the truth still out there, lying in wait, begging to be revealed? Regardless of your stance, for John McCabe (and for the sake of his family), let’s just pray that, in the end, justice does prevail.

On a personal note, I found this book to be extremely interesting and intriguing. But true life crime novels do not play out the same as fiction. It can, at times, feel slow, repetitive and even difficult to follow. So, for those individuals that require the pages of a book to be filled with non-stop action, you just might want to look elsewhere. But if you are a crime buff like myself, then be prepared to be swept away—the true life saga of John McCabe is sure to keep you riveted. Weeks later, I’m still haunted by his tale.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first review on Goodreads, so please bear with me.

This story starts out as a seemingly unbiased, straightforward account of the 1969 murder (and what became a decades-old cold case) of 15 year old John McCabe. And the story is riveting. Richly detailed, the book starts out with the murder and takes you through the investigation and subsequent trial (over 40 years later) of one of the defendants ultimately charged in the murder.

This book caught my attention immediately with its writing style and sense of detail. It had a couple of quotes which were just fantastic: "St. Peter had done some quick pre-interview investigating and had learned that Shelley was eighteen, had poor school marks, and was quite a safe distance from genius."
"...behind his thick glasses, Walter’s expression was unbelievably dull, as if his few remaining brain cells were having trouble locating each other."

As I stated, this book is riveting and richly detailed. The author describes in detail many events, quotes and even thoughts of people connected with the case, going back to 1969. One question I had throughout was--how did the author come to know all these details? Nowhere at all are interviews or sources mentioned (although this is an ARC, the final book may contain this information).

I did enjoy this book immensely but a couple of things did bother me. About a third into the book the author introduces "Ex Parte" sections where the author, in first person, describes aspects of his role in the case. This was the first inkling that the book was being told from one side and not a completely unbiased account. When these sections were first introduced, they tended to interrupt the flow of the story because they were dealing with aspects of the case well into the future; they didn't align with what was going on in the story at the time. Eventually they did coincide with the story and flowed more naturally.

The main thing that bothered me about this book was the way the author described himself within the regular text of the book, and also the case as the trial progressed. It was so biased that it did become somewhat grating. Some examples:
"...his good looks and intelligent, piercing eyes caught the glance of every juror in the box."
"Eric paused to breathe. As he did he noticed that all sixteen people in the jury box were transfixed on him and every move he made."

Aside from those fairly insignificant issues, this was an engrossing, well-written book that I would highly recommend. A very interesting case with superb writing. Thank you to Netgalley and Waldorf Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about the murder of a teenage boy in the late sixties where the investigation was generally dormant but then suddenly revived and a man was charged with the murder and the trial took place in 2013. What is odd about the case is that there was no new hard evidence in the sense of DNA, blood or other findings due to the subsequent advance of forensic science. The sudden change was due to the altered testimony of one of the boys that knew the victim. The case received national attention as a CBS 48 Hours Murder Mystery.
Eric Wilson was the lead defense attorney in the trial and this book is generally written in the form of a third person narrative. However, there are sections clearly labeled as “Ex Parte” where the presentation is a narrative by Wilson.
The presentation style can be summed up by two brief passages, the first is from the back cover that is in essence repeated in the text.

“A handsome, high-profile and tenacious defense attorney (Wilson).”

The second is from page 362.

“Eric’s decision to have Dr. Tom Andrew testify last was a brilliant one.”

Insignificant if written by a true third party, but not when the author is the one being described.
The sections of the trial are generally laudatory of Wilson, recitations of his effectiveness as an attorney. There is little in the way of hints at something Wilson did wrong, not even in the slightest. When another man is tried for the same murder and convicted based on the same evidence, the explanations are that the defense attorney was simply not as good as Wilson.
As you read the description of the case and the trial, the impression is that this was a case of the zeal of a detective and a prosecutor in their goal of solving a cold case getting ahead of the evidence. There was nothing new, only 40-year-old memories of a traumatic event. With the exception of eidetic memories, recollections fade over such lengthy intervals and some of the earlier investigators were themselves deceased. The relative ease of the not guilty verdict is understandable.
There are some looks inside the legal system in this book that are illuminating. The tactics of the prosecuting and defense attorneys in trying to emotionally sway the members of the jury are right out of dramatizations of legal proceedings. Investigators focusing on what they believe and not following other promising leads is also a reminder of how things can go wrong.

This book was received for free for review purposes.

[Kelly Miotti · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read!

A well written, fact based, real life crime story that starts in 1969 with a murder and ends in the present day at the conclusion of a trial.

It's not often you get a real life story that is so well written and engaging from start to finish.

I knew the end result before reading this book and still thoroughly enjoyed the read.

The real life cold case story of the murder of John McCabe and how is took 43 years for his murder to be tried in court.

Engaging and interesting, a recommended read.

[Faith Ranney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decades of Doubt recounts the 1969 real-life murder of Massachusetts teenager John McCabe and the subsequent investigations that spanned over 40 years. The story is told in three parts, each with their own distinct and unique personality. Part 1, spanning the longest period of time 1969 - 2002, is a mix of skillful story-telling and literary language contrasted with the stark reality of a violent death. This mix gave the section an almost surreal quality which I found enthralling. Phrases such as “within milliseconds his brain was tangled in a synaptic orgy” added to the flair of this section.

Part 2 picks up in 2002, when new detectives have periodically opened the cold case at the prompting of John McCabe’s father. For me, at times this section was hard to follow with the many twists and turns and such a number of characters to keep track of. The challenge of that kept me involved. However, the introduction of the Ex Parte segments told in the first person from the point of view of Eric Wilson, defense attorney and author, made Part 2 a bit disjointed in my opinion. The first few Ex Parte segments startled the flow of the story a bit for me, although I did get used to them later.

Part 3 focused on the trial of one suspect, Mike Ferreira, which finally took place in 2013. This section was a riveting courtroom drama. I couldn’t put the book down at this point, Ex Parte segments notwithstanding, wanting desperately to know every detail and, of course, the outcome of the trial. I appreciated as well, the epilogue, which gave further information about a subsequent trial.

Overall, I felt Decades of Doubt, a monumental undertaking, was very well-written with beautiful attention to detail. I was intrigued from the beginning because it is based on an actual murder case, but I stayed involved because of my attachment to particular characters who were developed deftly by the authors.

I was given an advance copy of the book by the authors to read and review.

[Eustacia Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite the fact that this was written by the defense attorney (unless the author is a different person with the same name), I walked away thinking that Mike/Michael Ferreira (one of the two defendants) was one of the killers of John McCabe. Of course, the case is complicated, and there is no doubt that the defense attorney did his best, but I just had this feeling of guilt throughout the whole book.

Decades of Doubt covers the murder of John McCabe. The fifteen-year-old (FIFTEEN!) was found dead one night and despite the police chasing down every available lead, the case went cold. Forty years later, though, one of the killers finally confessed, bringing some closure to the family (until one of them walked).

I might have been more sympathetic to Michael Ferreira during the trail segment, but halfway through, the defense attorney suddenly got half a chapter (every chapter), where he gave his side of things. I thought that it was unnecessarily disruptive to the flow of the narrative and ended up skipping those sections, which could explain why I think guilty (although this is in terms of "he did it" and not whether he's legally guilty and how much and all that).

Apart from that, there were a few things that struck me as slightly odd. For example, the first half is very much written like a novel, with the thoughts of the detectives and all that. I can't remember if most true-crime books do that, but somehow, it was rather jarring to me.

Overall: the John McCabe murder is a tragic one, and there's no doubt that the trial was complicated and worth writing about. However, the bias was too strong and I ended up leaning in the opposite direction.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.

This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile

[Lillie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The problem with true crime stories is that you never really know the truth. This book did a very thorough job of laying out all the details of the crime, investigation, and trial of one defendant. However, the question still remains: Who killed John McCabe?

A man who had been a teenage friend of the victim confessed to the crime more than four decades after it happened and implicated two friends in the murder. He got a reduced sentence with no jail time in exchange for testifying against his buddies. His confession matched the scenario of the crime that the cold-case detectives described to him. One of the defendants was acquitted; the other was convicted. If the three of them actually killed John, one got away with murder, one got a slap on the wrist, and only one paid for the crime. If the three weren't the perpetrators, one was convicted of a crime he didn't commit.

I found the sections labeled Ex Parte--comments from the defense attorney who got an acquittal for his client--distracting. I actually enjoyed the information, but I think it could have been presented in a way that didn't interrupt the flow of the story. If anyone in my life were ever charged with a serious crime, I would want a lawyer who was as passionate and hardworking as Eric Wilson was.

The story was fascinating, although it got confusing at times with so many characters and so many contradictory statements. But that's the nature of true crime; unlike fiction, all the loose ends aren't tied up neatly at the end. The reader gets as complete a story as is possible under the circumstances, but when witnesses contradict each other, each person has to judge for himself who's telling the truth.

I received an electronic copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for this honest, unbiased review.

[Cindi (Utah Mom’s Life) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1969, 15 year old John McCabe didn't come after the dance. His parents drove around searching for him. The next morning two young boys found John's body, tied up and abandoned in an empty field. The investigation would stretch over forty years before two men were finally charged with his murder.

Decades of Doubt by Eric Wilson and John Turner focuses on the investigation of John McCabe's murder and the defense of those charged with the crime.

It's not often that I read true crime books but Decades of Doubt was immediately intriguing. The details of the horrific crime that shocked a small Massachusetts community and kept the detectives guessing for so many years were equally gripping and appalling. Just like everyone else in the community, I wanted to know who killed John McCabe. The first part of the book is an easy read, comfortable style and it wasn't long before I was completely immersed in the mystery.

The second portion of the book covers the trial of one of the men eventually arrested for the murder. In this portion, the defense attorney (Eric Wilson) inserts his own first person chapters and perspective of the trial. I actually found these sections awkward and disruptive to the flow of the book. I found them completely unnecessary.

It was interesting how the defense poked holes in all the evidence. The book became a study on the justice system. However, by the end, as a reader, I was completely unsatisfied. It felt like a very one- sided defense of the defense and I wasn't convinced.

Overall, the book started out with promise. It was a fascinating mystery with fairly solid writing that kept my interest. The book lost it's way with the loss of objectivity and it's new focus on the defense and the defense attorney's ego.

[Cary Briel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a particularly captivating story told by brilliant authors. I was glued its pages from first to last. Highly recommended reading!