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Secrets from the Grave
He was a beloved family physician, and a ruthless doctor of death, who almost got away with murder.
It was a friendly hunting trip - two men kicking back, shooting at clay pigeons on campgrounds near rural Montrose, Pa. Then, a single shot rang out. Moments later, Marty Dillon, a promising young lawyer, was dead of a gunshot wound to the chest. His friend, Dr. Stephen Scher, later tearfully explained that Dillon had been running with a shotgun after a porcupine, and tripped and fell, accidentally killing himself. But what really happened?
Marty Dillon's violent death was immediately declared an accident by the local coroner in 1976. But as Dillon's body was lowered into the cold ground, did a damning secret, one that would haunt his friends and family for decades, go with him?
* Were rumors of an affair between Dr. Scher and Marty's wife, Pat, true?
* Why did the couple marry so soon after Dillon's death?
* If the shot was self-inflicted, why did the bullet come from Dr. Scher's gun?
* What was it about Dillon's bloody wound that cast suspicion on Scher?
After 20 years of pleading with authorities, and finally hiring their own investigators, Dillon's parents persuaded the Pennsylvania State Police to reopen the case. They exhumed Dillon's body - and his decayed remains told the real story of that tragic day two decades earlier. On October 22, 1997, Dr. Stephen Scher was convicted of the murder of Marty Dillon - final justice for a cold-blooded killer who for 20 years thought he had gotten away with murder.
It was a friendly hunting trip - two men kicking back, shooting at clay pigeons on campgrounds near rural Montrose, Pa. Then, a single shot rang out. Moments later, Marty Dillon, a promising young lawyer, was dead of a gunshot wound to the chest. His friend, Dr. Stephen Scher, later tearfully explained that Dillon had been running with a shotgun after a porcupine, and tripped and fell, accidentally killing himself. But what really happened?
Marty Dillon's violent death was immediately declared an accident by the local coroner in 1976. But as Dillon's body was lowered into the cold ground, did a damning secret, one that would haunt his friends and family for decades, go with him?
* Were rumors of an affair between Dr. Scher and Marty's wife, Pat, true?
* Why did the couple marry so soon after Dillon's death?
* If the shot was self-inflicted, why did the bullet come from Dr. Scher's gun?
* What was it about Dillon's bloody wound that cast suspicion on Scher?
After 20 years of pleading with authorities, and finally hiring their own investigators, Dillon's parents persuaded the Pennsylvania State Police to reopen the case. They exhumed Dillon's body - and his decayed remains told the real story of that tragic day two decades earlier. On October 22, 1997, Dr. Stephen Scher was convicted of the murder of Marty Dillon - final justice for a cold-blooded killer who for 20 years thought he had gotten away with murder.
248 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 28, 2026
A firm pull of the trigger, a blast, and the grasp releases sending the clay pigeon tumbling to the ground, unbroken. In the shade of the skeet machine, the stillness of the woods kept score.
Along the path that afternoon two sets of footprints marked the journey's start.
By day's end shadows darkened the retreating steps of only one.
In the stillness of the woods there was a whispered pledge, that the secrets of the forest are kept.
But the forest would suppress the truth for only so long, for the paths taken by its visitors are recorded in every man's soul, and the soul must ultimately have its say. And the just man his day.
Montrose, Pennsylvania, June 2nd 1976.
As had become the custom in recent years a group of friends would have a Wednesday afternoon together shooting clay pigeons in the woods. Among the group of friends were Marty and Stephen.
Marty was a 30 year old attorney who was married to Patricia, a nurse at the same hospital where Stephen worked as a doctor. The couple had two children.
Stephen was a 35 year old doctor, married but no children.
Marty died that afternoon.
Stephen said that Marty spotted a porcupine and run after it to shoot it. He tripped and fell on his gun which went off accidentally blasting a hole into his chest.
When help arrived, in an act of rage Stephen smashed the shotgun against a tree.
Photographs were taken of the scene. Marty's boot lace was untied but the boot flap was tied on the leg. If he had been running the boot flap would have been opened.
The manner of death was ruled an accident. Marty's father, mayor of the town, did not believe that.
There were rumours among the hospital staff and in town that Stephen was having a sexual affair with Marty's wife Patricia before Marty's death.
A few months later Stephen divorced his wife. He moved to North Carolina and remarried. His new wife, Patricia, Marty's widow.
When Marty's father learned this he grew increasingly suspicious. He was not allowed to see his grandchildren any more.
He asked a professional specialising in accident reconstruction to study and evaluate the case. It was determined that the gun's end of the barrel was five feet away from the wound. It was not a contact wound. Marty could not have been the one who pulled the tricker. There was no gunshot residue in Marty's shirt which would have been present if it was a contact wound. There was no blood on the shotgun barrel.
In 1991, fourteen years after the deadly incident, the evidence was sent to the FBI Lab.
Stephen had said that he was 150 metres away when the gun went off, but on his boots high velocity impact blood spatter was found, meaning that he was very close to Marty at the time of the shooting.
The body was exhumed for a second autopsy. In 1995 Marty's death was formally declared a homicide.
Stephen was arrested and charged with the murder of Marty Dillon.
Two decades after his death his murderer finally got his day in court.
The motive was that Stephen wanted Patricia all to himself.
In court when Stephen learned the forensic evidence against him, he changed his story. He admitted that he was having an affair with Marty's wife. He fabricated the porcupine story, but he still claimed that his death had been an accident. He said that the two argued over the affair. There was a scuffle and the gun went off accidentally. He didn't think that anyone would believe him so he staged the scene and made up the story about the porcupine.
The jury convicted Dr Stephen Scher of first degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. The verdict was a long fought victory for the parents of Marty Dillon.
Patricia and Marty's two children supported Stephen all the way.
Along the path that afternoon two sets of footprints marked the journey's start.
By day's end shadows darkened the retreating steps of only one.
In the stillness of the woods there was a whispered pledge, that the secrets of the forest are kept.
But the forest would suppress the truth for only so long, for the paths taken by its visitors are recorded in every man's soul, and the soul must ultimately have its say. And the just man his day.
Montrose, Pennsylvania, June 2nd 1976.
As had become the custom in recent years a group of friends would have a Wednesday afternoon together shooting clay pigeons in the woods. Among the group of friends were Marty and Stephen.
Marty was a 30 year old attorney who was married to Patricia, a nurse at the same hospital where Stephen worked as a doctor. The couple had two children.
Stephen was a 35 year old doctor, married but no children.
Marty died that afternoon.
Stephen said that Marty spotted a porcupine and run after it to shoot it. He tripped and fell on his gun which went off accidentally blasting a hole into his chest.
When help arrived, in an act of rage Stephen smashed the shotgun against a tree.
Photographs were taken of the scene. Marty's boot lace was untied but the boot flap was tied on the leg. If he had been running the boot flap would have been opened.
The manner of death was ruled an accident. Marty's father, mayor of the town, did not believe that.
There were rumours among the hospital staff and in town that Stephen was having a sexual affair with Marty's wife Patricia before Marty's death.
A few months later Stephen divorced his wife. He moved to North Carolina and remarried. His new wife, Patricia, Marty's widow.
When Marty's father learned this he grew increasingly suspicious. He was not allowed to see his grandchildren any more.
He asked a professional specialising in accident reconstruction to study and evaluate the case. It was determined that the gun's end of the barrel was five feet away from the wound. It was not a contact wound. Marty could not have been the one who pulled the tricker. There was no gunshot residue in Marty's shirt which would have been present if it was a contact wound. There was no blood on the shotgun barrel.
In 1991, fourteen years after the deadly incident, the evidence was sent to the FBI Lab.
Stephen had said that he was 150 metres away when the gun went off, but on his boots high velocity impact blood spatter was found, meaning that he was very close to Marty at the time of the shooting.
The body was exhumed for a second autopsy. In 1995 Marty's death was formally declared a homicide.
Stephen was arrested and charged with the murder of Marty Dillon.
Two decades after his death his murderer finally got his day in court.
The motive was that Stephen wanted Patricia all to himself.
In court when Stephen learned the forensic evidence against him, he changed his story. He admitted that he was having an affair with Marty's wife. He fabricated the porcupine story, but he still claimed that his death had been an accident. He said that the two argued over the affair. There was a scuffle and the gun went off accidentally. He didn't think that anyone would believe him so he staged the scene and made up the story about the porcupine.
The jury convicted Dr Stephen Scher of first degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. The verdict was a long fought victory for the parents of Marty Dillon.
Patricia and Marty's two children supported Stephen all the way.
May 12, 2013
I loved this book I highly recommend it to anyone
May 4, 2020
This is the true account of the murder of Marty Dillon, a well known lawyer who was murdered by his so called "best friend" when they went out to shoot clay pigeons on his parent's property, but the truth was this man was not a friend at all.
How could someone trust a man who had been sleeping with his own wife? Unfortunately for him, none of Marty's other friends could go that weekend, so he was stuck with the one person who wanted to take over his life, and Stephen Scher did, in the form of Marty's wife, Pat, and kids.
I cannot believe what a botched up investigation this was. It just goes to show that money and privelege can basically get you out of almost anything, including murder.
I also felt sorry for Marty's kids and wondered if they ever reconnected with their grandparents. Their stepfather had them so brainwashed that they did not believe the verdict, even with all the supporting evidence. Shame on them for how rude they were to the people who tried to reach out to them.
I Googled the case further and found out that Pat divorced Stephen after this book was written. Did he finally confess, or did she finally figure out he was lying? We'll never know as Stephen died in prison in 2010.
How could someone trust a man who had been sleeping with his own wife? Unfortunately for him, none of Marty's other friends could go that weekend, so he was stuck with the one person who wanted to take over his life, and Stephen Scher did, in the form of Marty's wife, Pat, and kids.
I cannot believe what a botched up investigation this was. It just goes to show that money and privelege can basically get you out of almost anything, including murder.
I also felt sorry for Marty's kids and wondered if they ever reconnected with their grandparents. Their stepfather had them so brainwashed that they did not believe the verdict, even with all the supporting evidence. Shame on them for how rude they were to the people who tried to reach out to them.
I Googled the case further and found out that Pat divorced Stephen after this book was written. Did he finally confess, or did she finally figure out he was lying? We'll never know as Stephen died in prison in 2010.
August 10, 2016
I've read and enjoyed this book several times over the years; I just finished reading the ebook version and it's as good as I remembered. Note: the pictures that appeared in the paperback edition are not included in the electronic version. I recall hearing about events that took place after the book was published (spoilers ahead): a new trial was ordered in 2004, but the murderer was convicted a second time in 2008 and died in prison in 2010. - Aug 09, 2016
December 13, 2025
Binge Worthy!
This one I couldn't put down. A remarkable story of an evil man, a nearly-equally evil woman (IMO), and the relentless pursuit of justice by a few great people, making up for the incompetence of their predecessors.
This one I couldn't put down. A remarkable story of an evil man, a nearly-equally evil woman (IMO), and the relentless pursuit of justice by a few great people, making up for the incompetence of their predecessors.
October 10, 2024
This book covers the murder of Martin Dillon. Dillon was killed in 1976 at the age of 30. The death was thought to be an accidental shooting, as his best friend was with him at the time while they were skeet shooting. The friend, Stephen Scher, changed his story multiple times. He married the victim's wife in 1978, before moving states and starting a medical practice. He also raised the couple's children as his own. Dillon's family demanded the case be reopened, and a second autopsy was performed, revealing evidence that did not align with an accidental death.
This case was featured on Forensic Files, and this book is on the Forensic Files reading list for anyone interested in that. It presented the facts of the case in a clear and unbiased way. The telling of the story was entertaining and informative.
This case was featured on Forensic Files, and this book is on the Forensic Files reading list for anyone interested in that. It presented the facts of the case in a clear and unbiased way. The telling of the story was entertaining and informative.
May 6, 2017
Justice delayed
Is justice denied, this story caused me to think of that legal maxim. For this family justice finally was served. Very good account, what a tragedy for the Dillon grandparents, wonder if the grandchildren ever understood or admitted their error in judgment. What a horrible, manipulative man Scher was and is....a cautionary tale for small town law enforcement as well, not to make assumptions, etc.
Is justice denied, this story caused me to think of that legal maxim. For this family justice finally was served. Very good account, what a tragedy for the Dillon grandparents, wonder if the grandchildren ever understood or admitted their error in judgment. What a horrible, manipulative man Scher was and is....a cautionary tale for small town law enforcement as well, not to make assumptions, etc.
April 12, 2018
Dead Men Do Tell Tales
Well told. Fills in the real life events behind a court case that has been of interest. This brings clarity to that decision. I would highly recommend its reading.
Well told. Fills in the real life events behind a court case that has been of interest. This brings clarity to that decision. I would highly recommend its reading.
May 16, 2013
it was a great book.
Read
June 2, 2019Too
Long ago to remember reading. Just cleaning up the page.
Long ago to remember reading. Just cleaning up the page.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2025
This writer is new to me and this case I had not heard of before. All that being said, the story is compelling and the writer is excellent, it kept my attention all through the book.
May 28, 2025
Well researched
A solid true crime book. Well researched and easy to read. A very sad tale, though. I will never understand why it took so damn long for justice.
A solid true crime book. Well researched and easy to read. A very sad tale, though. I will never understand why it took so damn long for justice.
June 20, 2025
page turner
Hard to put this book down. Very well researched and written. I enjoyed every page of this incredible and tragic story.
Hard to put this book down. Very well researched and written. I enjoyed every page of this incredible and tragic story.
February 16, 2026
Very Interesting Read
So sad reading this book. Marty so young to have been killed by a jealous controlling Dr Scher. He got what he deserved even though 20 years later. Can't the kids see how their step dad did to their father???
So sad reading this book. Marty so young to have been killed by a jealous controlling Dr Scher. He got what he deserved even though 20 years later. Can't the kids see how their step dad did to their father???
August 6, 2026
Fascinating from start to finish
This was a very intriguing book I couldn’t put it down! If you enjoy detective work you’ll enjoy this for sure
This was a very intriguing book I couldn’t put it down! If you enjoy detective work you’ll enjoy this for sure
Read
March 7, 2016paperback
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews