Pathological: The Murderous Rage Of Dr. Anthony Garcia

by Henry J. Cordes, Todd Cooper

A Brutal Serial Killer Was Stalking Omaha. But Who Could Kill With Such Precision?

Detective Derek Mois wasn’t sure what he was dealing with when in March 2008 he walked into a home in an affluent Omaha neighborhood and was confronted with the bodies of an 11-year-old boy and the housekeeper. Both had been murdered with kitchen knives plunged into their throats. Who would do something so vile, and why? Lacking answers, Mois and other detectives working the case were stumped.Five years later, a strikingly similar crime occurred in which two more victims were brutally murdered with knives expertly thrust into their jugular veins. The modus operandi of the murders pointed Mois and a special task force in the direction of looking for a serial killer. But no one could have anticipated that path would lead to the Department of Pathology at Creighton University.

In PATHOLOGICAL: The Murderous Rage Of Dr. Anthony Garcia, authors Henry J. Cordes and Todd Cooper, who covered the story for the Omaha World-Herald, recount the dramatic tale of deep-seated revenge, determined detectives, and the sensational trial of the doctor-turned-serial killer.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Mystery, Audiobook

230 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 18, 2018

Reviews

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pathological: The Murderous Rage of Dr. Anthony Garcia



“And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?”
- William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

This was an unusual and gruesome case about a serial killer in 2008 Omaha who turned out to have a crazy ~ nasty motive once they learned it. The book was good, following the cases along with investigator Derek Mois and others trying to find out who caused the murders that were so brutal and undeserved. Who stabs to death an innocent 11-year-old boy and a housekeeper? And why? He’s not done either. It holds the interest well as the pieces come out bit by bit. Lots of suspense and questions here. A very good true crime case for those who like this kind of book. One note I’d like to make when a main person in the book has a name with a questionable way of saying it, it’s nice to give the proper pronunciation to readers when they are going to continuously run into it all the way through the book. That did bug me a bit on this one. My thanks for the advance electronic copy that was provided by NetGalley, authors Henry Cordes & Todd Cooper, and the publisher for my fair review.

Publisher:  WildBlue Press.  230 pages
Publication: Dec 18th, 2018

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[BAM the enigma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to WildBlue Press for the copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

In March 2008 a young boy and his family's house cleaner were murdered with kitchen knives rammed into their throats. Detective Derek Mois was called to investigate. At first it was thought this was a robbery gone wrong, as this crime was committed in a fairly wealthy neighborhood ... but nothing was missing from the home. Mois and his team followed every lead they got, interviewed family, friends, neighbors, co-workers .... with no luck

This became a cold case until 5 years later .... when another double murder was discovered. The man and wife were killed in the same manner with a kitchen knife stabbed through their necks. Then they got their first credible lead .....

Personally, I did not remember this case, although at the time I followed every true crime story I could get my hands on. The authors recount the dramatic tale of deep-seated revenge, determined detectives, and the sensational trial of the doctor-turned-serial killer.

I found this to be well written, factual, spell-binding. I was riveted to the telling of how much work and effort went into this investigation to bring the human monster down. Law enforcement never stopped looking, never gave up when things looked bleak.

This is a must read for any true crime aficionado.

Many thanks to the authors / WildBlue Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of a well told true crime. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[giftedteacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well-written true crime book that is, in a way, more chilling than many others. The victims and intended victims had not engaged in risky behaviors, and couldn't think of anyone who wanted to hurt them. The fact that this killer's twisted mind blamed others for his own failures and marked them for a totally-uncalled-for "revenge" shows that with this kind of mental illness, anyone could be at risk....

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

[Stephanie Borders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Netgalley review:

This is the type of true crime I live for. Two murders occur in a quiet, wealthy suburb. The victims are an 11 year old boy and the family's housekeeper. Who would want to murder them? It's clear it wasn't a robbery, but detectives were unable to find anyone who would have reason to harm the victims or their families.

It's not until five years later that the motive behind the homicides becomes clear, and the true story that emerges is almost too strange to be true.

As I began reading this, I hadn't refreshed myself by reading the book's blurb or even the subtitle, so it started off as a true whodunit for me. I absolutely loved how Cordes wrote the book so that the reader is able to follow along with the investigation and see what the detectives see. As much as I love true crime, many TC books are told in a very rote, perfunctory way. This was the opposite--the fluidity of the story drew me right in.

Another aspect of this book that I loved is that Cordes does not bog the reader down by rehashing every detail of the trial. That is my least favorite part of a true crime book. Many times, we know most of the facts and details being relayed through the trial, having read all of that information earlier in the book. Cordes took care of that issue by really only focusing on two things--the nutcase defense attorneys and the prosecution's star witness.

Extremely well done and I would gladly read any other true crime books that Cordes publishes. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anthony Garcia is a deeply troubled person. Hard to imagine anyone willing to kill someone years after medical school for "perceived wrongs" against him while he was a student. Truly a sick individual that inflicted pain and suffering to his victims and their families as well as his own family through his demented actions.

[Cobwebby Eldritch Reading Reindeer · Rating 5 out of 5]

True crime nonfiction narratives are never pleasant. That's the nature of the topic. Throughout this book I asked myself over and over again. "Why? Why did this individual/these individuals have to die? Why is such promise forever unfulfilled? Why?" The authors of PATHOLOGICAL, Henry J. Cordes and Todd Cooper, are the journalists who covered this story for the Omaha World Herald. Their research into the crimes, the investigations, and the aftermath make for a powerful and compelling story, one which few readers are likely to complete without a box of tissues in hand, and that ever present demand of "Why?"

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chronological account of multiple revenge murders that focuses on the police investigation. The trial is dealt with concisely and efficiently, and the authors avoid the all-too-common approach of presenting every piece of information a second time.

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far 39 % in I am enjoying the book. Last week I decided to watch some Dateline shows I had stored on my hard drive. Guess what..? The documentary was about this case! The show made it so that you could also think the so called “doctor “ could also be innocent but by reading all about the evidence they got on him that was ludicrous!

This was a well written true crime book which I liked it. It was told through the voices of polie who tried to find out the killer and when they finally hada suspect how they worked and checked evidence against him.

Good book. Sad story.

[Hazel Bright · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this guy who reads at a fifth grade level somehow graduates from medical school, but then is too big a loser to make it in a residency program, goes out drunk out of his mind and kills two people that aren't even the ones he meant to kill, and even though his name is mentioned to the police twice, they still don't catch the guy until five years later when he kills two more people? When they did figure it out, the police and FBI moved fast and did a great job, but sheesh, it's scary to think how easy it apparently is to get away with murder in my home state of Nebraska. The author does not let this slide, either. Very well-written book.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Pathological is a startling look into the mind of a serial killer who was bent on exacting revenge on those he believed caused his downfall as a doctor.

I live in the metro area where these murders occur and I vividly remember the shock and horror when the first two murders happened and the bafflement when no arrests were made.

The authors did a fantastic job digging into the details of the deranged mind of failed doctor Anthony Garcia, the detectives who never gave up on the case even as it started to go cold and the families whose lives were devastated by the killings.
The authors Todd Cooper and Henry Cordes managed to not sensationalize the case while thoroughly reporting on every detail of the crimes. The writing was refreshing as so many true crime authors tend to go off the rails and offer wild theories or concentrate only on the killer while ignoring the victims and their families.
I highly recommend this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. The views given are my own. #Pathological #NetGalley #WildBluePress

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

I appreciated reading this account of four murders. The information is well presented. My only complaint was that in my kindle version almost a third of the book is advertising other books. I tend to look at the number of pages I a book and then decide if I will buy it. Since I read a lot, I prefer longer reads. Anyway, I would recommend this book with that caveat.

[Caitlyn Lynch · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ends at 70% and goes into a preview of another book, which is in violation of the terms and conditions of the Kindle Unlimited program, which stipulates that no more than 10% of any book may be 'bonus content'.

Should this be fixed at any point, the author and/or publisher are welcome to contact me to revise this review, at which point I will review the actual book.

Until then, they get what those who seek to scam the KU program by artificially inflating their page count get; one star.

[Sandra Laymon · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is an absolute RIPOFF!!! A SCAM!

I've never experienced anything like this in the hundreds of true crime books I have read! As I was reading on my Kindle, at the 68% marker in this book, it was suddenly finished... done... completed, pictures and all! From that point on, the book was nothing but an advertisement for other books! When I buy a book on my Kindle, I always check to see how many pages are in the book because I don't want to purchase a short, skimpy book that I can read in a couple of evenings. I was shocked when I completed a chapter and the next chapter was entitled "Epilogue". There was 32% of the book still to read! Sure enough, after a short epilogue chapter the true crime story was finished! The rest of the book (almost a THIRD of it) was an advertisement for other books published by the same company. I am so upset that I don't even want to review the first part of the book! Actually, I WAS enjoying the book. The crimes and the investigation were interesting but there was almost NOTHING about the trial and the verdict. They are so important in a true crime book. Then there was a tiny bit about sentencing.
I am VERY DISAPPOINTED with the deception surrounding the length of this story. It is WRONG to deceive the shopper. I fully expect to get what I pay for when I am ordering a book. Since I can't physically SEE the book I have to depend on the information given to me. This has never happened to me before and I have purchased hundreds of true crime books. Pay for your own advertising! I will never read another book from this publisher for fear that all of their books are this way. Shame on you!! Would I recommend it to others? A resounding NO!!!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect from this. I never read true crime books. Being from the Omaha metro area and knowing one of the authors (Cordes) as both a HS classmate and a respected journalist, I purchased this book from a local bookseller. It was better than I anticipated (for not liking the genre). I found there to be considerably more detail than I recalled from reading/watching the news reports of these horrific crimes and their evolving investigations/trial. It was a well-written and gripping account. These tragedies hit the Omaha area and those personally involved hard. My heart still goes out to those innocent lives lost and to all those forever affected. I wish them peace.

Meanwhile, preferring fiction, I will stick to the tales of Michael Connelly, Tana French and their like.

[Jen Juenke · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! Sit down, buckle up, and be prepared to read this True Crime book in one sitting. I had never heard of this case before reading the book. I was intrigued and could not stop reading. I will not post any spoilers but I was shocked at who the killer was.
I remember reading the book and when the detectives had heard of the killer right after the first double homicides but dismissed him, I was shocked. Yet, hindsight is 20/20...it just breaks your heart that another double homicide had to occur before the killer was caught.
Overall a great book!

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book but I hated the fact that I was at 70% and the book was over and there was still 30% left to the book but it was all about other books. Now that is out of the way, the book itself I thought was well written and I could feel the frustration coming from the police. They did the best they could for what they had. Could they have caught him earlier if they would have been still on the case and talking to each other, yes, but life doesn't work that way, unfortunately. Props to the police department for getting this depraved lunatic off of the streets and in to prision

[Gerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I live in the city where these crimes took place, it was really interesting to learn of everything that transpired when they finally caught Garcia. It showed amazing work by the police who never gave up. I ws impressed by the work of the detectives and all of the avenues they searched. I feel empathy for the families who lost their loved ones. No one ever thinks that this could happen in their home town, but it did.

Henry Cordes and Todd Cooper diod a marvelous job of relating this story.

[Lorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unique

and strange case of a medical doctor gone horribly wrong; in the sense of how could a doctor who takes an oath to do no harm, become a serial killer simply because he wasn't cut out for medicine. Makes one wonder if he'd become an accountant and failed at that, would he have shot all the people in his office, like a crazed gunman, I think he would have, he was going to become a killer regardless of his occupation. (Think Dr. Shipman!)
Well told account of a horrible tragedy.

[Vnunez-Ms_luv2read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once I began reading this book, I could not put it down. Very well written and easy to read,. Informative account of the murder of a 10 yr old child and the family housekeeper. Good account of the police work that went into bringing the murderer to justice and the work done on this case. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book. Although I received the book in this manner, it did not effect my opinion of this book nor my review.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shorter than most true crime books, which was disappointing but it was a good read. I remember the murders and the trial, having read the newspaper articles daily by the crime beat reporter, who is a co-author of the book. Not a lot of attention given to the nitty gritty of the trial, verdict or oddly, the defense lawyers who made quite a spectacle of themselves-far more than was described in the story. But we are given much insight into the painstaking investigation and the families.

[Darcia Helle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pathological is a fascinating, disturbing true crime case about a disturbed former doctor who goes on a horrific vendetta.

The authors clearly did their research and were able to bring this case to life. We learn about the victims and the killer, as we follow the investigation to its close.

Kevin Pierce's narration is, as always, excellent.

*I received a free audiobook download from WildBlue Press.*

[NatScan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very interesting true crime story that unfortunately reminded me of a very similar murder in South Australia in 2002. Fortunately the SA Police caught the killer very quickly, he was convicted of the crime and has been in prison since. He did have intentions to kill others who he believed had wronged him in the same way that the killer in this book did.

[Sarah Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay read - recommended to me by one of the DNA techs who worked on the case. Had a few moments to slog through, you can tell this book was written by a journalist who is trained to write articles for websites or newspapers, and was struggling to spin the story in an enthralling way.
Very succinct in facts and information, great for finding out what really happened in the case.

[Jane Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

True Crime Story

This is a very interesting true crime book. It is the first one I have read that has a doctor as a murderer and this guy was a serial murderer. No matter how much a person tries, you can get rid of that trait. This is a fascinating book for the reader.

[Lauretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very psychotic doctor. It's amazing that he got to medical school. I found him to be extremely psychotic, and very egotistical. This is a very good book, but the killings were awful. I believe that there are more than what they think.

[Sarah Estes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written

I would recommend this book to those who are true crime buffs. It's an engrossing account of a case I only remember generally in the news, but the details are laid out here in exquisite form, providing the reader with an engrossing story.

[Carla Ossler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A riveting read,hard to put down

Very well written and keeps the reader interest ed. I think it was done in the correct sequence to flow properly and explain conclusions .

[sandra terrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pathological

An awesome book, told in such a way that you know the characters and feel their pain..Thank you Henry Forces and Todd Cooper for making these people unforgettable. I will be watching for anything you write.

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an ego!
This was a fantastic read, following the disgraceful Dr. Anthony Garza, and his destructive path of death.

This book will pull you in, and fascinate and disgust you as you read. Meticulously done.