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Deadly Angel: The Bizarre True Story of Alaska's Killer Stripper – A Femme Fatale, Three Fiancés, and Murder for Insurance Money
An astonishing true story of bizarre love and lethal obsession in America's last frontier.Mechele Hughes came to Wasilla, Alaska (pop. 4200), looking for a new life and easy money. As an exotic dancer at the Great Alaskan Bush Company in nearby Anchorage, she was soon earning thousands a night—and getting expensive gifts from admiring male clients. Three in particular fell under her spell. Each claimed to be engaged to her . . . and they all lived with her together in the same house. But in May 1996, the bullet-ridden body of Kent "T.T." Leppink, a local fisherman and one of her fiancés, was discovered in a wooded area ninety miles away—possibly slain by suitor number two, John Carlin III, at the stripper's urging.
Ten years would elapse before the arrests and trials of Mechele Hughes Linehan and John Carlin III. Was the real Mechele a murderess, a ruthless sexual manipulator as the prosecution claimed, killing for insurance money—or the loving wife and mother she had since become, dedicated to children, animals, and charitable causes?
- GenresTrue CrimeNonfiction
240 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
4 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Fred Rosen
43 books60 followersAmerican true crime author and former columnist for the Arts and Leisure Section of The New York Times.
Rosen's published works in the genre include Lobster Boy, There But For the Grace: Survivors of the 20th Century’s Infamous Serial Killers and When Satan Wore a Cross.
He is also the winner of Library Journal’s Best Reference Source 2005 award for The Historical Atlas of American Crime, and has written many other works of historical non-fiction including Cremation in America, Contract Warriors and Gold!.
Rosen's published works in the genre include Lobster Boy, There But For the Grace: Survivors of the 20th Century’s Infamous Serial Killers and When Satan Wore a Cross.
He is also the winner of Library Journal’s Best Reference Source 2005 award for The Historical Atlas of American Crime, and has written many other works of historical non-fiction including Cremation in America, Contract Warriors and Gold!.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 28, 2009
Deadly Angel is a true-crime story about Alaska's "black widow", Mechele Hughes - a run-away teenager who ended up working as a stripper in the "final frontiers" of Alaska. More interested in money than love, she thought nothing of being engaged to three men at the same time, as long as they all showered her with presents, and a didn't pressure her to set a date for the wedding.
Kent Leppink failed on both accounts: He started angling for a wedding date and wanted her to meet his family. Both would appear reasonable requests to most, but Mechele felt trapped, and when she also discovered that Kent no longer could give her the gifts she had gotten used to, the life insurance they had taken on him meant that he was worth more to her dead than alive.
And who better to get to commit the murder, than one of her other fiancés, who then thought he'd get her for himself?
Such is the crime the prosecution needs to convict Mechele Hughes of, and as I'm a big fan of true crime and court dramas both, I thought Deadly Angel would be right up my aisle. Unfortunately the writing of the book did not live up to the premise of it. Fred Rosen did not manage to captivate me by the story, and numerous continuity mistakes and randomly inserted factoids made for very awkward reading. The book would have benefited greatly from a thorough editor, who could weed out the unnecessary, take apart the story and put it together in a more concise manner. The time-line kept jumping back and forth in a way that seemed almost arbitrary, and which made following the chain of events difficult, as I was never entirely sure when any given event happened in relation to the others.
The trial itself didn't actually start until the last third of the book, at which case I had already lost interest in the people involved and had guessed the outcome anyway.
There are a number of really excellent true crime stories out there - do yourself a favour, and give this one a miss.
Kent Leppink failed on both accounts: He started angling for a wedding date and wanted her to meet his family. Both would appear reasonable requests to most, but Mechele felt trapped, and when she also discovered that Kent no longer could give her the gifts she had gotten used to, the life insurance they had taken on him meant that he was worth more to her dead than alive.
And who better to get to commit the murder, than one of her other fiancés, who then thought he'd get her for himself?
Such is the crime the prosecution needs to convict Mechele Hughes of, and as I'm a big fan of true crime and court dramas both, I thought Deadly Angel would be right up my aisle. Unfortunately the writing of the book did not live up to the premise of it. Fred Rosen did not manage to captivate me by the story, and numerous continuity mistakes and randomly inserted factoids made for very awkward reading. The book would have benefited greatly from a thorough editor, who could weed out the unnecessary, take apart the story and put it together in a more concise manner. The time-line kept jumping back and forth in a way that seemed almost arbitrary, and which made following the chain of events difficult, as I was never entirely sure when any given event happened in relation to the others.
The trial itself didn't actually start until the last third of the book, at which case I had already lost interest in the people involved and had guessed the outcome anyway.
There are a number of really excellent true crime stories out there - do yourself a favour, and give this one a miss.
March 7, 2016
Waste of paper and my time. Not a Bizarre story, just sad just like Fred's writing and lack of research.
June 26, 2012
Probably the worst book I have ever read - the author is fantastically bad, interrupts quotations from the trial's log with inane, useless chatter, and occasionally inserts randomly complex words in a sea of 5th grade writing.
November 9, 2009
A sensationalist true crime book that was poorly written. I got excited by the ridiculous title, but was disappointed.
November 20, 2011
Could benefit from lots of editing. Same phrases and stories were used multiple times.
May 18, 2012
I bought my house from this lady and her current husband. How freaky is that!!!
March 29, 2021
This was one of the worst books I have read in a long time. Whole sentences are repeated several times, unnecessary sections about the history of Alaska give the energy of someone trying to pad a term paper in school, and cheesy terms abound. The author also managed to include a forced reference to another another one of their books. Additionally, the author seemed to judge Mechelle for being a stripper as much as he judges her for being a murderer. His dehumanization of strippers and sex work was uncomfortable and almost as upsetting as him placing beastiality as equivalent to being gay.
The one good thing I got from this book is that I might actually be able to write on someday if this is the bar my writing must reach.
The one good thing I got from this book is that I might actually be able to write on someday if this is the bar my writing must reach.
February 15, 2025
On May 2, 1996, the body of Kent Leppink washed ashore in Alaska. The investigation led back to a romantic interest of his, a stripper at an establishment he frequented, named Mechele Linehan. Leppink had proposed to Linehan at one point, along with another man. Police were suspicious of the other man and Linehan, based on interviews and witness statements. This book covers the investigation and trial of Linehan, but I won't give too much away if you are unfamiliar with this case. This case was featured on both Dateline and 48 Hours.
I thought the book offered plenty of details about the investigation and trial, as well as information about the victim. I have a stack of Fred Rosen books to get through, and am decently pleased with how this one was written and researched.
I thought the book offered plenty of details about the investigation and trial, as well as information about the victim. I have a stack of Fred Rosen books to get through, and am decently pleased with how this one was written and researched.
October 31, 2025
This book reads like a 5th grader wrote it for a true crime presentation. It is clear Rosen has little understanding of Alaska law enforcement and the Alaska State Troopers in particular. It appears that he took whatever court files, police reports, and periphery people he could talk with and created a story.
June 30, 2017
I have followed this very strange case since it happened and I learned a lot about the case that I had not heard before. I thought this was a really good book and I loved the author's witty comments that he added. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes true crime.
December 12, 2023
This could have been a great book as the information is all there and the story is intriguing, but the author butchered it. It read like a 6th grade research project with little tangents totally off topic and his own personal inputs. It's a shame the victim couldn't have his story told better.
March 9, 2018
Loved it!! I read SEDUCED BY EVIL and DEAD MAN'S DANCER as well and this is the most thorough account of the ALASKAN TEMPTRESS as explained by People Magazine Investigates in ID!!
June 16, 2009
Deadly Angel: The Bizarre True Story of Alaska’s Killer Stripper
Fred Rosen
Harper Collins
10 East 53rd St, New York, New York 10022-5299
(212) 207-7528 www.harpercollins.com
978-0-06-173398-7, $ 7.99, July 2009
Shocking true story!
This book chronicles the bizarre tale of Mechele Hughes and the murder of Kent “TT” Leppink. Mechele worked as an exotic dancer at the Great Alaskan Bush Company in Anchorage, Alaska. The story gives background on her life leading up to the murder. As you are reading it, the author truly makes you want to beat the ever loving crap out of her. She was very materialistic and her only focus in life was on money and what she could get out of people.
The moment Kent met her at the club, he was instantly smitten with her. Almost on the verge of obsession, he catered to her every need and followed her around like a puppy. Soon after, they became engaged and this is the point where the story gets more bizarre. Mechele soon finds two more suitors who also become her fiancés as well, one of which is John Carlin III and the other Scott Hilke. How is it that each man did not know about the other? Scott lived the furthest away and Mechele would travel out of town to see him.
Prior to Kent’s murder, Mechele had him running around like an errand boy and spending thousands of dollars to fix up her house. Mechele and John lure Kent away to a cabin by leaving a note and this brings an end to his demise. Luckily, Kent had mailed a letter to his parents specifically implying that if he was found dead, it was due to Mechele and John and it made reference to the life insurance policy that Mechele made him take out. How fitting that he had her removed before his death, so she would have not gained anything by him being dead. This one piece of evidence helped to convict her and John in the case.
The story follows the events leading after the murder and Michele’s whereabouts and that she had sent a computer to her sister to have the hard drive wiped out. Luckily, her sister did not follow through and contacted the authorities. The investigators were so close on her heels and found out that she was traveling with John’s son in a motor home. Nearly ten years goes by and a new identity emerges and Mechele is now a Doctors’ wife and a mother. Finally, justice is served and she is given a 99 year sentence for conspiracy to commit murder. We also learn that John Carlin III is bludgeoned to death in prison.
I liked this book and the author’s research that he did. It read like a novel and it reminded me of Forensic Files on television. It is a very quick read and I would recommend it to anybody who is into the True Crime genre.
Fred Rosen
Harper Collins
10 East 53rd St, New York, New York 10022-5299
(212) 207-7528 www.harpercollins.com
978-0-06-173398-7, $ 7.99, July 2009
Shocking true story!
This book chronicles the bizarre tale of Mechele Hughes and the murder of Kent “TT” Leppink. Mechele worked as an exotic dancer at the Great Alaskan Bush Company in Anchorage, Alaska. The story gives background on her life leading up to the murder. As you are reading it, the author truly makes you want to beat the ever loving crap out of her. She was very materialistic and her only focus in life was on money and what she could get out of people.
The moment Kent met her at the club, he was instantly smitten with her. Almost on the verge of obsession, he catered to her every need and followed her around like a puppy. Soon after, they became engaged and this is the point where the story gets more bizarre. Mechele soon finds two more suitors who also become her fiancés as well, one of which is John Carlin III and the other Scott Hilke. How is it that each man did not know about the other? Scott lived the furthest away and Mechele would travel out of town to see him.
Prior to Kent’s murder, Mechele had him running around like an errand boy and spending thousands of dollars to fix up her house. Mechele and John lure Kent away to a cabin by leaving a note and this brings an end to his demise. Luckily, Kent had mailed a letter to his parents specifically implying that if he was found dead, it was due to Mechele and John and it made reference to the life insurance policy that Mechele made him take out. How fitting that he had her removed before his death, so she would have not gained anything by him being dead. This one piece of evidence helped to convict her and John in the case.
The story follows the events leading after the murder and Michele’s whereabouts and that she had sent a computer to her sister to have the hard drive wiped out. Luckily, her sister did not follow through and contacted the authorities. The investigators were so close on her heels and found out that she was traveling with John’s son in a motor home. Nearly ten years goes by and a new identity emerges and Mechele is now a Doctors’ wife and a mother. Finally, justice is served and she is given a 99 year sentence for conspiracy to commit murder. We also learn that John Carlin III is bludgeoned to death in prison.
I liked this book and the author’s research that he did. It read like a novel and it reminded me of Forensic Files on television. It is a very quick read and I would recommend it to anybody who is into the True Crime genre.
March 28, 2013
I couldn't even finish the book it was so bad.
February 20, 2018
I liked it!
Is is certainly an unsettling story!
poops ill finish this in a jam
Is is certainly an unsettling story!
poops ill finish this in a jam
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews