Scream at the Sky: Five Texas Murders and One Man's Crusade for Justice

By Carlton Stowers

Book Overview

Carlton Stowers, the two-time Edgar Award winner and "New York Times" bestselling master of true crime, is back. "Scream at the Sky" is his masterful chronicle of one man's murderous career, and another man's sworn promise to deliver justice and closure to the people of Texas.Wichita Falls, Texas, was home to a hundred thousand people in the last months of 1984. That winter was harsh, as the normally arid Texas plains gave way to ominous dark clouds that delivered freezing sleet and rain. But a much darker force was looming, and soon the quiet town was besieged by a faceless evil--and its young women were dying because of it.In the next seventeen months five women were found brutally beaten and murdered, their young lives cut short and their bodies left haphazardly where they fell. In the years that followed, grieving families fruitlessly sought answers. A haunted district attorney chased every lead only to meet one dead end after another. And the killer's identity remained unknown to the ravaged townspeople. Then, fourteen years after the killing started, an investigator who had been assigned the cold case brought to it a renewed dedication, and came upon a chance discovery. Searching through the yellowed case files, he caught a minor detail that suggested one more suspect. Faryion Wardrip was an unhappily married family man who drowned his anger in substance abuse and violent fantasies. But for five unfortunate families, the drugs sometimes took over and the fantasies became realities. Investigator John Little followed his instincts and tirelessly ruled out every possibility until he was left with but one conclusion: Faryion Wardrip was the serial killer who had eluded his office for so long. How he tracked down Wardrip and used the legal system to beat the killer at his own game of deception is a remarkable story of justice served.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 031226688X
• ISBN13: 9780312266882
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.12 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.5" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

A KILLER STORY...

In 1980s rural Texas, over a span of seventeen months, five young women would have their lives cruelly snuffed out at the hands of a serial killer. Unfortunately, many years would pass before justice was served. This was due in part to tunnel vision on the part of the investigators and District Attorney involved. That tunnel vision caused them to focus on individuals that were actually innocent of the crimes. It was not until fourteen years later that a new investigator, John Little, took a new look at some of the cases and with no preconceived notions, was able to review the evidence and discover just who the serial killer was. Of course, his investigation was greatly aided by the use of DNA. Still, he was able to discern quite quickly what former investigators had failed to see. This is a very well-written true crime book. Various perspectives are explored, including the effect of the crimes on the victim's families and friends, as well as on those who were falsely accused or suspected of these crimes. The book is written in a clear, concise fashion and will keep the reader turning its pages. Aficionados of the true crime genre will greatly enjoy this book.

"No further questions." Macha said.

One of the best written True Crime books I've come across. There are a lot of people involved and otherwise mentioned in this book; but somehow Stowers does a masterful job of explaining them all,introducing them in a clear,logical manner,that makes it effortless for the reader to keep sorted out. The subject of this book covers murders starting in 1984,and even though justice was finally brought about in 1999, the scars,heartbreaks and memories still continue. I tried to find out if the Death Penalty for Faryion Wardrip has been finally carried out.It seems that he is still on Death Row awaiting his just due. I am not particularly keen on reading Mystery novels with several possible suspects.In True Crime,it is usually clear from the beginning,who the purpetrators are and the reasons are dealt with ,the methods employed,clues found and pursued; the criminal is finally identified,judged and punishment meeted out. That is the kind of book this is,and it is excellent. Along the way see a fair bit of local living and get a pretty good idea of life around Wichita Falls,Archer City,Gainsville,Bethania,Vernon,Olney,and other towns in this area north-west of Dallas. Fans of Larry McMurtry will be interested in seeing the real life of Archer City,the Dairy Queen,subject of his book "Walter Benjamin at the Dairy Queen",mention of the book, "The Last Picture Show" and how the people of this small town of 1807 people have related to the fame Larry McMurtry has brought to them. The most significent point of this book is that while these 5 young women were brutally and senselessly murdered in the prime of their lives;life for the rest, must and does continue

Excellent

Scream at the Sky is an extraordinarily well researched and put together book. This is an excellent account of the crimes, the victims, the investigation, and the families, with insight into each of the personalities involved. Wardrip, in addition to being a cold blooded killer is also a compulsive liar and, once in prison, had an ability to mold himself into what he thought others wanted to see. After serving a relatively short period of time, Wardrip supposedly turned to religion and was leading a model life as a valued employee, a respected Sunday School teacher, and a happily married man. The false stories he told others about why he was in prison and his wretched childhood made them sympathetic toward him. If not for the doggedness of DA Investigator John Little, Wardrip may be still out on the streets. Amazingly, Tina Kimbrew's parents decided to participate in the victim/offender mediation program and were sucked into the fairy tale he wove, so they left with feelings of sympathy and forgiveness for Wardrip. As the case unfolds, they, along with many others realize that beneath the mousey-faced milquetoast façade is a brutal serial killer. This is a book I'd definitely recommend.

Finally out in paperback!

Carlton Stowers, you are a treasure to American writing, and Scream at the Sky is one of the best books you've written. I'm glad it's finally out in paperback, the wait was a long one for your fans. This book, as you know, Carlton, describes a series of murders that took place almost a generation ago, and how they had to wait for vengeance and justice for many years, and how it took all the skills of a curious and righteous investigator to bring these murders to justice. Sometimes the legal system has a triumph or two. And sometimes, as the Spanish say, revenge is a dish best served cold. They say the dead don't care how long it takes to have their pain acknowledged. In this harrowing case, filled with suspense and the anguish of the victims' families, we see a tale of American frontier pain and healing that encompassing a range of emotions as wide as the Midwestern sky. The graves of five women who shouldn't have died, yet did, have a peaceful easy feeling about them today. Thanks for writing this book, which will not allow their killer to get off scot free.