Notorious Missouri: 200 Years of Historic Crimes by James W. Erwin & Vicki Berger Erwin
From the duel on Bloody Island to the “Missouri Miracle” kidnapping and recovery of Shawn Hornbeck, Missouri has seen its share of notorious crimes. It was home to the first western gunfight on the town square between Wild Bill Hickok and Dave Tutt. The three trials of the alleged murderer of Colonel Thomas Swope, the founder of Kansas City’s Swope Park, enveloped the state. Residents also saw the killings within a few blocks of each other that inspired the songs “Stagger Lee” and “Frankie and Johnny.” Vicki Berger Erwin and James W. Erwin explore crimes, criminals and victims from the violent history of the last two hundred years in the Show Me State.
About the Authors
Vicki Berger Erwin has been in the publishing industry for more than thirty years in various capacities, including sales, book distribution and as the owner of a bookstore in St. Charles, Missouri. She has is the author of thirty books in varied genres: picture books, middle-grade mysteries and novels, local histories and true crime.
James W. Erwin practiced law in St. Louis for thirty-seven years. He is the author of five books of local history. This is their second book together. They live in Kirkwood, Missouri.
Product Specifications
Published by The History Press, 2021. Paperback, 144 pages.