The Chaparral Murders

by M.M. Stoddart

From the dense woods of the Appalachian Mountains comes this true tale of deception, murder, and greed in a tiny West Virginia town. M. M. Stoddart returns to the scene of the decades-old murders of Glenn Roberts and his teenaged son, Timothy, to conduct a new investigation of the biggest homicide case in Tucker County history-one shrouded by suspicion and doubt for more than twenty years.Glenn and Timothy were killed by near-contact shotgun blasts from the same weapon on the same night. But their bodies were found eight miles and three weeks apart. Stoddart reopens the cold case, and soon finds that the murders were much more than a simple botched robbery, as West Virginia authorities had previously concluded. New information uncovers a vast web of missing evidence, deceit, and family intrigue. Set in an impoverished mountain community in the early 1980s, this shocking and compelling story exposes the tragedy of wrongful conviction and the true meaning of justice.

358 pages, Paperback

First published December 4, 2007

About the author

Retired and living in Ottawa Canada. First book published in December 2007 The Chaparral Murders: Dollar Store Justice."

Reviews

[Sigrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

This shocking book by Margaret Stoddart is a true-crime story, which examines what appears to be a double homicide in a small Appalachian community. Stoddart describes the affected family -- a son and father both found dead, leaving a grieving, impoverished widow to survive with her remaining children.

The author also discusses the police investigation in detail, and dubious methods of obtaining evidence and drawing conclusions about who the actual killer was, casting doubts on the court's final decision.

A riveting book about a potential wrongful conviction that is close to the author's heart. A must read!

Sigrid Macdonald