Gitchie Girl: The Survivor's Inside Story of the Mass Murders that Shocked the Heartland

by Phil Hamman, Sandy Hamman

A terrified voice cried out in the night.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

The sound of snapping twigs closed in on the five teenagers enjoying an evening around a glowing campfire at Gitchie Manitou State Park. The night of music and laughter had taken a dark turn. Evil loomed just beyond the tree line, and before the night was over, one of the Midwest’s most horrific mass murders had left its bloodstains spewed across the campsite. One managed to survive and would come to be known as the “Gitchie Girl.” Harrowing memories of the terrifying crime sent her spiraling out of control, and she grasped at every avenue to rebuild her life. Can one man, a rescue dog, and a glimmer of faith salvage a broken soul? This true story will touch your heart and leave you cheering that good can prevail over the depravity of mankind.

Through extensive research, interviews, and personal insight, the authors bring a riveting look at the heinous crime that shook the Midwest in the early 1970s. Written from rare, inside interviews with the lone survivor, who broke nearly four decades of silence, this shocking yet moving story will not soon be forgotten.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Book Club, Crime, Audiobook, Horror, Coming Of Age

165 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 11, 2016

About the author

Phil Hamman is the co-author of the #1 national best selling true crime book Gitchie Girl. He also has two memoirs published by eLectio Publishing that profile his struggles to rise above a dysfunctional childhood marked with domestic violence and poverty. One serendipitous night drove him from his criminal path and put him on the road to becoming a teacher who mentored and taught students with behavior disorders.

Reviews

[Merrill Frazier · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book as I had never heard of this event. I don't think I have so vehemently disagreed with a book rating before. I was shocked to see it rated 4.57 here. The book was poorly edited if it was even edited at all. The writing was horrible. It felt like there was so much detail and factual info left out of the book and so much extraneous emotional stuff put in. I really regret paying $5 for it.

[Bill Kupersmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A haunting true crime story

This horrible bizarre crime occurred back in 1973, shortly after I came to Iowa but at a far corner of the state. At a state park four teenaged boys were shot to death and a 13 y/o girl with them was abducted and raped, but then released, ultimately to testify against the killers. They are still incarcerated at Fort Madison. I always wondered who the girl was and what became of her. I was saddened to learn that she was treated with suspicion and as a pariah. But the tale is full of unlikely details that really happened. I was awed by the bravery Sandra Cheskey evinced and cheered that she ultimately found love and healing. It remains a weird and seemingly unmotivated crime but Sandra also found signs of God’s grace.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sandra was only 13, but looked older. When she went to Gitchie Manitou State Park with her boyfriend and a few of his friends, none of them could have anticipated the tragedy and chain of events that unfolded that night. As the only survivor, most of the police were sure she was somehow involved...as did the public. They called her Gitchie Girl - a name that followed her for decades.

I first learned about the events at Gitchie Manitou when I was in high school - roughly 15 years after that fateful night. Most of what I learned was 2nd and 3rd hand, or even more removed than that. Now, I know the the first-hand perspective and surprisingly most of it matched. I hadn't really thought about how strong Sandra had to have been to go through everything she did, but life events prior to November 17, 1973 had sadly strengthened her. The choices she made were very smart, in my humble opinion. The things she remembered then and remembered now, the level of detail she was able to give the police - which, sadly is why many didn't believe her - I'm dumbfounded by it. She never gave up, when most would have. It breaks my heart that anyone could ever go through an experience like this.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gitchie Girl is a true crime book recounting the tragic events of the multiple homicides that occurred at Gitchie Manitou nature preserve near Sioux Falls, SD in November of 1973. I recently saw a news feature about this book which prompted me to purchase it when I found it for sale at a local shop. I have lived in Sioux Falls for over 15 years and have never heard of this terrible event. Overall the book is well written and a quick read. The authors examine the childhood of the lone survivor, Sandra Cheskey, and her relationship to the teens who were murdered. Quite a bit of the book details the events of that tragic night, followed by the manhunt and capture of the Fryer brothers along with the trial. The survivor's challenging process of recovery is also examined. After reading Gitchie Girl I am haunted by two reflections: first, the ultimate evil that lurks in some people of this world; second the emotional distress of Sandra as she tried to carry on with her life after the tragedy. She had no counseling which led to a downward spiral that was difficult to overcome.

[Stacey Grey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out very good then devolved into a Sunday school lesson. I didn't think I had to worry about proselytization in a true crime book. Lesson learned.

The editing was horrible and chunks of facts were completely omitted while some inane bits were repeated.

This crime is interesting but I'd recommend looking for a different book or just reading articles online.

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never heard about these killings so me as a true crime reader I expected to learn (preferably after the crime) why this occurred. Alas I still do not know why they did what they did which and as an avid true crime reader that is annoying. It is one reason why I do not read unsolved books with a few exceptions.





Okay, I am just a too curious, nosy woman :) and want to know how it ends and why they do what they do. I love the psychology stuff of it as well. What make people do things like this?. .........Thinking about this a bit more I realise that in real life I am not a very curious woman at all. My neighbour knows exactly who lives where and with whom and who they talk to and who not while I never look at the people in my neighbourhood except for a hello or a talk but not at all interested in what they do with their lives.

I would have appreciated if the author had delved into the life of the killers as well as he did in the victim's. I understand the victim wanted to tell their story but there are also many books were the authors do not have any contact with the characters and they still manage to get more info

That being said I am glad I read it. Not the best book but I thought it was interesting. It is a short book and as someone else said more a memoir than a true crime. Finished quickly.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been looking forward to this since Betty (the late Sheriff Vinson's wife) told me about it. She exclaimed, "Oh, you'll just have to read this book coming out on Gitchie Manitou!--I don't even know about everything they're writing and all that happened to Sandy!"

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Quite wonderfully written. Things I liked:

1. It is both a memoir for Sandra and a fact crime on the Gitchie Manitou mass murder. This allows the reader to be absorbed into Sandra's life before, during, and long after the crime. It is not always true with fact crime that the reader gets to be inside the head of the survivor.

2. The writing was so well done that I literally felt like I was in the moment with Sandra during the murders. There were several moments I had to stop reading and put the book down to catch my breath.

3. This was such a long time coming, and I am so glad that someone finally wrote about these murders and did it well.

[Dale Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

A haunting story well told.

This story is tragedy beyond most imaginations. A heinous crime and tragic loss of innocent lives.

One of the youths that lost his life was known by me personally. He was a hard worker and lived life to the fullest. So proud of his van and his family.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read for a long drive across the state of SD. It's about a true story involving the murder of four teenage boys and the rape of a 13 year girl that occurred in a wooded park near Sioux Falls, SD, in November of 1973. I was 10 years old at that time, growing up in Sioux City, IA, but I don't remember hearing anything of this. The authors of the book are educators in Sioux City. Obviously, the teen-agers made some bad decisions, i.e., not leaving the park at the first sign of something amiss, but back then, I don't think people were quite aware of the dangers out in the real world. The boys were shot by three brothers, and the girl raped by one of the brothers. The final pages tell of the girl's struggle with PTSD, and her struggle to rebuild her life. A very interesting story, and sadly, a true one. My heart breaks for all that had to endure the pain of it.

[David Herbener · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although the story is incredible and relays a terrible tragedy in the heartland (even right where I grew up), the prose of the narrative lacked the skill to deserve a high rating. Gitchie Girl tells an interesting local true crime story that is almost legend near Sioux Falls, and is worth reading if you are from the area.

[Carlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really really liked this book. I grew up in NW IA and remember this as I was 13 also. Brings back lots of memories from that time.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Felt like author was trying too hard to be a fancy writer, instead of letting the story tell itself.

[Brooke BURKETT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking story but great book!!

[Mariah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was excited to get my hands on this book, as I've lived in NW Iowa for about 15 years, and had heard stories of the rape/murders at Gitchie Manitu. However, I was sorely disappointed. Reading the preface, I had high hopes -- the authors discussing the hours and hours of research and time they spent digging up facts, reports and old newspaper accounts of what happened. However, NONE of that is evident in this book.

This book is so poorly edited. I was reading in bed and making disparaging comments every sentence or two about generally accepted writing conventions that were shunned. My husband actually said "I've never wanted you to finish a book so badly in my life. How long will this take you to 'hate read.'" One point jumps out to me specifically: (I'm paraphrasing here, as I left the book on the night stand) "If this were a movie script it would describe ..." and then went on to describe the actions of the two people who found the murdered teenagers. The first rule of writing is show, don't tell. Secondly, I have a very difficult time accepting this type of writing in a true crime/memoir. None of this would have been in the police report, or in media reports and there was no indication that the authors talked to the individuals who found the bodies. That would have been an amazing opening if the authors had interviewed the individuals, and that's what they said. This is pure fiction, and it is poorly concocted fiction. I had the opportunity to meet retired sheriff Craig Vinson several years ago, and from my experience with him I felt the introduction of him in the book was very out of character -- especially since my ever encounter with him, and dealing with records from cases he worked and situations he dealt with as Sheriff (including one from the late 1970s), the rest of the book portrayed him very accurately.

I was confused why we started with Sandra's mother's childhood, but it became clear as the chapter proceeded and it got better, so I decided to finish it. I was confused about location (which is pretty important in this book). In describing Sandra's childhood, she's sent off to Mission schools, yet there's not indication of where that is, so when I read (multiple chapters into the book) that Sandra and her family are moving from Minnesota to South Dakota I was surprised. I had assumed (and the authors didn't tell me otherwise) this was entirely set in southeast South Dakota. I would have liked a bit more land-marking for the local readers.

My next biggest gripe about the book is that it jumped around in the time line for night of the murders. The timeline jumped from roughly 10 p.m. to 5 p.m. the same night, with the same character group (the teens) and then to the next morning with the sheriff. It was poorly thought out and even more poorly executed.

However, I do feel that once we got into what clearly was Sandra's retelling of what happened that night, and subsequent weeks the story was able to unfold -- and that is gripping and harrowing.
There were things I was just aghast about: Holding Sandra, without representation or parental consent (or maybe that was left out? I can't tell). There was absolutely no victim support for the trial/a guardian ad litem to represent Sandra's interests during the trial or counseling or ANYTHING after the fact. One thing this book does show is how far we've come (and there's still room for improvement) regarding the treatment of victims after violent crimes.

I give this book a 1-star rating for the technical execution of writing a book. However, Sandra and her story, really deserves a much higher rating.

[Adam Haan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In November of 1973 my family moved from Aberdeen, South Dakota to Sioux Falls. My mom was in the kitchen of our new house unpacking and organizing, when she heard on the radio about the murders of four teenagers at Gitchie Manitou State Preserve, just across the border in Iowa. The perpetrators were still on the loose, the newscaster said. My mom quickly got up and made sure the doors were locked.

I was too young to remember any of this. In later years, my parents talked about how creeped out the whole community was. This was, after all, the Upper Midwest. Crimes like this weren’t supposed to happen here.

I recently finished reading Gitchie Girl: The Survivor’s Inside Story of the Mass Murders that Shocked the Heartland. I’ve read a lot of crime fiction but very little true crime. I had to read this book, of course, because it happened right where I grew up.

The book tells about the life of the “Gitchie Girl” the one survivor of that tragic night. She was a young teen when her four friends were murdered. She survived being raped and the terrifying events at Gichie Manitou. But luckily instead of being shot like her friends, one of the criminals dropped her off at her house. With the help of a patient and intuitive sheriff, she helps them find one of the men who committed the horrible crime. Soon all three suspects, brothers Allen, James and David Fryer, were in custody.

The Gitchie Girl then has to begin the process of healing and picking up the pieces of her life at the same time as the investigation and trials are going on. It isn’t easy. Members of the community – perhaps unable to wrap their heads around the magnitude of what she went through – blacklist her and make her an outcast.

All three Fryer brothers, now old and gray, continue to serve life without parole at Iowa State Penitentiary. The surviving victim has rebuilt her life. This book is very well written and is a ‘quick read.’ If you are a fan of the true crime I certainly recommend it. I guarantee it will make you check the locks on your doors at least once.

[Koren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by a friend who knew I liked True Crime and her dad's first cousin wrote the book. This is a somewhat local author for me as the crime took place about 2 hours from me and I am familiar with some of the towns mentioned in the book. My son lives in one of the towns mentioned. This took place in the 70's. 4 teenagers were senselessly gunned down and a fifth one raped and then let go when they were camping in a state park. Why the fifth one was allowed to survive is never known. The story is told from her point of view so as a True Crime book it is more of a memoir than the actual examination of the crime. I did like it as a memoir but as a True Crime it is sadly lacking on development of the crime with little investigation and no court room drama. The author was a boyhood friend of one of the boys who was killed and thus his interest in the case. Gitchie Girl: The Survivor's Inside Story of the Mass Murders that Shocked the Heartland

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[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read...

I read true crime books because I'm always trying to understand why some people create horror & mayhem in their lives and others.
Some authors are better at telling a story than others. These authors were great. Just the right amount of information bypassing the truly horrible parts. It's hard to accept that four young lives were taken apparently for no reason at all.
I'm impressed that this young lady was finally able to overcome and live her life again. She should be an inspiration for others.

[Janet McMillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

The book is well written. In fact perhaps too well written. Somehow it seemed that I was there. I had to take breaks from the book because it ripped me apart, it felt so real to me. I have nothing but admiration for the courage Sandra showed in the years after the killings. Five young victims. A true my sad story.

[Kaitlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I suggest not reading until page 43. I wish I knew why the authors decided to write the story the way they did.

[Linda Stoehr · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book. The young boys were senselessly murdered in the early 70s. The young 13 year old girl’s life was spared. What she endured after was horrific. A very sad story that ended pretty well.

[Magpie67 · Rating 4 out of 5]

True crime of the unusual but lacking a certain depth that I enjoy when reading true crime. Forensics, crime scene descriptions and the minute to minute details of the days leading up to the discovery and arrest of 'The Boss'. Detail junkie I am, so I would have preferred to hear the details from the detectives/policeman view. Plus one small detail that I think should have been bigger was the mention of the one brother who was in jail and could let himself in and out for a work release program. 1973 means this active crime was performed without all the gadgets and somehow these men were given sentences that meant something for the victim's families. I know the authors have new information and are going to put out another title, so it would be interesting to hear more about the crime. Too bad we didn't have counselors in the school to help kids deal with trauma back then and how terrible of everyone to shun a girl who didn't commit the terrible acts of murder. Too bad the detectives couldn't have helped them relocate to a new area where no one knew them, so a normal life could have been fought for one day at a time. A lot of pain for the victim left behind.

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. I had heard great things about it, so I finally found it on sale and picked it up. I wish that I would not have spent the four dollars on this book. I was thoroughly disappointed in it. It is fairly short, and I read it over a couple of days while waiting in the school pick up line. It features the bizarre murder of four teenage boys, who, along with one girl, went to Gitchie Manitou State Park to hang out around a campfire. Three men appeared to stalk them for some amount of time, pretended to be police doing a drug bust, and wound up killing them. The girl was taken by the men, raped, and then dropped off back home. The book started off to be very interesting, and the story itself was weird. I learned more from Googling news articles and reading about it than I did from the book. The writers of the books seemed to want to tell the story in a way that they felt would make it interesting, but it really did a disservice to the actual events and the story of the surviving girl.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gitchie Girl reads like a scary campfire story...except it is true. The authors did a very nice job of capturing the horror of the events without dragging us through every little gory detail. The story is frightening enough without needing anything more to sensationalize the horror that these kids experienced. Well done.

I rate this book 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5) and recommend it to true crime enthusiasts or anyone who enjoys reading a scary, page-turner. I was not familiar with these murders so I was even more shocked to read this story. If you don't know the events surrounding these murders, you might want to go into this book blind and let the story unfold and chill you to the bone.

[Heather McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put the book down once I started it. I read it in a couple of hours. This story of true events that happened right outside Sioux Falls is heart wrenching and unimaginable! This 13 year old girl is beyond brave and has an incredible spirit. The things she endures even before this horrific night in her life is unreal! She is a true testimony of the things we can endure as humans and still function. She gives us all hope. I had the pleasure of meeting her at a book signing and was shocked how positive she is and the strength she still exhibits. Makes us look silly for some of the things we worry about or get upset about!

[Bonnie Kernene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the mass murder that occurred in 1973 in Gitchie Manitou State Park in Iowa. The book title refers to the only survivor of the night, Sandra. The book reflects so much of her emotions that you feel as though you were there with her. She is such a strong survivor who wanted justice for her friends.

This book touched me personally. Sandra's emotions, especially her compassion towards her friends, was truly amazing and inspiring. I highly recommend this book.

[Mzfitted · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved This book

This is a great TC book but also a book about the only survivors battle with survivors guilt. It is a story of teenagers out for a innocent night of bonfires and music that quickly turned into a nightmare only one would live through.I highly recommend this book.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent non-fiction book that reads smoothly like a novel. It usually takes me a long time to read anything in the true crime genre, but I tore through this book in two days.

[Eric Dirksen · Rating 4 out of 5]

great first hand account of a horrific story that happened near my home

[Rose Sharkh · Rating 1 out of 5]

*eye roll

[Sheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like reading true crime & survivor stories, but the writing in this book was at a high school level. Interesting story tho since I'm from the area and had never heard about these murders.