A Killing in Amish Country: Sex, Betrayal, and a Cold-Blooded Murder

by Gregg Olsen, Rebecca Morris

At just 30 years old, with dark-blonde hair and freckles, Barbara Weaver was as pretty as the women depicted on the covers of her favorite "bonnet" stories - romance novels set in Amish America. Barbara had everything she'd ever five beautiful children, a home, her faith, and a husband named Eli. But while Barbara was happy to live as the Amish have for centuries - without modern conveniences, Eli was tempted by cell phones, the Internet, and sexting. Online he called himself "Amish Stud" and found no shortage of "English" women looking for love and sex. Twice he left Barbara and their children, was shunned, begged for forgiveness, and had been welcomed back to the church. Barb Raber was raised Amish, but is now a Conservative Mennonite. She drove Eli to appointments in her car, and she gave him what he wanted when he a cell phone, a laptop, rides to his favorite fishing and hunting places, and, most importantly, sex. When Eli starts asking people to kill his wife for him, Barb offers to help. One night, just after Eli had hitched a ride with a group of men to go fishing in the hours before dawn, Barb Raber entered the Weaver house and shot Barbara Weaver in the chest at close range.It was only the third murder in hundreds of years of Amish life in America, and it fell to Edna Boyle, a young assistant prosecutor to seek justice for Barbara Weaver.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Mystery, Crime, Amish, History

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 5, 2016

About the author

Throughout his career, Gregg Olsen has demonstrated an ability to create a detailed narrative that offers readers fascinating insights into the lives of people caught in extraordinary circumstances.

A #1 New York Times bestselling author, Olsen has written ten nonfiction books, ten novels, and contributed a short story to a collection edited by Lee Child.

The award-winning author has been a guest on dozens of national and local television shows, including educational programs for the History Channel, Learning Channel, and Discovery Channel. He has also appeared on Good Morning America, The Early Show, The Today Show, FOX News; CNN, Anderson Cooper 360, MSNBC, Entertainment Tonight, CBS 48 Hours, Oxygen’s Snapped, Court TV’s Crier Live, Inside Edition, Extra, Access Hollywood, and A&E’s Biography.

In addition to television and radio appearances, the award-winning author has been featured in Redbook, USA Today, People, Salon magazine, Seattle Times, Los Angeles Times and the New York Post.

The Deep Dark was named Idaho Book of the Year by the ILA and Starvation Heights was honored by Washington’s Secretary of State for the book’s contribution to Washington state history and culture.

Olsen, a Seattle native, lives in Olalla, Washington with his wife and Suri (a mini dachshund so spoiled she wears a sweater).

Reviews

[Sharon Orlopp · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to A Killing in Amish Country: Sex, Betrayal, and a Cold-Blooded Murder on audiobook. It is narrated fabulously by Coleen Marlo. I have read several of Gregg Olsen's true-crime nonfiction books as well as some of his novels, including If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood, Victim Six, A Wicked Snow, and Closer Than Blood. I tend to prefer his true-crime books better than his novels.

Barbara Weaver, a thirty-year-old woman is murdered in her bedroom while her five children and two of their cousins slept in the home. Barbara's husband, Eli, was leading a double life as a womanizer. He trolled for women online as "Amish Stud."

Eli mentioned to his many girlfriends and several of his male pals that he would like to kill his wife. Unfortunately, many of them thought he was joking. One of his girlfriends, also named Barb, felt she could help him, and she started researching ways to murder Eli's wife.

Fascinating, tragic tale that is well told.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book by Gregg Olsen that I have read which relates the true story of a crime. This crime happened among the Amish, which makes it intriguing as so much of their lives and culture is hidden from outsiders. The story brings home how we are all similar and prone to similar temptations and weaknesses. Recommended

[Chantal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't want to say to much about this book. It was a lot of the times the information was repetitive. It also was missing some info at the end. People will never change. The writer can contact me if he wants to know what I mean.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has a lot of repeated interrogations but that actually drove home the sense of the motives, implications in emotion and dependency for this terrible crime. A murder of a mother with 6 children in the house under 9 years of age at the time of the crime.

The fact that the principals were all Amish or former Amish (Mennonite switched) makes the entire cognition, emotion, underpinnings for how this could have occurred in the way it occurred- doubly compelling for the way it was "told".

Because what is studied, far beyond the forensics, is the patterns of culture as compared with real life actions for those who committed them. And how people around them interpreted their former failings too. What a dichotomy!

It's not the tension levels reached for some in this genre, because the reader has a moderately sure quantity of insight from the get-go. But it holds an incredible amount of psychological depth to the "rejected" personality type that will do most anything for acceptance and a temporary suggestion of/ for a love attachment. (Especially a woman who is plain and under regarded around the block in every sense.)This woman was so full of disillusion that she actually believed she would be able to be a speaker for the "dangers of texting" after all of this was "over". As if all the lies and past duplicitous roles and the ultimate transgression felony- all of those- they were not the prime factor of "wrong"? Huh! Not very bright, but her "eyes" so colored by any attention, IMHO- that her mind was nearly infantile when being told "what to do". And the murdered woman's diary telling her tale too. Day by day with all of those "counselors" aiding her and listening to that marriage!!!

I would read another by this author. Few photos because of the Amish negation to taking pictures of individuals. But great reference and background for all the authorities and the ultimate trial factions. All of them. Especially for the record of the accused female's husband.

IMHO, only a supremely pure hearted and good intent person with very little real life contact in society could be as naive and vulnerable as this lady taxi driver's husband was. And is.

[Linda Lipko · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Amish people are known as "plain." Their simple lifestyle bans the use of electricity, cell phones, automobiles, and all the things that non-Amish consider necessary. This is a fascinating book written by two very competent and excellent writers. When Barbara Weaver was found in her bed with a bullet in her chest, many knew immediately that it was her husband who killed her.

Time and time again, she let him back in her life after he blatantly cheated and broke not only his marriage vows, but the vows he took when he became Amish. Kicked out of the Amish, shunned twice, he gave in to the temptation of sex and multiple partners. Using a cell phone, he trolled sites looking for sex partners, calling himself the "Amish Stud!." And, because of the lure of being with someone Amish, he had no trouble finding women who were drawn to him.

The book focuses on Eli Weaver's trial and the fact that he used an older woman to help kill his wife. She was not his usual type of woman, she was not his usual good-looking target, and some would say she was downright ugly. He played her emotionally, and she did his bidding. It was text messages left on the phones of both he and his partner that convicted them of murder.

This is a very interesting, and well written book, outlining how the Amish lifestyle did not encourage a wife to leave her husband.

Four stars! Highly recommended.

[Maresi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a compelling story in desperate need of better writers. yikes.

["Avonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

A KILLING IN AMISH COUNTRY: Sex Betrayal, and a Cold-Blooded Murder by Gregg Olsen and Rebecca Morris is a surprising true crime saga from a community we associate with innocence and peacefulness, but just as in all societies, there are individuals who break the rules, both moral and criminal. This story is told through the eyes of the investigators and the prosecutor with snippets at the start of each chapter taken from the murdered woman’s personal writings.

Barbara Weaver has always been content with her Amish way of life. Growing up she was a fan of Amish romance books and dreamed of finding her own “Happily Ever After”. Now at 30 years old, she has five beautiful children and a husband named Eli.

Eli Weaver has never been satisfied with his Amish way of life. He has abandoned his wife and children to live among the “English” several times over the marriage, but always repents and returns. With the cell phone he is not supposed to own and the computer at his business, he goes on-line to dating sites and finds women as “Amish Stud”. Eli wants freedom from his family but is not willing to give up his business or home.

Barb Raber is a Mennonite driver who is used by Eli, not just for transportation, but also for sex. Eli asks several of his girlfriends to kill his wife which they take as a joke, but Barb takes him seriously and agrees to do it. Just before dawn as Eli is on his way to Lake Erie to fish, Barb enters the Weaver home and shoots Barbara Weaver in the chest while in her bed sleeping.

I was shocked when I heard about this criminal case. I live in Ohio and have visited Amish country many times. While I knew “Who did it”, the forensics of this case are not the only focus of this case, the psychological analysis is what pulled me in. Eli Weaver was a manipulative sociopath who was immature and only interested in his own pleasure. He was abusive to his wife, dismissive of his children, and a liar. He was able to pick just the right type of women to manipulate and Barb Raber was his ultimate conquest. Eli was not sophisticated enough to know how to cover up his crime, but he was smart enough to push as much of the blame as possible on to Barb Raber. My only problem with this book was it is repetitive in places which at times slows the pace, but the story is still overall so interesting. It is a sad story that happens in our society often, but you just do not expect it in the Amish community.

I recommend this true crime murder investigation for an intriguing read.

[Ms BooksAholic · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very excited to read this true crime book. Two of the subjects that interest me, true crime and Amish.
I thought the overall foundation was good. But the story was just okay for me. The Amish husband, Eli, was truly an evil man. Right from the beginning to the end it was the same that the Amish husband, Eli Weaver, was very unhappy with his life. A lot of the information was repetitive. So throughout the story it became very slow and tedious. There wasn't much information about his family, his wife Barbara who was the victim and his children. There was a lot more information about his mistress (Barb Raber) who was also the other convicted person for Barbara's murder. I didn't mind all the information about her but I was more information about his wife and children so you could get an actual sense to connect with the victim. I was looking for a starting point of where Eli's unhappiness began. Or even was their marriage always like this?
Overall it was just an okay true crime read for me and I feel left with questions more then a conclusion.

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too tired (Just got back from a few days Newcastle and I read this book while on the boat. Not his best.I did not mind the repetition but the story was quickly finished. enough proof. Two killers we hardly got to now and one victim whom I also do not feel like I know any better. There are too many questions left.

[John Bastin · Rating 4 out of 5]

About twenty-five years ago, Gregg Olsen wrote about misdeeds among the Amish, the tightly-knit, very religious, mostly closed community regarded as an example of the best practitioners of a Godly life. In Abandoned Prayers, he followed the acts of Eli Stutzman, an Amish man who "jumped the fence" (left the Amish) with tragic results.

Unfortunately, now he has another story to tell, about the murder of Barbara Weaver, a pretty, blond, 30-year-old Amish wife who was very happy in her life following the strict commands of the Ordnung and living without the conveniences and temptations present outside the Amish world. Barbara's husband, Eli, was not as happy living within those limitations, and frequently strayed from them, actually leaving the Amish more than once, and being Banned and Shunned for his sinful, adulterous practices.

This is the story of tragedy among a community where it should be rare (and it is; only three murders among the Amish in hundreds of years of their existence). This was big news in Wayne and Holmes County, Ohio, the center of Amish population in the state, when it happened, in 2009. I live in Wayne County, I'm familiar with the Amish in our area, and I followed the news when this happened. For me, it makes the book even more interesting as it mentions names I'm familiar with in our local community.

But you don't need to live here to find this book compelling. It's a well-written, detailed, colorful story of an event that was terrible in the happening, and haunts the memories of many people in the area yet today.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read from Mr. Gregg Olsen and Rebecca Morris. It is interesting as I have read many fiction Amish books. I like many are fascinated by this lifestyle. Yet, even when I have read a few fiction Amish murder mystery stories, I was still shocked by the thought that murder happens in this community. I mean it does but the murder rate is very low.

As I read this story of Barbara and Eli Weaver, I felt conflicted by the people in their community. On one had I understood their reason for forgiving and not holding ill will but on the other hand, I felt like they turned their back on Barbara.

Then there were all of the women that Eli had relationships with. They knew that Eli was married but yet they continued to have relationships with him. If he had never mentioned killing his wife, I believe these women would have still carried on a relationship with him. By the end of this book I did feel like Barbara got justice.

[Connie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a true crime story of a murder in Amish country of Ohio. It read like a paper written by an unmotivated high school student who was working on his paper that’s due tomorrow. The story is full of facts and quotes that are just there. There is no coherent flow to the book at all. The authors should be ashamed.

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Amish Stud”, I’d call that an oxymoron! What a creep Eli Weaver is, once he left for the English way of life they should not have let him back in their Amish Community. One does not have to agree with their restricted way of life, but certainly it deserves respect. Eli just never got the message.

The book gets a bit repetitious, but then books that entail a trial often do. The authors presented the case fair and square, I guess we’ll never know what really happened. True crime beats fiction!

[Rita]

A Killing in Amish Country: Sex, Betrayal, and a Cold-blooded Murder

[ANGEL · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was left completely disappointed upon finishing the final pages. Most of this book was repetitive. Poorly written. Barbara Weaver deserved better than everything she endured and the poor children were left without both parents because of the selfishness their disgrace of a father displayed.

[William · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to this on audio book and disk one was nothing but the constant phrase that the wife didn’t want to perform the perverted sexual act her husband demanded. I got it. I didn’t need to hear it a few dozen times. The story repeats the same information way too often. Its as if there was not enough information to make a novel so they author repeated what they had and repeated it until he had a certain word count. It really took away from the murder among a group of people who are not normally entangled in crime. Being a true crime it fell short. It might have worked better if told as a novel. It had all the makings for a thriller. Really it felt like someone just threw the facts at you.

[Sadie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like books that pull you in from the start. While the story of Eli Weaver enlisting his married lover's help to kill his wife, and the mother of his five children was interesting enough, the book moved at a slow pace. Eli was not very happy at being Amish or married yet, he wasn't willing to give either of them up at least not in the conventional way.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This true-crime book grabbed me from the start. It's disturbing, yes, but also fascinating in how it pulls back the curtain on a crime in a community most of us imagine as peaceful and untouched by this kind of darkness. The authors balance the shocking details with compassion, and they show how betrayal and secrets can fester even in a world that looks picture-perfect on the outside.

The pacing kept me turning pages, and I appreciated that it wasn't sensationalized. It's written with a steady hand that lets the story speak for itself. It also gave me plenty to think about when it comes to trust, faith, and what people will do when they feel cornered.

If you like true crime that dives into both the psychologic and the ripple effects of murder, this one is well worth reading. It's unsettling, but also a reminder that human nature has shadows, even in the most unexpected places.

[Jacque Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like true crime , well written and doesn’t give away everything too soon. I find true crime depressing as it shows how pathetic we can be. This is about a married Amish man who seeks out multiple sexual partners online and uses a friend to help him murder his wife do he can be free….and they have four children! Yuck!

[Nikki Keating · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn’t Olsen’s best. I listened on audio and some of the book was just annoyingly repetitive. I increased the speed to get through it. Still, it was an interesting look about how the Amish are built on forgiveness. They weren’t equipped to deal with a sociopath among them. He refused to repent (although saying he had) and continued to lie until he planned a murder.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eli Weaver was not particularly happy in the Amish community. He did not care for all the restrictions and felt his wife Barbara was repressed sexually. Although she was beautiful and a good mother to his children, he wanted more. He had affairs with other women, meeting most of them on a website called Mocospace on chat rooms. He advertised himself as “Amish Stud” and later as “Amish Guy.” He was young and women were attracted to the fact that he was Amish. He treated most of the woman nicely and even helped some out financially. He had a baby with one woman and he provided child support. He was, however, not so nice with his wife, controlling and he did not like to give her money for herself or their children for food or clothes, or anything else.

Barbara was verbal to others about not being happy in her marriage. In the meantime, Eli continued his affairs and also had an ongoing relationship with a married woman named Barb Raber. Barb helped him get his computer laptop, cell phone and pleased him sexually. She was about ten years older and not particularly attractive, but she was loyal. The Amish were not allowed to have use of the internet, cellphone or even to watch TV. Eli hated these restrictions and turned his back on the Amish community twice, but he kept returning – maybe it was because of his children – or maybe he had trouble psychologically making a clean break. But this third time, returning, he contemplated how to murder his wife. He would ask friends and talk to Barb about it. Most did not take him seriously and thought it was in jest that Eli was saying that he wanted to kill his wife. But, with Barb, he was serious and when he wasn’t with her, he would have discussions about this with her in text messages.

One morning, Barbara Weaver was murdered by a shotgun wound in her chest while she slept and the young children were home in the house. The gun was never found and there was a lack of strong evidence, except for the text conversations between Barb and Eli.

Eli said he would leave the door open one day for Barb to she could enter and shoot his wife. This was possible as there was no forced entry and the investigators determined the murder was not a result from a robbery as possessions, including money, in the hoarder house seemed to still be there. While in jail after her arrest, Barb supposedly “confessed” to another prisoner, but since the two were alone, even that was not solid evidence. However, it was clear that Barb loved Eli and would do just about anything for him. Both were arrested for the conspiracy of murder.

The book is unique in giving some insight into the Amish community as well as well as their reactions to crime and domestic abuse.

[Kirsti · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you sneak into your boyfriend's house and shoot his wife to death while she's asleep in bed, and then you tell the police that it was an accident, they'll either let you go or put you under house arrest, right? Right??

This is a tragic true story about a community where murder is extremely rare and a woman who believed she had to forgive her husband no matter what. I learned a lot about Amish and Conservative Mennonite communities in Ohio. I understand that most Amish and ex-Amish people do not attend school after the eighth grade, but I know people who haven't gone past the eighth grade and who are still smart and capable. I expected many of the people in this book to be naive and unworldly, but some of them were completely lacking in logic and common sense. I guess it's possible to live in a fantasy world even if you don't have movies and TV shows and other forms of mass entertainment to dive into.

Minus one star for a lot of repetition.

[Shae Bright · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be very unsettling.

I picked it up on account of another book chat I was recently at where we were doing some wondering about how law is enforced within the Amish community.

If you can't trust your husband, much less your AMISH husband - then who can you trust?

I wish this womanizing, adulterous, uncaring husband would have stayed gone on one of his galavants and left his wife and kids to try to be happy on their own.

So many people were involved in conversations with this narcissistic asshole ("Amish Stud" was his code name online) He repeatedly told people that he wished his wife were dead and what did everyone think would be the best way for her to die. No one took him seriously and she ended up paying with her life.

My heart breaks for the kids.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very upsetting and unsettling murder case. Barbara Weaver was murdered on June 2, 2009. Her Husband Eli is the prime suspect as well as one of his Girlfriends. The Authors did a wonderful job of not going overboard with nasty details but give a clear picture of the crime scene. Eli is clearly a man who wanted it all, the life style he grew up in and the life style he discovered via internet and having a cell phone. The Amish are a fascinating subject and this book does touch on the details of some of their beliefs but does not lose focus on the Murder case.

[Koren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating look at the Amish lifestyle and one black sheep in the flock. I liked how the author put quotes from the murdered woman's diary at the beginning of each chapter. It gave us a better feel for who she was. I was sad that there were no pictures of her. Her religion forbade taking pictures so none exist. However, I did feel that half way through the book it got to be repetitive and there was quite a bit of word for word testimony at the trial, which was a yawn-er for me. So I cant quite give this book 5 stars. I think I will give it 4 stars.

[Toni Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book had great potential but read like it was poorly organized. I think there's a really interesting story here that deserves another pass. It should be reedited and reissued. This version doesn't do the story justice. Too many repetitions make it a tedious read where it should be a tight, taught read.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amish culture has always interested me, and this true story is chock full of Amish beliefs, their faith, their way of living. But c'mon, what author spills the spoiler within the first few chapters? I figured it out before then, anyway. Still a sad, inevitable ending.

[Jamie Jones Hullinger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fascinating case but I ultimately became bored by the end.

[Alison Matarazzo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lost interest

[Sierra W. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was interested in the subject matter, but it wasn’t what I was expecting. I wanted more about what led up to the murder.