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Murder in the Family
On March 15th, 1987 police in Anchorage, Alaska arrived at a horrific scene of carnage. In a modest downtown apartment, they found Nancy Newman's brutally beaten corpse sprawled across her bed. In other rooms were the bodies of her eight-year-old daughter, Melissa, and her three-year-old, Angie, whose throat was slit from ear to ear. Both Nancy and Melissa had been sexually assaulted.
After an intense investigation, the police narrowed the principle suspect down to 23-year-old Kirby Anthoney a troubled drifter who had turned to his uncle, Nancy's husband John, for help and a place to stay. Little did John know that the nephew he took in was a murderous sociopath capable of slaughtering his beloved family.
This true story, shocking and tragic, stunned Anchorage's residents and motivated the Major Crimes Unit of the Anchorage Police Department to do everything right in their investigation. Feeling the heat as the police built their case, Kirby bolted for the Canadian border. But the cops were on to him. First they hunted him down; then the cops and a tenacious prosecutor began their long, bitter battle to convict him up against an equally tough defense lawyer, as well as the egomaniacal defendant himself. This shocking tale reached its climax in a controversial trial where for the first time an FBI profiler was allowed to testify and the controversial, pre-DNA science of allotyping was presented to a jury. But justice would not be served until after the psychopathic Kirby Anthoney took the stand in his own defense - and showed the world the monster he truly was.
After an intense investigation, the police narrowed the principle suspect down to 23-year-old Kirby Anthoney a troubled drifter who had turned to his uncle, Nancy's husband John, for help and a place to stay. Little did John know that the nephew he took in was a murderous sociopath capable of slaughtering his beloved family.
This true story, shocking and tragic, stunned Anchorage's residents and motivated the Major Crimes Unit of the Anchorage Police Department to do everything right in their investigation. Feeling the heat as the police built their case, Kirby bolted for the Canadian border. But the cops were on to him. First they hunted him down; then the cops and a tenacious prosecutor began their long, bitter battle to convict him up against an equally tough defense lawyer, as well as the egomaniacal defendant himself. This shocking tale reached its climax in a controversial trial where for the first time an FBI profiler was allowed to testify and the controversial, pre-DNA science of allotyping was presented to a jury. But justice would not be served until after the psychopathic Kirby Anthoney took the stand in his own defense - and showed the world the monster he truly was.
375 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
July 20, 2021
This is a true crime story about a horrific multiple murder that occurred in Alaska.
On March 15, 1987 the bodies of Nancy Newman and her two daughters - Angie (3 years old) and Melissa (8 years old) were found in their Anchorage, Alaska apartment. The three females had been brutally murdered, and Nancy and Melissa had also been raped in a very disgusting fashion. Suspicion soon fell on Nancy's nephew - 23-year-old Kirby Anthoney - a rough customer who had a history of violent behavior.
Nancy Newman with her daughters Angie and Melissa
Anthoney was a drifter who was often down on his luck. At one point, being broke, Anthoney was taken in by John and Nancy Newman - his uncle and aunt. Even after moving out, Anthoney kept a key and felt free to drop by the Newman apartment to shower, eat, hang out, etc. The cops suspected that Anthoney - after being rejected by his girlfriend - vented on Nancy and her daughters.
This book tells the story of Anthoney's arrest and trial. Most of the narrative is composed of interrogation and trial transcripts, interspersed with comments from the author. As the tale unfolds it becomes clear that Anthoney is a psychopath and pathological liar who easily called up fake emotions (crying, grief); twisted the facts; and fashioned 'alibi' stories.
Anthoney's excuses came to naught, however, because of the physical evidence connecting him to the crimes. Anthoney's trial was a long, difficult affair, with much wrangling between the capable prosecutor and excellent defense attorney - who worked hard on behalf of his client. There were competing experts, contradictory testimony, and much confusion - especially because DNA science was in its early stages at that time.
During the trial Anthoney didn't really help himself. He interrupted during other people's testimony and even took the stand - opening himself to rigorous cross-examination. On top of that, Anthoney gave his own closing argument - a rambling, three-hour-long diatribe. Anthoney seemed convinced that, using his 'gift of gab', he could explain away all the condemning evidence.
It's not clear why Anthoney would commit such monstrous acts, but being abused and neglected as a child might have been contributory factors. An in-depth analysis of Anthoney's criminal mind would make an interesting book, but would probably be impossible to write. Anthoney seems incapable of admitting to any wrongdoing or taking any responsibility for his actions, and wouldn't be likely to cooperate with a psychiatrist or author.
I'd recommend the book to fans of true crime as well as budding attorneys who plan to prosecute or defend homicide cases. They might get some good tips.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
February 16, 2017
Overall, I thought this was a balanced take on the story. While it makes a strong case that Anthoney was a horrible criminal, it does provide some balanced legal info that purported the other evidence. The narrator was good and did a good job of changing intonation when reading monologues from various players (lawyers, Anthoney, the judge, etc).
March 26, 2016
On March 15th, 1987 in Anchorage, Alaska a violent, hideous act was commented by a 23-year-old sociopath. His victims were his own Aunt and two very young nieces.
This is a trial book. It does not go word for word of the trial but very close. Very little background of the victims, the victims Husband/Father or of the sicko who commented the crime. What background was given, painted a picture of a family trying help and deal with a troubled sociopath. Little did they know taking him in would end the lives of three people.
This is not for everyone, it is very graphic at times with details of the crime scenes.
This is a trial book. It does not go word for word of the trial but very close. Very little background of the victims, the victims Husband/Father or of the sicko who commented the crime. What background was given, painted a picture of a family trying help and deal with a troubled sociopath. Little did they know taking him in would end the lives of three people.
This is not for everyone, it is very graphic at times with details of the crime scenes.
February 12, 2017
I believe this case has been an episode both of Forensic Files ("Trail of Truth" 5.7) and The New Detectives, which only makes sense given that it's a landmark case in the use of forensic evidence like hairs and fibers in convicting a murderer.
Also, the vileness of this particular murderer is exemplified by the fact that one of the most damning pieces of evidence against him was pubic hairs he left on his eight-year-old victim with pubic lice egg cases attached.
Really, that's Kirby Anthoney in a nutshell. He raped and murdered his aunt, raped and murdered his eight-year-old cousin and murdered his three-year-old cousin, very likely masturbating over her corpse. Then he cleaned up in their bathroom (leaving another pubic hair with pubic lice egg cases in a washcloth in the sink), stole his uncle's expensive camera and rolled coins from his aunt's waitressing tips and amscrayed. This is after being convicted back in Idaho of robbing an old lady in a wheelchair, including macing her unnecessarily, and raping and beating an eleven year old so severely that she was left blind in one eye, deaf in one ear, and unable to remember anything about the attack. (After which he fled to Alaska before he could be arrested; his mother neglected to mention this to her brother.) He also murdered a transvestite Native Alaskan, for reasons that may or may not have been sexual, and the Anchorage police believed he was also the murderer of a Native Alaskan girl. And he beat, stalked, and terrified at least three girlfriends, including one who testified for the prosecution for the trial.
Barer writes a compelling story. The legal wrangles at Anthoney's trial get a little tangled occasionally, but that's forgivable. And I like Barer for at least trying to talk about what creates people like Kirby Anthoney, whether we call them mass murderers, serial killers, sociopaths, psychopaths, people with antisocial personality disorder, or whatever the DSM has decided is in this year (yes, I know these aren't all synonyms; that's part of my point). Abusive childhoods don't help, but he points out that many psychopaths come from stable, loving homes and psychopaths' siblings, whether they share in a nurturing environment or an abusive one, do not also become psychopaths. "Violence in the media" or "video games" or "Dungeons & Dragons" or whatever your hobby horse is, isn't an explanation or even a theory. It's a cop-out, because it doesn't explain why some people can create and maintain a moral/ethical center despite these factors, while others can't or don't. And that's the question that I think matters most, even though I don't have an answer for it.
Also, the vileness of this particular murderer is exemplified by the fact that one of the most damning pieces of evidence against him was pubic hairs he left on his eight-year-old victim with pubic lice egg cases attached.
Really, that's Kirby Anthoney in a nutshell. He raped and murdered his aunt, raped and murdered his eight-year-old cousin and murdered his three-year-old cousin, very likely masturbating over her corpse. Then he cleaned up in their bathroom (leaving another pubic hair with pubic lice egg cases in a washcloth in the sink), stole his uncle's expensive camera and rolled coins from his aunt's waitressing tips and amscrayed. This is after being convicted back in Idaho of robbing an old lady in a wheelchair, including macing her unnecessarily, and raping and beating an eleven year old so severely that she was left blind in one eye, deaf in one ear, and unable to remember anything about the attack. (After which he fled to Alaska before he could be arrested; his mother neglected to mention this to her brother.) He also murdered a transvestite Native Alaskan, for reasons that may or may not have been sexual, and the Anchorage police believed he was also the murderer of a Native Alaskan girl. And he beat, stalked, and terrified at least three girlfriends, including one who testified for the prosecution for the trial.
Barer writes a compelling story. The legal wrangles at Anthoney's trial get a little tangled occasionally, but that's forgivable. And I like Barer for at least trying to talk about what creates people like Kirby Anthoney, whether we call them mass murderers, serial killers, sociopaths, psychopaths, people with antisocial personality disorder, or whatever the DSM has decided is in this year (yes, I know these aren't all synonyms; that's part of my point). Abusive childhoods don't help, but he points out that many psychopaths come from stable, loving homes and psychopaths' siblings, whether they share in a nurturing environment or an abusive one, do not also become psychopaths. "Violence in the media" or "video games" or "Dungeons & Dragons" or whatever your hobby horse is, isn't an explanation or even a theory. It's a cop-out, because it doesn't explain why some people can create and maintain a moral/ethical center despite these factors, while others can't or don't. And that's the question that I think matters most, even though I don't have an answer for it.
July 26, 2016
Highly recommended for true crime fans.
This outstanding story is not for weaklings. It is an account of the almost incomprehensible acts of a young psychopath who savagely raped and murdered his aunt and two young cousins.
The battle for justice in the courtroom was ferocious on both sides. The defense attorneys never ceased asking for concessions for their client. I did not believe the defendant deserved concessions after what he had done, for which he had shown no remorse.
The book is well-researched and the story seems complete with no dangling threads. The editing left much to be desired as there were about 80 errors, such as calling Mr. Salemi Mr. Salami.
This outstanding story is not for weaklings. It is an account of the almost incomprehensible acts of a young psychopath who savagely raped and murdered his aunt and two young cousins.
The battle for justice in the courtroom was ferocious on both sides. The defense attorneys never ceased asking for concessions for their client. I did not believe the defendant deserved concessions after what he had done, for which he had shown no remorse.
The book is well-researched and the story seems complete with no dangling threads. The editing left much to be desired as there were about 80 errors, such as calling Mr. Salemi Mr. Salami.
March 18, 2022
Gut wrenching but oh what a well written and outstanding book! I really wish I could have given it more than 5 stars.
December 1, 2016
A pal told me that she couldn't finish this book because she got very uncomfortable and upset about how someone our age could do this to his family. They still wanted to know about it so they asked me to read and tell them about it since reading true crime novels is my guilty pleasure. This book was very hard to read because of how three people were killed. They all deserved longer lives. I found this book to have several typos and feel an editor should have caught them. Another thing was that there were quite a few times the technical terms and sentences were very off-putting and confusing. Don't get me wrong I like having science and law definitions explained, especially since they have changed over the years and depend on each State, but this was too much. Other than these issues the story was gripping and well written. My pal was right about this book not being an easy book to stomach; I'll definitely need to read something more cheerful after this book.
September 19, 2016
Chilling tale of a true nightmare
I don't read a lot of true crime because the knowledge that people actually do the things we read about in fiction is sometimes more than I can handle. But I read one a couple of times a year because I am truly curious about what causes a seemingly normal person to do the unthinkable. This book provides a more than adequate description of the killer and gpes through the trial in perhaps a little more detail than we want. I suppose, though, it gives us a realistic picture of what the jury and legal teams had to tolerate. The book is well written, heartbreaking, and hard to put down or forget. I guess those are the hallmarks of a good true crime book. But I won't be reading another one any time soon. And I hope the killer of this family dies in prison. I only wish Alaska had the death penalty.
I don't read a lot of true crime because the knowledge that people actually do the things we read about in fiction is sometimes more than I can handle. But I read one a couple of times a year because I am truly curious about what causes a seemingly normal person to do the unthinkable. This book provides a more than adequate description of the killer and gpes through the trial in perhaps a little more detail than we want. I suppose, though, it gives us a realistic picture of what the jury and legal teams had to tolerate. The book is well written, heartbreaking, and hard to put down or forget. I guess those are the hallmarks of a good true crime book. But I won't be reading another one any time soon. And I hope the killer of this family dies in prison. I only wish Alaska had the death penalty.
July 12, 2016
The author did a great job with this book. Very well written.
They gave detailed accounts of not only how the murderer was captured, but the whole process including how the authorities have changed and improved up to the crime.
The story was written in a way that was very interesting and tho it could have been very confusing.. They simplified it for the reader to understand.
This was a horrendous crime and hard to fathom how an other person could do this, not only to one being but three! Two of which were very young children.
I enjoyed this book and recommend it to those of you who are true crime buffs!
Thank you for the opportunity to read a great book!
They gave detailed accounts of not only how the murderer was captured, but the whole process including how the authorities have changed and improved up to the crime.
The story was written in a way that was very interesting and tho it could have been very confusing.. They simplified it for the reader to understand.
This was a horrendous crime and hard to fathom how an other person could do this, not only to one being but three! Two of which were very young children.
I enjoyed this book and recommend it to those of you who are true crime buffs!
Thank you for the opportunity to read a great book!
July 24, 2016
A difficult subject but an excellent read. I am very interested in true crime, criminology and the procedures and evidence-gathering that brings people like this to justice. The unbelievable BS that the accused comes out with to explain the damning evidence against him is staggering.
I found the book worthy of five stars. I did not know the story so this made it even more interesting. I have no hesitation in recommending this book but beware that you will be shocked and outraged at this person’s acts and his deluded belief that he is above the law and able to escape the consequences of his extreme behaviour.
I found the book worthy of five stars. I did not know the story so this made it even more interesting. I have no hesitation in recommending this book but beware that you will be shocked and outraged at this person’s acts and his deluded belief that he is above the law and able to escape the consequences of his extreme behaviour.
November 13, 2016
A well written, if slightly dull, book covering the topic of a murder in Alaska that resulted in the introduction of profiling and dna evidence to the American courts for the first time. Highly detailed, sometimes to its own detriment, Murder in the Family is a peek behind the scenes of Alaskan justice and what goes into collecting, analysing and using evidence in a murder trial. A decent true crime book but I felt the author spent too much time quoting in detail the legal arguments in the case too much which took some of the "oomph" out of the impact of the story.
ARC/Netgally reviewed copy.
ARC/Netgally reviewed copy.
January 21, 2022
Copied & Pasted.
This book was basically a transcription of everything that happened in the courtroom- maybe even verbatim. I've never read anything so completely boring in my whole life. It was incredibly long-winded details & arguments that could have been described in a paragraph (if at all) went on for pages and pages and pages. It was mind boggling. The only thing I like more than reading is reading true crime courtroom accounts... and I couldn't even finish it.
This book was basically a transcription of everything that happened in the courtroom- maybe even verbatim. I've never read anything so completely boring in my whole life. It was incredibly long-winded details & arguments that could have been described in a paragraph (if at all) went on for pages and pages and pages. It was mind boggling. The only thing I like more than reading is reading true crime courtroom accounts... and I couldn't even finish it.
July 21, 2016
An okay book about an interesting (but very unpleasant) crime that took place in Anchorage, Alaska. More than 200 of its' pages come AFTER the suspect is arrested, so if you enjoy reading about courtroom maneuvering, this is the book for you. I was ready to wrap it up long before the end.
February 19, 2009
Interesting book. Maybe a bit dry with everything that was said during the trial in the book even all the talks with the judge and the prosecutor and lawyers. I still enjoyed it.
April 9, 2021
I hate that I’m giving this 5 stars but I do think it is what the book deserves. I read true crime, listen to podcasts and watch some YouTube videos about it. I want to understand the why because if we know why maybe we can find how to change it. Unfortunately, I never really get that. This book comes close. There is a lot of good information towards the end of the book that goes a bit into understanding. First though, you go through a horrific crime. I was crying my way through it. It is graphic and difficult to read. It is one book I’m happy I read as opposed to listening to the audiobook. I don’t think I would have made it through listening. The author did a good job with it. He reports the facts. He tells us of the investigation and trial. He gives a little update on some of the family members. He doesn’t really go into the victims and who they were. In a lot of true crime books, I like when they tell me about the victims. I feel like remembering who they were is a way to honor them. However in this book, I preferred it as written. I will not forget Nancy, Melissa, 8 years old and Angie Newman, 2 years old. Reading about who they were, though, would have ripped me to shreds. My heart broke for them and all those who knew and loved them. They died horribly at the hands of a family member they tried to help. Prison is too good for their killer but so is death. I want him to suffer, (I usually am not so rabid but I’m beyond angry and sad.). I am purposely not mentioning his name. I want his name forgotten while Nancy, Melissa and Angie’s names are remembered.
This is a book I would recommend to those who read true crime, to those who hope to go into law enforcement, criminal law and those with an interest in psychology. There is a lot of information on things like dna in its early days. I thought that was interesting. At the end, the author includes information on psychopaths. This helped me form a clearer picture of why, though really I just can’t even imagine the why. There are several pages of photos included in the Kindle version.
This is a book I would recommend to those who read true crime, to those who hope to go into law enforcement, criminal law and those with an interest in psychology. There is a lot of information on things like dna in its early days. I thought that was interesting. At the end, the author includes information on psychopaths. This helped me form a clearer picture of why, though really I just can’t even imagine the why. There are several pages of photos included in the Kindle version.
January 25, 2022
An in-depth look at the murder of a woman and her two young daughters at the hands of a psychotic relative. Horrifying, disgusting but enlightening.
May 17, 2023
Interesting story but quite repetitive in the telling of the arrest and trial. Such a heinous crime!
September 21, 2021
A Heck of a Story
One of the better true crime books I have read. Also, one of the most heinous criminals and crimes and, I've read many.
One of the better true crime books I have read. Also, one of the most heinous criminals and crimes and, I've read many.
December 29, 2016
This was a decent true crime book about a horrific series of murder-rapes, so my two-star rating is based on a personal preference. I don't enjoy the courtroom "drama" portion of most true crime books, and this one is almost entirely about the trial.
I skimmed a lot of the detailed play-by-play, supplied by courtroom transcripts. I would have preferred more insight/background into the victims and the killer. Even though the killer was related to the husband and father of his victims, there is very little about their relationship or why the husband came to fear him even before he killed his family.
I skimmed a lot of the detailed play-by-play, supplied by courtroom transcripts. I would have preferred more insight/background into the victims and the killer. Even though the killer was related to the husband and father of his victims, there is very little about their relationship or why the husband came to fear him even before he killed his family.
July 4, 2016
The bodies of Nancy Newman (wife and mother), Melissa Newman (eight-years-old), and Angie Newman (three-years-old) were found brutally murdered in their home on March, 15, 1987. It was one of the most horrific crimes ever seen in Anchorage, Alaska, to date. 'Murder in the Family' is a detailed account of the investigation of the crime, apprehension of the suspect and the subsequent trial, conviction and sentencing of the perpetrator.
What makes this true crime book especially interesting is that the case marks the first time testimony was allowed by an FBI profiler and allotyping evidence was introduced in support of demonstrable proof of guilt--Both of which were very controversial at the time.
Burl Barer explains much of the early DNA science as it is used in this case as well as the procedural aspects involved, so if you're looking for a white-knuckle suspenseful read, this is likely not it. However, 'Murder in the Family' engaged me in a different way. There is much here about the psychology of the criminal mind and the police officers who worked relentlessly to solve the case up to and post conviction.
What makes this true crime book especially interesting is that the case marks the first time testimony was allowed by an FBI profiler and allotyping evidence was introduced in support of demonstrable proof of guilt--Both of which were very controversial at the time.
Burl Barer explains much of the early DNA science as it is used in this case as well as the procedural aspects involved, so if you're looking for a white-knuckle suspenseful read, this is likely not it. However, 'Murder in the Family' engaged me in a different way. There is much here about the psychology of the criminal mind and the police officers who worked relentlessly to solve the case up to and post conviction.
February 11, 2017
Listen to a psychopath defend his own murders in the courtroom.
April 10, 2022
I'm not sure exactly how the author managed to make such a brutal crime into an only halfway interesting book. For one thing, this had way too much detail from the trial... it stretched on and on!
Something else that bothered me was the high level of errors... not sure if this was just in the kindle version or not, but it was exceptionally distracting. E.G., somebody was "obviously hangover," someone's name is spelled three different ways, plus the following sentences have punctuation all over the place:
"Basically, the situation was, out of control."
"Is Cheryl Chapman going to try and cover up something as to time of, death, and why would she do that?"
"There are hundreds of thousands, of hairs and all manner of debris in there. It would be so time- consuming that it would shut down, the entire lab."
This book started out fairly strong, but lost a lot of steam (and stars) for me along the way.
Something else that bothered me was the high level of errors... not sure if this was just in the kindle version or not, but it was exceptionally distracting. E.G., somebody was "obviously hangover," someone's name is spelled three different ways, plus the following sentences have punctuation all over the place:
"Basically, the situation was, out of control."
"Is Cheryl Chapman going to try and cover up something as to time of, death, and why would she do that?"
"There are hundreds of thousands, of hairs and all manner of debris in there. It would be so time- consuming that it would shut down, the entire lab."
This book started out fairly strong, but lost a lot of steam (and stars) for me along the way.
August 9, 2016
Family members???
This book shows that some people don't have true family love. Was this terrible event a result of a young boy who was abused and beaten by his father? Or was he born without the ability to love and have empathy for others not just in his family but those he came in contact with through the years. To kill his aunt and her two daughters , after having been given shelter and support by them, is disgusting, not to mention the rapes . I would recommend this book to anyone who likes true crime.
This book shows that some people don't have true family love. Was this terrible event a result of a young boy who was abused and beaten by his father? Or was he born without the ability to love and have empathy for others not just in his family but those he came in contact with through the years. To kill his aunt and her two daughters , after having been given shelter and support by them, is disgusting, not to mention the rapes . I would recommend this book to anyone who likes true crime.
October 20, 2021
This case interested me since it took place in Anchorage, Alaska, my hometown. Unfortunately, Alaska has always attracted people like Joe, a psychopath. What makes this crime so sickening is that his aunt and uncle allowed him to live with them and tried to help him. He repays them by killing Nancy and the two little girls. But to add insult to injury, he raped the mother and the 8 year old. It’s really scary to think how many of these monsters live among us.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2024
When we talk about family we talk about the normal things. Love, compassion, togetherness and even some bad things like secretness, bitterness and fighting. This one takes it to a whole nother level. Absolutely brutal case and content warning this involves children so take care when reading this. However the info is good and there is a lot to gain from this.
Recommend this one.
Recommend this one.
July 10, 2016
Blah
The book started out pretty good but I just lost interest when there was too much detail in court room scenes. I tried to to finish the book but I could not.
The book started out pretty good but I just lost interest when there was too much detail in court room scenes. I tried to to finish the book but I could not.
June 22, 2019
I picked this up because of some of my Alaska connections. It's not good. For one thing, there are grammatical errors and missing sentences throughout the ebook edition. It's also slow, clunkily written, and boring. More substantially, this is a true crime book that profits off of the sick draw people have to gory stories and revenge fantasies without adding much value. I think you could learn just as much about trials by reading the transcripts.
I'm particularly unforgiving of this book's flaws because of how the author writes about one of Anthoney's alleged victims, a trans Alaska Native woman, Napageak. I've only been able to find sources that use her deadname, so I can't properly identify her. She was brutally beaten to death and left naked in the snow in downtown Anchorage. Her death was never properly investigated. Several years later, her killer attacked a white married woman and her two kids. Those victims were "worthy" enough to warrant catching the killer and several hundred pages of tragedy porn.
Barer implies that Napageak's death was justified, because any man would have been confused and violent if they discovered their sexual partner was AMAB. That's a cruel perspective even for the late 90s, when the book was published. Failing to correct or update her treatment in the 2016 comment is unconscionable. If only police saw every life as worthwhile, maybe Anthoney would have been caught as soon as he started preying on the easiest, most vulnerable targets. Shame on this author for perpetuating society's disregard for the safety and value of trans people of color.
I'm particularly unforgiving of this book's flaws because of how the author writes about one of Anthoney's alleged victims, a trans Alaska Native woman, Napageak. I've only been able to find sources that use her deadname, so I can't properly identify her. She was brutally beaten to death and left naked in the snow in downtown Anchorage. Her death was never properly investigated. Several years later, her killer attacked a white married woman and her two kids. Those victims were "worthy" enough to warrant catching the killer and several hundred pages of tragedy porn.
Barer implies that Napageak's death was justified, because any man would have been confused and violent if they discovered their sexual partner was AMAB. That's a cruel perspective even for the late 90s, when the book was published. Failing to correct or update her treatment in the 2016 comment is unconscionable. If only police saw every life as worthwhile, maybe Anthoney would have been caught as soon as he started preying on the easiest, most vulnerable targets. Shame on this author for perpetuating society's disregard for the safety and value of trans people of color.
April 8, 2019
The only reason this gets only 4 & not 5 stars is ..
I always like to leave myself some wiggle room, and this book was truly both interesting & educational and then it was also the most horrifying True Crime book I’ve ever read, and I would deeply caution any prospective reader regarding some of the contents of these crimes once read, are impossible to forget.
This was my first book by this author, and I will be reading my way through all of his books as I very much enjoy his writing style. He gives enough detail of the crime to allow readers to understand the gravity of what occurred, he then follows along with the catching of the presumed guilty party, as well as a good look at their life, both as a child, and as they mature to give a good overview of everything. Then of course the trial, and this was written at least a 1/3 of the book I’d say. I happen to like books spaced out like this, so for me it’s perfect, of course not all his books may be like this one, time will tell ..
I’ll end my feedback with my thoughts combined with a quote from the book...
The term Predator absolutely sums up Kirby Anthoney . . . A tragic combination of defective nature and perverted nurture created a monster.
I always like to leave myself some wiggle room, and this book was truly both interesting & educational and then it was also the most horrifying True Crime book I’ve ever read, and I would deeply caution any prospective reader regarding some of the contents of these crimes once read, are impossible to forget.
This was my first book by this author, and I will be reading my way through all of his books as I very much enjoy his writing style. He gives enough detail of the crime to allow readers to understand the gravity of what occurred, he then follows along with the catching of the presumed guilty party, as well as a good look at their life, both as a child, and as they mature to give a good overview of everything. Then of course the trial, and this was written at least a 1/3 of the book I’d say. I happen to like books spaced out like this, so for me it’s perfect, of course not all his books may be like this one, time will tell ..
I’ll end my feedback with my thoughts combined with a quote from the book...
The term Predator absolutely sums up Kirby Anthoney . . . A tragic combination of defective nature and perverted nurture created a monster.
June 22, 2025
There are some true crimes books out there that not only give a good accounting of the investigation and prosecution of a crime, but make clear our Constitutional principles (presumption of innocence, due process, etc.) and detail the often complex exchange and agreements between, as well as competing goals, of the defense and prosecution. This is one of those books. It is not a magnum opus, like Helter Skelter (still one of the best popular "textbooks" on how a prosecution should be conducted while securing a suspect's rights), but the court procedural is even more detailed and gripping than the investigation of the crime. This book also includes a summary of the video-game/goth/family breakdown hysteria of the late 1990s and a plea for early diagnosis and intervention of psychopathy.
BE WARNED: The details of this very, very tragic case are disturbing, as are the graphics included. Nothing is done to "pretty up" this case (nor should there have been any attempt to do so). Every true crime is an unspeakable violation, and true crime fans (like me) need to bear that in mind.
BE WARNED: The details of this very, very tragic case are disturbing, as are the graphics included. Nothing is done to "pretty up" this case (nor should there have been any attempt to do so). Every true crime is an unspeakable violation, and true crime fans (like me) need to bear that in mind.
April 16, 2022
Normally a fan of true crime tv shows, I must say the book version of a true crime was an aggravating listen. Kirby Anthony was found guilty of raping and murdering his aunt, eight year old cousin and three year old cousin. Crime scene descriptions were nauseating and horrific, his trial was a ridiculous display of legal maneuverings, and listening to even part of the defendants testimony, three hour closing argument, and sentencing interruptions were despicable. I understand our country's justice system, but I do believe there are some laws attached to due process that need to be seriously reconsidered. To be clear, I do not blame the author at all, other than to say that his masterful storytelling skill just made this true story viscerally awful.
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