Closing Time: A True Story of Robbery and Double Murder

by Anita Paddock

From the best-selling author of Blind Rage “Blood from two bullets fired at close range into the head of the man and two bullets into the head of the pretty girl with long, light-brown hair.” The Staton Slaughter is one of the saddest true-crime events of the 1980s, told by the best-selling author of Blind Rage. In the vein of In Cold Blood , Closing Time is the stunning story of good and evil colliding in the most tragic of ways, both for the victims and their loved ones left behind to re-live their horror. Kenneth Staton was the well-respected owner of a jewelry store in Van Buren, Arkansas. Although crippled with rheumatoid arthritis and unable to walk without crutches, he had built his business through excellent watch repair work, fine quality jewelry sold at fair prices, and a dedication to his customers that surpassed all other merchants. He was the quintessential gentleman in all aspects of his life, and a beloved father. Unknown to him, two men—a seasoned criminal with a propensity for violence and a younger man, handsome, but broke and with an obsessive thirst for alcohol—plotted to rob the jewelry store at closing time on September 10, 1980. The thugs had only met each other days before, and it was the younger one's first venture into armed robbery. When Staton and his daughter Suzanne didn't show up for supper, his other two daughters became alarmed and went to the store. There they found the bodies of their father and youngest sister lying in pools of blood, gagged, hogtied, and shot twice in the head. Close to $100,000 dollars in diamonds and other jewelry had been stolen. This senseless, bloody crime rocked the town of Van Buren and set its lawmen, sworn to find the killers, on a fiercely determined hunt that led from Rogers, Arkansas to Jacksonville, Florida, and all the way to Vancouver, Canada. Seventeen years later, was justice served? Praise for Closing Time “Anita Paddock is the newest and strongest voice in true crime writing. Closing Time makes you feel as if you are there, seeing what happened, and feeling the terror and sorrow of those felled by these brutal crimes.” – Marla Cantrell, Editor of Do South Magazine and an Arkansas Art Council Fellow “Anita Paddock delivers again. Closing Time reveals an unvarnished truth that will, at times, leave her readers breathless. Those familiar with her work will quickly conclude that Closing Time is a worthy successor to her previous best seller, Blind Rage . Get ready for some late nights because you won’t be able to put this one down.” – Greg Shepard, author of Earthstains , the story of Matt and George Kimes who came of age in the Roaring Twenties with a string of sensational bank robberies.

Genres: True Crime, Crime, Nonfiction, Book Club, History

172 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 12, 2017

Reviews

[Bettye McKee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of a double murder and the family's struggle to endure

I read this book with a heavy heart. I knew the Staton family and taught Janet in Sunday School. They were a close-knit family, loved and respected by all who knew them.

On September 10, 1980, Kenneth Staton and his youngest daughter, Suzanne, were in the process of closing up Staton's Jewelry for the night when two armed men entered to rob the store. Kenneth and Suzanne cooperated in every respect, with Kenneth handing over his wallet and wedding ring.

Suzanne had been moving merchandise from the display cases to the safe, so the safe was open. Kenneth had, for many years, been confined to a wheelchair and mainly worked in the back room repairing watches and jewelry.

The men tied and gagged Kenneth and Suzanne in the back room, then shot each of them in the head. The killers fled with the loot.

Ms. Paddock writes so well and provides so many details that the story is not only complete but also a pleasure to read.

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[Kim Hampton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read both of Anita Paddock's books and they are fantastic! I was not quite four years old when the murders of Kenneth Staton and Suzanne Staton Ware happened, but I still knew about them from stories that were told years later. Anita, with the Staton family's blessing, did a marvelous job of bringing not only the story of the robbery and murder to life, but also the stories of the killers, and what they took from the family when they took the lives of two loved individuals. She did a thorough job researching the facts. I'm anxiously awaiting her next book!

[Jackie Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like her previous book, "Blind Rage", this is another insightful and compelling true account of a violent tragedy happening to a local prominent family. The Staton Jewelry Store robbery and brutal murders of beloved family members is made even more personal, heartbreaking, and compelling through Anita's in-depth exploration of everyone involved, the guilty as well as the innocent. You won't be able to stop until you've read the whole story.

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing mean to say about the victims nor their family..I feel very sorry for their loss but after reading 30% of this book I knew everything really.I do not think this case was " interesting" enough for a book.Yes for a short story.

Then I am shocked all the other reviews are so raving. Here is another author who describes exactly what a murder victim thinks the second before she dies making this fiction instead of the plain truth.
Read 74 %.I checked because I thought I had liked the author's other book but then I noticed I did not.Had only given it 2 stars.
There is so few good true crime being written lately people think this is good.

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite of Anita Paddock's writing, but a fun and quick read.

[Jackie Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up in Van Buren, Arkansas, you knew who the Staton family was. You knew their jewelry store. They were such a nice family. When you crossed paths with them they always said hello and treated you with kindness and respect. My wedding rings came from Staton Jewelry.

Anita Paddock has written an amazing, descriptive and compassionate book about the sad and horrific murders of Mr. Kenneth Staton and his precious daughter Suzanne Staton Ware. You become engrossed in the book and can feel the anger of, fear for and love of this family.
As you go through the days before and after the murder leading up to the end of the book you can feel the dedication of the family and law enforcement to find the murderers and get Justice for Kenneth and Suzanne Staton Ware. You can feel the love of the community for the Staton family.

When I am in Cloverleaf Plaza and pass the building where the Jewelry store used to be, I can still vividly see the beautiful window displays they used to have.

If you have not read it and are a True Crime Fan, Closing Time is a MUST Read.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Closing Time

This book was well written and easy to follow. That things like this have to happen to anybody is so sad. I am impressed how the surviving family could and did carry on with their lives after this awful tragedy.

[Tom Wing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anita is an outstanding researcher, she leaves no stone unturned, and then translates the data into a meaningful and gripping story. She has the unique ability to approach the subject from all the sides, giving validity and a voice to the voiceless.
Highly recommend!

[La" · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a smooth read!! I love this writer and the intimacy of her true stories. Must be a wonderful interviewer to have so much personal understanding and knowledge of her characters. Anita Paddock has written two fabulous books and I am waiting on #3.

[Scott Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

What ab strange set of characters

True life and crimes of a couple of low life losers. And the deaths of 2 outstanding
Citizens who happened to be in the wrong place with the wrong two London, scheming murders,

[Meg Dendler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book about a horrible crime. That poor family.

[MK Hays · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anita Paddock spends lots of time with the family of her book subjects. Her attention to detail is noted. Once you begin her book, you can't stop till you are finished

[Paul S · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good quick read

Interesting and a quick read. Good background information to put The whole story into context. Worth the read and the time.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick read. I live in Northwest Arkansas so was interested in the location of the writing and the events surrounding the murders. It does have interesting twists and turns but the outcome is quite predictable. The best part of the book is the resolve of the Staton family, where others may have given up and folded under the extreme circumstances. Law enforcement were the good guys in this case, getting it right and treating the family with dignity.
It's an old case, but not a cold case, I do recommend the book. Matter of fact I will put Blind Rage on my to-read list.

[Michael Bove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written

As a retiree with plenty of spare time, I read a lot. Always searching for a good story, I stumbled on a winner. True crime books can be challenging, but Anita follows a pacing that held my attention. I appreciated the picture insertions and thoroughness. Thanks for a sobering presentation of an interesting tragedy. On to your next book!

[Cheryl Dale Morrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would have gotten five stars but I listened to the audio version and the narrator mispronounced the victim’s names through out the entire book and the sherrif’s name as well as a neighboring town. The story was well written though and very detailed. This happened in a neighboring town where I live.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book makes my heart hurt for the Staton family. I knew one of the daughters several years later and was amazed at how positive her outlook on life was. Thank you, Anita and the Staton Family, for providing more information about this tragic story.

[Diana Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A loving, close family of incredible strength.

I recommend this book to those readers that enjoy nonfiction as much as I do. It is very well written and it's clear each person and scenario was seriously researched.

[janice zeyak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book-well written and great but sad true story!!

[Donna Marie Gentry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very sad true story. I remember when these murders happened. It was a terrible shock all thru the town. Good research and writing, Anita.

[Channing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Good read to learn what it takes to be a criminal in all the fashions possible. I am saddened for the families that were involved.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great true crime book about a tragic case and its resolution. Definitely worth reading!

[colendia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very sad story of two lives. I bought the audio book , it was very hard to stop listening to it. The narrator was great .

[Cheryle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbaric double murder in Arkansas

A father with M.S. supporting his wife and children by running a family jewelry store in a small Arkansas town. His 24-year-old daughter helping him in the shop at closing time. Both were tied up and shot in the head by two robbers who made off with $100,000 in jewelry. "No witnesses", the lowlife mastermind told his younger accomplice. Who's next in line for a bullet in their shocking crime spree? I read this true crime book on my Kindle Fire HD 10 tablet, streaming through Kindle Unlimited.

[Priscilla Darling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharing a tragic story

I rated this book tops because I felt the author put her whole heart into writing such a difficult story. A story of a family who lost two loved ones. The jewerly store the family owned that was robbed and the Father and one of his daughters tied up, shot and killed. How the wife and children were strong in their faith and moved on to reopen the store. I will definitely recommend this book to friends. I'm glad I was able to read it on my tablet.

[margaret siemer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written book. A page turner. What a horror one to such innocent people. So glad that they got what was coming to them. Unfortunately the family couldn’t rest for 18 years. I was so thankful during g the hearings she did not go over the crime scene again and again. Some true crime authors draw the story out during the trial when you know what already happened. It kept my interest until the very end.

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has a peculiar way of repeating information here and there that makes it seem as though she's forgotten that it has already been mentioned. That minor quirk aside, this is actually quite a compelling book, one that really involves the reader. The story, about a 1980 robbery/murder that devastated an Arkansas family, is told with compassion. The case has several strange coincidences, one of which involves a defense attorney whose story is chronicled in Paddock's other book BLIND RAGE.

[Kerena Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent writer. A heartbreaking story.

So well written! Love this author. This story will break tour heart, but also show you the power of love, hope and determination. God bless the Staton family, and the author.

[shelly bass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read

I really enjoyed this book and the heart felt way it was wtitten.A great story of a family full of love and tragedy. If you enjoy true crime you will certainly want to read th his gem

[john griffin · Rating 1 out of 5]

A good subject very poorly written