Wicked Intentions: The Sheila LaBarre Murders -- A True Story

by Kevin Flynn

A true story.

When investigators were called to the secluded farm of attractive, fortyish Sheila LaBarre, they found the dismembered and incinerated remains of her young lover, a man with a child's I.Q. A series of young men had come and gone from the farm over the years, all seeming to vanish into thin air. Now LaBarre was on the run.

Eventually she would be caught and would plead insanity. But was she indeed insane — an "avenging angel sent to kill pedophiles," as she claimed — or a vicious, calculating serial killer? Wicked Intentions explores the case in depth, from investigation to trial.

As the Emmy award-winning television reporter who first broke the story of the Sheila LaBarre murders, Kevin Flynn is uniquely positioned to unveil the details of the bizarre chain of events that culminated in one of America's most sensational murder stories — a spellbinding true story of obsession and vigilantism carried to a deadly extreme.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime

312 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2008

About the author

Kevin Flynn is the author of four true crime books: "Wicked Intentions," "Our Little Secret," "Legally Dead," and "Notes on a Killing," as well as the nonfiction book, "American Sweepstakes." He has appeared on such TV shows as "Unusual Suspects," "Deadly Women," "Killer Instinct," "Deadly Sins," "Pretty Bad Girls," "Nightmare Next Door," and "On the Case with Paula Zahn." He has also written for such publications as Playboy and playboy.com.

Kevin's primary writing partner is his wife, best-selling author and public radio producer Rebecca Lavoie.

Kevin is a native of Holyoke, MA. He got his start in journalism at the age of 19 working as a news writer for News Radio WHYN-AM in 1989. In the subsequent twenty years, Kevin has become an award-winning journalist and respected author.

He rose through the ranks of WZID-FM in Manchester, NH, starting off at 8 hours a week until he eventually became News Director. During his decade at WZID, he won more than 50 awards for broadcast journalism, including multiple New Hampshire AP awards, several Golden Mike awards from the New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters, and four Edward R. Murrow Awards from the Radio and Television News Directors Association. The award winning pieces covered a diverse set of topics, including features on gang intervention, secret government meetings, opening day at Fenway Park, and a visit to Ground Zero in New York City. Kevin was also three-time winner of the AP Contributor of the Year.

In 2002, Kevin joined the staff of WMUR-TV as a general assignment reporter, again winning several honors for himself and the station. For the first feature piece he ever did for television, Kevin won a New England Emmy Award - the first reporter from his station ever to do so. Kevin excelled at both hard news and soft news features. He covered deadly floods, the murder of a police officer, and presidential politics as easily as his fun stories about spelling bees, karaoke, and dodge ball. He was named "Best TV Reporter" three times by the readers of New Hampshire magazine.

Reviews

[Ms BooksAholic · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to begin by saying that I loved this book based on how the author brought alive the killer Shelia as an evil wicked women. The details of how evil she was throughout this book I have to say the author did a good job there. The author well-developed throughout thus book just how Shelia was crazy and wicked. I found it to be a very disturbing book. Shelia would pay on men who had disabilities or mental illnesses. Which makes her even more sick because she knew she could manipulate them however she pleased. A very horrific true crime. I only gave the book 3 stars because the author's writing seemed to be out of order and jumbled. Which confuses you and you have to back track. When I first started the book it was as if I was reading the ending and throughout the middle of the book it seemed as if I was reading the what should have been the beginning part of the book.The events and the writing of the book was scattered. But overall I really enjoyed the main part of the book which was wicked Shelia.It was a nice change up to read about a wicked killer women.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of this case. Probably because it took place in a small town. Barely big enough to house a Walmart (aren’t they invading all sorts of small towns??) it certainly wasn’t large enough to house the likes of Sheila. She was a complete and utter nut job and I still don’t know how she managed to have so many people marry her or become their dominatrix of sorts. She is evil incarnated, who has an unbelievable love for animals. People in the other hand just don’t stick around for long.

[Lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

Blah -- much more fictionalised than a true story should be. There was flowery language all over the place. It was almost vomit-inducing, and not in a gruesome horror-story, true-crime sort of way. Everything was all 'antique green tractor' and 'tall maple trees suffocating the bright sunshine' prose. It was vile. The homicide didn't even occur until the fifth 'chapter', a word I use loosely, because the 'chapters' were about 5 pages long.

Absolutely wretched. Don't waste your time.

[Bill reilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A New Hampshire farmhouse with over 100 acres of farmland is the setting for this crime. A twenty something woman named Sheila Bailey had charmed her way into the life of chiropractor Wilfred LaBarre. She answered a personal ad and became the 60 year old man's live in lover. Sheila even changed her last name to LaBarre, although they were never legally married. The good doctor shuffled off this mortal coil and the young lady inherited the valuable property. Flynn skips ahead to Kenneth Countie, a 24 year-old slow adult who had the bad luck of meeting Sheila via a dating service in 2006. His mother called the local police when he vanished for a few days. The law had a nasty encounter with the volatile Sheila, but, at that point, he was still alive. Several weeks later, the police were back at the house and a search uncovered blood stains. It looked like a black widow scenario. Only a few weeks earlier, the police had responded to a call from Wal-Mart where Sheila was confronting workers at the store over another customer bumping into her “husband” Ken. She screamed a flurry of “f” bombs, while threatening to sue Wal-Mart. Flynn jumps ahead to a police interview with Sheila regarding the charred remains, and she explained that they were from pet rabbits. Fire would make DNA analysis extremely difficult. I t only gets stranger, as Sheila hitches a ride with a complete stranger and they share a motel room for an intense sexual event. A second man reported an almost identical experience the next day. The woman was quite insatiable. The police found her wandering around Massachusetts carrying marijuana and a whole lot of cash. While Sheila was in police custody, Flynn ventured to Alabama to investigate her childhood. Her mom was quiet, but dear old dad was a violent drunk. Meanwhile, bone fragments were determined to be from a male under thirty five. Fire had destroyed the DNA, but three teeth were submitted for further analysis. 180 police officers spent two days combing the 100 plus acre property and the surrounding land. Sheila then describes Sheila’s soap opera like life which included two short marriages and at least one smoldering affair with a married man. She later married a Jamaican man while she was living on Dr. LaBarre’s farm. She remained beneficiary of doc’s estate; go figure. The Rasta man survived a few physical assaults by Sheila and after a divorce moved back to Jamaica in one piece. Two years after her arrest, the black widow finally went to trial. The jury had to consider whether or not Sheila was insane at the time of the murders. Read the book for the verdict. Although the author interviewed Sheila, he does not get much information from the woman. “Wicked Intentions” is only a passable crime story.

[Ryen Gallagher · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was strange reading about a murder that took place in my home town. My father, who is a police officer in Epping was mentioned because he was one of the lead investigators. Reading about my own father was kind of weird but it helped me better understand how fictionalized the book is from the real story. My dad has told me stories of the murders and how they really took place other then they are told in the book. It may have made the book better in some parts because the real story may have become slightly dry. The author used very fluffy language which was not really what was said and he used details that were not real. In perspective the story was horribly written because it jumped back and forth several times. Despite this it got me hooked, after reading the first page I could not put it down. It is one of those books that you stay up all night to read. This book was a quick read for me and was extremely interesting. If you are able to get past the jumping back and forth this is a great story and it is worth your time. This is a book I would recommend to my friends, even if it's fictionalized.

[Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

Giving this book two stars only because it's a fairly interesting, pulpy true-crime story; it is, however, very poorly told. It's difficult to believe the author has multiple awards to his name, as his writing is shockingly amateurish. Repetitive, ultimately uninformative, the narrative jumps around in time and place and tells what little story there is in laughably awkward purple prose (seriously, I haven't seen the word "wicked" used this much since reading fairy tales to my children).

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

The true story of Sheils LaBarre, a woman who tortured and killed unsuspecting men for sport. The book was a real page-turner, even if the writing wasn't the best. There was a bit of jumping back and forth in time. But on the whole, I devoured this book pretty quickly. Good for those who enjoy true crime!

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a book!! I was drawn in with the first sentence and couldn't put it down until I was finished. I wasn't real happy with the back and forth way he writes because it leads to certain facts being repeated numerous times but overall it was a fascinating book. Very intriguing and very interesting! I enjoyed it!

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very unique style of writing from the investigative journalist Kevin Flynn.
His attention to detail is awesome and reflects his perceptions of the past, present
and future. This is a MUST READ book and hope he will write anothe true crime.
A five star book without a doubt.

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fairly interesting case (about a crazy murderess in New Hampshire) that would benefit from a more straightforward telling. This account is wordy and always takes a circuitous route in traveling from point A to point B. Michael Benson covered the same ground the following year in THE BURN FARM.

[Martin Coetsee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great story, poorly written

I bought the book based on a brilliant podcast I listen to "Sword and scale". Unbelievable story that actually happened, but the writer really struggles to put it together. Should have looked for a video documentary rather.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote it; I love it. Your mileage may vary.

[Shana · Rating 3 out of 5]

THREE AND A HALF STARS. I discovered this author recently and have been reading all of his books this year. This is his first book and although I liked it, it was not as good as some of the later ones. The author does insert some of his own story about how he got involved with this case, which I usually do not like but in this case it worked and did not detract from the true crime story. There were a few aspects of the case that I thought could have been explained better. Overall, if you like true crime, you'll probably find this book interesting. Just be warned that it is a really heartbreaking case.

[CHRISTINE M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crazy? I think not.

An interesting and incredibly sad and shocking story. The book was written in a common format, back and forth chapters of the people and crimes committed but Flynn sometimes left me confused with the timeline as to when things occurred. It seemed that some chapters contradicted prior chapters. Flynn did do a good job of exposing the bizarre conduct of the suspect.

I find it difficult to believe that this book was proofread either by the author or the publisher. Many mistakes, especially towards the end of book.

[Frank778 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Pacing or the structure was excellent. I found the flashbacks easy to follow and enjoyed the non-chronological structure. Just when you thought you understood the depravity of the subject, Flynn dropped a new story from her past. An extremely heartbreaking story. My only critique is I would have liked a few more pictures. But that of course is minor.

[Siduri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not sure how I’ve lived in NH for basically my entire life and had never heard of this crime. This is a story of a woman with wickedness and depravity who took the lives of at least two men with developmental disabilities. I can’t even explain what kind of person she was, you’ll just need to read the book. It’s a true story, but it doesn’t seem like one.

[Carly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't believe the author is a journalist! This story took a lot of liberties with embellishing the facts. There is no continuity, just jumbled stories in a confused timeline. I expected a report with a lot more clarity and a lot less conjecture presented as what probably happened. Save your time and find a podcast about this case instead!

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I honestly believe that Sheila was mentally ill. However, she committed these murders and chose the victims in a logical but callous manner. Life in prison is a just punishment even if it seems unfair that she can continue to draw breath and try to manipulate others.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an insane but captivating story! And Mr. Flynn did an excellent job of researching and telling it, from the grotesque crimes to the background of the individuals, to the heartbreak and mental anguish of everyone involved. This is a must read for true crime fans.

[D L · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard to believe people can be so cruel and manipulative to other humans.

[Alyssa Leister · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book and definitely was intrigued by the craziness of the story especially since it was true. I definitely felt like the writing and the storyline was a little all over the place at moments. I also felt like there were a lot of people to keep track of and when we were given their names and full titles, it was a bit tricky to keep track of everything. But overall, I needed to know how it ended.

[Tj Luoma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read all of his books (4, so far), and finished with this one, which was actually the first he wrote.

It's good, but the others are better. The events of the case are presented well, but overall it didn't seem to flow as well as the others do. I can't say specifically what it was, and I'm definitely glad I read it, but I think the other 3 (co-written with Rebecca Lavoie, who he married after this book) were "better".

(That being said, I bet any author would tell you their writing was better in their later books than the earlier ones. I mean, duh. This is definitely better than _my_ first book--because this one was actually written and published while mine remains neither of those things :-)

If you've read (or started) this one and aren't sure you like it, you might want to give the others a try.

Otherwise, my only real critique (which is true of all 4 of the books I've read so far) is that the timeline gets confusing. I also feel like I should say this might be just an issue I have with the storytelling vs the storytelling itself, but FWIW:

We get thrown into the case at an interesting starting point (for understandable and obvious reasons) but then when we get more background info, sometimes it isn't as clear as I needed it to be when things happened. And then we are brought back into the "historical present" of the case, and I didn't always make the transitions as smoothly as I wish I had.

It's the sort of thing which is much easier to do on TV when you can give certain visual clues to the viewer. A book doesn't have the same option.

I found myself highlighting any specific date references in the Kindle version so I could easily search back and forth for them. It's possible that descriptive chapter headings such as "When Sheila first met X" or some way to cue to reader "hey, this is background!" or "Hey this is the case progressing from where we left off before".

Last but not least: after reading 4 of his books, I find myself wondering: "what the heck is going on in New Hampshire?! Do other states have similar stories?! Because cripes remind me never to move there!

(Also my wife is getting a bit concerned about me reading about so many murder books. It's probably good I'll have to wait for the duo to publish their next one!)

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I heard a podcast that told the story of Sheila LaBarre and afterwards I was so horrified/intrigued I decided to look it up online to learn more about the case. One of the first links that was listed was information about this book....so I decided to check it out.
This book...from the really poorly designed cover (it looks like something from the tabloids) to the poorly written text....disappointed me! The topic is interesting....but the author chose to try to add style (??) by not putting the events chronologically...and the whole time the reader is left questioning where they are in the timeline of events. To top things off, after he tells the reader (at the end) that no one can really know what really happened....he makes up a narrative pretending he knows what the victims and murderer were thinking.....I was so disappointed! Keep to the facts--- keep it simple, make the timeline easy to follow....and if you don't stick to chronological events at least make it clear where you are in the story! AHhh! Frustrating.
Read--- read if you enjoy stories about serial killers....but be prepared to be annoyed by the author's decisions.

[Lady ♥ Belleza · Rating 3 out of 5]

The call was a “check on the welfare of”, it went from that to a possible murder investigation, then the sheriff remembered other ‘young men’ who had gone to Sheila LaBarre’s farm and not come back. Men with injuries and a ‘funny color’ to their skin. By the time authorities were able to piece things together and go after LaBarre she was on the run. When she was caught she claimed she was killing pedophiles, but these men had no history of it, no history of abuse. So was Sheila insane or an incredible evil woman? Crazy or a vicious, calculating serial killer?

Kevin Flynn takes us from start to finish in account rich in detail. He gives us the history of Sheila from childhood to her arrest, the facts obtained through interviews and public records. The missed chances from authorities to stop her and the reasons why, in some cases they couldn’t do anything. How she was able to manipulate people to help her. Another solid true-crime account that I recommend.

[Marisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I get that Kevin Flynn is heavily connected to this case because of his career as a television journalist, but there is just too much detail in this book. That made for a very long read. Having read the book I can't decide whether LaBarre is evil or just plain crazy. Maybe a combination of both? She had a horrible childhood, replete with abuse and incest, which set her on a bad path. I believe she was a victim, but she turned into a horrible monster herself. She deliberately preyed upon men who were weaker than her by virtue of being cognitively impaired or "slow." It's a very good thing that LaBarre will serve two life sentences because she is a danger to society. She was convicted of killing two men, but I wonder how many more she murdered on her farm of horrors.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story was very novelized -- which the author tells you up front-- which made it a quick and compelling read. It did seem a little over the top in places. Some readers didn't like that the author put so much of his own story in the book. I found his story interesting and would have liked more about his role in the drama and how it affected him.

[Ducky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this whole story macabre and pitiful. It must be difficult to write a story about a true event without being able to gather all the facts. Had this been a work of pure fiction, I would have put it down 1/4 of the way through. It was choppy and sometimes difficult to follow. However, since it was about real events and had to be pieced together by the author, he didn't do a bad job.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't a great book but by no means was it bad, the hard part for me was that I continued to compare it to an Anne Rule book. Her style flows smoothly and I never feel her writing is "cheesy." There were parts of the book that felt kind of cheesy or the way it was written was more for dramatic effect. Since this took place less than 25 miles from where we live, I found it interesting.

[Cherie Caviness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written like a novel

Kevin Flynn's writing style makes a bunch of what some might consider boring facts syndrome an interesting read. Having visited the farm where these events took place and saying a prayer at the Countie memorial tree, I wanted to know more of the story, and I wasn't disappointed.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another true story I remember from the local news. Interesting, yet disturbing and sad to read more about it.
Sheila Labarre used her feminine wiles to lure men into her bizarre world. She manipulated them, and physically and mentally assaulted them, before killing them and burning their bodies beyond recognition.