Catch Me If You Can: A California Saga of Murder, Greed, and Two Heroic Detectives

by Kraig Hanadel

Two days after Easter 1992, in the Fresno, California neighbourhood of Sunnyside, homicide detective John Souza walked into a beautiful home and found ugliness within. Dale Ewell, a successful aeroplane dealer, his wife Glee and his daughter Tiffany had all been efficiently gunned down. It appeared they had interrupted a burglary. But Souza and his fellow detectives suspected that the crime scene was staged, that the murders instead were carefully planned, and that the motive was a simple money. Souza soon turned his eyes on the family′s surviving son, Dana, a college student who wore expensive suits, told expensive lies, and talked openly about taking over his father′s business and his father′s life. But police couldn′t tie Dana to the crime. Weeks stretched into months, and as Dana investigated how he could get his hands on his father′s millions, a fierce duel began between the cold-blooded rich boy and the working-class detectives. For three years, Souza and Curtice kept at the case, relentlessly chasing even the tiniest leads. And for three years, Dana taunted them, daring the police to catch him...if they could.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime

416 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 2000

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was on track for a higher rating until he got to the courtroom trial. All sorts of BS legal trivia and maneuvering that had little interest to me. The police work and research up to then was good and I would have enjoyed the book more if I just stopped at the arrest. Lawyers would probably enjoy the last part but I was bored. 2 Stars

[John Lyman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The true story of a psychopath who had his friend kill his unsuspecting parents and sister in order to inherit their wealth. He evaded prosecution for about seven years, but eventually got what he deserved, life in prison. What a scumbag.

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Same case as described in Carlton Smith's 1997 book SEEDS OF EVIL from 1997. I guess I preferred this one by Kraig Hanadel, if only because it includes the final adjudication.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr. Ewell couldn't wait for his parents to grow old and die naturally. He wanted to inherit their wealth ASAP. He thought he'd committed the perfect crime. Mr. Ewell taunted the police daring them to catch him...if they could.

[Tija Addams · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best true crime books I’ve read. The amount of research done for this book is impressive. The level of evil Dana & Joel both possess is phenomenal. This family had everything...including a murderer among them

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love true crime podcasts you will love this book. Written very interestingly and the author turns some boring aspects of the case into fast reading and I appreciated that.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting,creepy story. I read it because an in-law is related to a key figure, Dana Ewell's girlfriend at the time. So we followed the story as it happened and then as the saga unfolded.

[Chelsea]

Apparently I work with a woman who is middle-distantly related to this family. Now I have to read it. :)