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Dance with the Devil: A Memoir of Murder and Loss
Immortalized in the acclaimed documentary Dear Zachary, this brutally honest memoir chronicles a system’s failure to prevent the murder of a child. In November 2001, the bullet-riddled body of a young doctor named Andrew Bagby was discovered in Keystone State Park outside Latrobe, Pennsylvania. For parents Dave and Kate, the pain was unbearable—but Andrew’s murder was only the beginning of the tragedy they endured. The chief suspect for Andrew’s murder was his ex-girlfriend Shirley Turner. Obsessive and unstable, Shirley lied to police and fled to Newfoundland before she could be arrested. While fending off extradition efforts by U.S. law enforcement, she announced she was pregnant with Andrew's son, Zachary.
Hoping to gain custody of the child, the Bagbys moved to Newfoundland. They began a drawn-out court battle to protect their grandson from the woman who had almost certainly murdered their son. Then, in August 2003, Shirley killed herself and the one-year-old Zachary by jumping into the Atlantic Ocean. Dance with the Devil is David Bagby’s eulogy for a dead son, an elegy for lives cut tragically short, and a castigation of a broken system.
“[An] incendiary cri de coeur.”—The New York Times
DANCE WITH THE DEVIL is a eulogy for a dead son, an elegy for lives cut tragically short, and a castigation of a broken system.
Hoping to gain custody of the child, the Bagbys moved to Newfoundland. They began a drawn-out court battle to protect their grandson from the woman who had almost certainly murdered their son. Then, in August 2003, Shirley killed herself and the one-year-old Zachary by jumping into the Atlantic Ocean. Dance with the Devil is David Bagby’s eulogy for a dead son, an elegy for lives cut tragically short, and a castigation of a broken system.
“[An] incendiary cri de coeur.”—The New York Times
DANCE WITH THE DEVIL is a eulogy for a dead son, an elegy for lives cut tragically short, and a castigation of a broken system.
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
219 people are currently reading
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July 28, 2011Being from Newfoundland,I was well aware of the happenings in this book as they were happening. Even before the ultimate tragic end,I strongly felt that it was a crime within itself that that woman had that defenceless child. David Bagby has written such a poignant account of the sordid happenings and has brought both Andrew and Zachary alive on the pages. His arguments towards the refusal of parole for alleged murderers is superb and really shows how idiotic the laws can be. Yes,Shirley Turner should have been innocent until proven guilty, but to be out on parole( with her sureties only needing to provide their signatures and not a red cent,another crime towards the innocent!!) and allowed to play Russian Roulette with her baby's and other people's lives is totally ludacris. David and Kate Bagby must have been saints to have had to tolerate personal dealings with their only child's murderess,and basically have to groval to her to even see their precious only-ever grandchild.Yet,they did whatever they could for the sake of Zachary.Most people (myself included) would have made away with Shirley Turner the first chance they got.Why should they have even been put in that insane situation in the first place? David expresses his intense rage and his intense patience with Turner superbly. His wife and himself also were quick to not harvest bitterness towards Turner's children,relatives,etc. Yes,they were innocent as well, but I feel it takes a big person to rise abouve it all and not harbour animosity towards those people. There are so many questions raised:why was there no psychological profile done on Turner as she awaited trial?Why did child protection services not do their job and protect ( or even follow closely) Zachary? Why didn't the many people who witnessed Shirley Turner's disturbing behavior and intense wrath make an issue in the courts more of it? Wasn't anybody willing to step up(besides the Bagbys) and try to rescue that baby???I knew what Zachary's fate would be long before it was written about here but it was shattering to read of it from his grandfather's perspective. This book just reinforces the obliviousness and callousness of " the system" towards victims and its sick preoccupation with criminals' rights. Society as a whole should take the lessons derived from this book and just pray the same tragedy never befalls their own family. This is a fascinating,horrific and humbling read.
March 22, 2011
I read this book in a single day on 2 airplanes several months ago. This is the most moving and incredibly outrageous true story I've ever heard.
This book was written by a grieving father, and it takes you through the most unbelievable story of love and loss, with a bizarre and horrific twist. I cannot imagine how these parents endured such slow torture.
The author happens to be an engineer, so his writing is every clear and concise. The time line is perfectly laid out, and all of the details create a vivid picture in my mind.
Equally as powerful throughout this book are his genuine descriptions of his and his wife Kate's feelings throughout this roller coaster of a nightmare that stretched out over years.
The book is written with such an intimate tone, that I feel like I'm sitting with the author and having a conversation. For some reason, these people just moved me.
I first heard about them when I caught the tail end of a Dateline that was on about their story. I found myself in disbelief, and had to find out more.
There was a documentary made about their story called "Dear Zachary". You can download it from itunes. I highly recommend watching this.
After watching the documentary, I went and bought the book. I thought I knew the whole story, but the documentary doesn't cover half of what you read in this book.
This is a story that you'll care about deeply.
I highly recommend the book and the documentary.
This book was written by a grieving father, and it takes you through the most unbelievable story of love and loss, with a bizarre and horrific twist. I cannot imagine how these parents endured such slow torture.
The author happens to be an engineer, so his writing is every clear and concise. The time line is perfectly laid out, and all of the details create a vivid picture in my mind.
Equally as powerful throughout this book are his genuine descriptions of his and his wife Kate's feelings throughout this roller coaster of a nightmare that stretched out over years.
The book is written with such an intimate tone, that I feel like I'm sitting with the author and having a conversation. For some reason, these people just moved me.
I first heard about them when I caught the tail end of a Dateline that was on about their story. I found myself in disbelief, and had to find out more.
There was a documentary made about their story called "Dear Zachary". You can download it from itunes. I highly recommend watching this.
After watching the documentary, I went and bought the book. I thought I knew the whole story, but the documentary doesn't cover half of what you read in this book.
This is a story that you'll care about deeply.
I highly recommend the book and the documentary.
June 8, 2010
Having watched the documentary about this case, I really needed to read this book. Written by the father of the murder victim, you learn all the details that led up to his son's murder and the preventable murder of his grandson. What he and his wife went through is truly disgusting. While they could not have foreseen the murder or their son, Andrew, they did everything they could to keep their grandson, Zachery, safe. While battling the extremely long court system in Canada, they did all they could to keep things civil between themselves and the accused murderer of their son. I don't think I could have done what they did. This book was very well written, and straight to the point. While keeping a matter-of-fact tone throughout the book, bursts of emotion break through and you can really feel the pain that the Bagby's went through. Not only do you get the whole story of how the justice system failed, but Dave goes on to explain how it should be fixed. He has clearly done his research of the law and proposes many ways that this type of tragic event could be prevented in the future.
May 20, 2010
After helping Kurt Kuene with his documentary Dear Zachary: A Letter from a father to his Son I was honored that David Bagby sent me his book as a thank you. There is only so much that Kurt could fit in an hour and a half and I learned so much more by reading things from David's own words. The Bagby's lived a nightmare that no person should ever have to go through and I admire their courage and strength. The world is a better place because David and Kate are in it!
January 23, 2016
It pains me to award only two stars to a book written by David Bagby, but I want to use the Goodreads' ranking system more accurately. And this book was... okay.
To clarify, David and Kate Bagby are five-star people, and Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is a five-star documentary. I expected this memoir to satisfy my craving for MORE--more about the extraordinary Bagby family, more about the production of Dear Zachary, more about the public officials responsible for Zachary's death... more, more, MORE!
But this memoir is merely a chronological retelling of the case against Shirley Turner. Bagby's writing is proficient but lacks the raw emotion expressed by him in the documentary. Because of this, I recommend learning about this case and these super-human people via Kurt Kuenne's film rather than this memoir. (Ugh. It hurt my heart to write that.)
But I digress...
Shirley Turner, how I wish David Bagby had Dexter-ed your sick, twisted, cruel, manipulative self! But I'll settle for the Bagbys more rational approach to their rage:
"With renewed thought came renewed rage; not just at Shirley, but at the blindness--the willful blindness--of those in positions of power who refused to stop her" (222).
The Bagby's advocacy is truly inspiring, and although I skimmed a handful of pages related to David Bagby's general recommendations, it's clear their heartbreak has affected positive change in multiple broken systems. There's little solace in that, though, after reading the CDR that characterized Zachary's death as entirely preventable (273).
But the most haunting aspect of this story for me? The recorded phone calls between the Bagbys and Shirley when they shared custody of Zachary. Shirley's nonsensical ranting, David's measured responses, her invalid--not to mention ironic--concerns about Zachary's care, his firm insistence that Zachary would want for nothing. These extraordinary people went to great lengths to spend even an extra hour with their grandchild--sharing a pool with their son's murderer, babysitting for her at a moment's notice, dealing with her jealousy and shit-talking and emotional breakdowns. Most people--including myself--would not be capable of such resolve. Simply stated, the world needs more David and Kate Bagbys.
To clarify, David and Kate Bagby are five-star people, and Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is a five-star documentary. I expected this memoir to satisfy my craving for MORE--more about the extraordinary Bagby family, more about the production of Dear Zachary, more about the public officials responsible for Zachary's death... more, more, MORE!
But this memoir is merely a chronological retelling of the case against Shirley Turner. Bagby's writing is proficient but lacks the raw emotion expressed by him in the documentary. Because of this, I recommend learning about this case and these super-human people via Kurt Kuenne's film rather than this memoir. (Ugh. It hurt my heart to write that.)
But I digress...
Shirley Turner, how I wish David Bagby had Dexter-ed your sick, twisted, cruel, manipulative self! But I'll settle for the Bagbys more rational approach to their rage:
"With renewed thought came renewed rage; not just at Shirley, but at the blindness--the willful blindness--of those in positions of power who refused to stop her" (222).
The Bagby's advocacy is truly inspiring, and although I skimmed a handful of pages related to David Bagby's general recommendations, it's clear their heartbreak has affected positive change in multiple broken systems. There's little solace in that, though, after reading the CDR that characterized Zachary's death as entirely preventable (273).
But the most haunting aspect of this story for me? The recorded phone calls between the Bagbys and Shirley when they shared custody of Zachary. Shirley's nonsensical ranting, David's measured responses, her invalid--not to mention ironic--concerns about Zachary's care, his firm insistence that Zachary would want for nothing. These extraordinary people went to great lengths to spend even an extra hour with their grandchild--sharing a pool with their son's murderer, babysitting for her at a moment's notice, dealing with her jealousy and shit-talking and emotional breakdowns. Most people--including myself--would not be capable of such resolve. Simply stated, the world needs more David and Kate Bagbys.
August 14, 2012
Wanted to read this book as soon and the documentary Dear Zachary ended. Its so hard to understand how this story could happen in 1st world country--- who lets a accused murderer out on bail and then gives the person their children to raise?
This story evoked so many emotions in me from anger to sadness but unconditional love and strength is what really stands out in this book. By the end I wanted to jump through the pages and hug the Bagby's and cry with them. I have never met them but reading this story and watching the documentary has shown me two of the strongest, most loving people I would ever have the pleasure of meeting. Great book, some legal jargon which is why I think watching the movie makes the book easier to read.. Although not a necessity. Book or movie... This story needs to be heard so that laws can be changed!
October 5, 2009
Andrew Bagby is murdered in the US by a woman who was angry that he broke up with her. That woman then escapes to Canada while evidence against her is gathering, and then she has his baby while the extradition process drags on. When another man scorns her during this time, she kills herself and the baby, all to the horror of Andrew's parents.
I had already watched a documentary about this case. Titled "Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father" it was made by one of Andrew's friends who wanted to document Andrew's life for the son he never got to meet, Zachary. It focused on the people who loved Andrew who were offering their love to Zachary too. But when Zachary was murdered by the same woman, it turned into a testament of love and strength for Andrew's parents.
The book is written by Andrew's father, and it has a different focus than the documentary. It focuses more on the aftermath of their son's murder, especially the arduous task of getting Canada to extradite an accused murderer back to the US, even when there was no death penalty on the table for her. It also tells of the lengths they went to in order to stay in contact with their only remaining link to Andrew, their grandson Zachary, although it involved continued contact with the murderer of their son, kept neutral by superhuman efforts. He is very frank about their grief, and is very detailed on how the Canadian system failed to protect Zachary from a woman known to be under suspicion of murder already. The book ends with a very well-thought-out entreaty to the Canadian legal system to reform their bail and surety laws, and he outlines how he sees such changes as still in keeping with their Charter of primary concern in Canadian's rights.
This is an utterly horrifying look at how preservation of the accused's rights can go too far. If you don't enjoy a lot of detailed legal wrangling in your true crime, you may want to skip this one. But if the legalities of crime interest you, this is a must read. It is about the Canadian legal system, but some of the problems in their system parallel problems in the US legal system.
I had already watched a documentary about this case. Titled "Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father" it was made by one of Andrew's friends who wanted to document Andrew's life for the son he never got to meet, Zachary. It focused on the people who loved Andrew who were offering their love to Zachary too. But when Zachary was murdered by the same woman, it turned into a testament of love and strength for Andrew's parents.
The book is written by Andrew's father, and it has a different focus than the documentary. It focuses more on the aftermath of their son's murder, especially the arduous task of getting Canada to extradite an accused murderer back to the US, even when there was no death penalty on the table for her. It also tells of the lengths they went to in order to stay in contact with their only remaining link to Andrew, their grandson Zachary, although it involved continued contact with the murderer of their son, kept neutral by superhuman efforts. He is very frank about their grief, and is very detailed on how the Canadian system failed to protect Zachary from a woman known to be under suspicion of murder already. The book ends with a very well-thought-out entreaty to the Canadian legal system to reform their bail and surety laws, and he outlines how he sees such changes as still in keeping with their Charter of primary concern in Canadian's rights.
This is an utterly horrifying look at how preservation of the accused's rights can go too far. If you don't enjoy a lot of detailed legal wrangling in your true crime, you may want to skip this one. But if the legalities of crime interest you, this is a must read. It is about the Canadian legal system, but some of the problems in their system parallel problems in the US legal system.
December 27, 2015
I was lucky to get my hands on a copy of this hard to find book and was glad I did. It's just as heartbreaking as the documentary "Dear Zachary", which I HIGHLY recommend watching. I suggest you keep any heavy items out of reach because you will want to throw them at the television screen & a box of tissues because you will need them.
The book was written by David Bagby the father of Andrew Bagby, a well loved family practice doctor who was murdered by a sociopathic, evil, spawn of Satan woman named Shirley Turner. The grief felt by David & his wife Kate can be felt through the pages. David & Kate are saints having to endure years of waiting for justice due to Canada's lousy & severely flawed system of letting dangerous people free on bail.
I won't spoil what happens while Shirley is walking the streets a free woman but will say God bless David & Kate for their brutal honesty, immense patience, heartbreaking loss and inspirational perseverance.
The book was written by David Bagby the father of Andrew Bagby, a well loved family practice doctor who was murdered by a sociopathic, evil, spawn of Satan woman named Shirley Turner. The grief felt by David & his wife Kate can be felt through the pages. David & Kate are saints having to endure years of waiting for justice due to Canada's lousy & severely flawed system of letting dangerous people free on bail.
I won't spoil what happens while Shirley is walking the streets a free woman but will say God bless David & Kate for their brutal honesty, immense patience, heartbreaking loss and inspirational perseverance.
December 28, 2009
This is an amazing true story that was...well, not conveyed with the same fiery delivery seen in the film "Dear Zachary..."
Honestly, the film was one of the most compelling, surprising, unsuspecting pieces of miracle I've ever seen...so sad that I doubt I could ever see it again. The book...came up short.
Honestly, the film was one of the most compelling, surprising, unsuspecting pieces of miracle I've ever seen...so sad that I doubt I could ever see it again. The book...came up short.
February 21, 2022
Extremely good book. Well worth reading.
June 2, 2015
After seeing the documentary about this case, "Dear Zachary," I was itching to get my hands on this book. Unfortunately, it went out of print and is very expensive to purchase. No one in my entire library system owns it either (30+ libraries), so I wound up having to get an interlibrary loan and have this book shipped to me from another state. Yes, I went to great lengths to read this book and I'm glad I did!
The basics of the story are this: Andrew Bagby was a young doctor involved with an older doctor, Shirley Turner. When he broke things off with her, she killed him and fled the U.S. for Canada. She later revealed that she was pregnant with his son. Zachary was born a short while later. While she was out on bail and awaiting extradition to the U.S., she killed herself and one year old Zachary.
I really wanted to know more about the story and the background of the case after seeing the film. This book was actually written by Andrew's father, so I was really glad to see his perspective. It was extremely informative and fascinating, and dives much more into the case than the movie is able to. It's a heartbreaking story and my stomach literally hurt whenever I thought about what happened to Zachary, an innocent baby. Even though this book was sometimes painful to read, there's a certain beauty in the great lengths that David and Kate went to in order to take care of their grandson, Zachary, before the horrible tragedy.
Some of the legal jargon, particularly towards the end of the book, was a bit dry and difficult to understand at times. Ultimately though, it was necessary to include since the Bagbys are going to great lengths to try and get bail release laws changed.
If you've seen "Dear Zachary" and want to know more, I'd recommend you track down a copy of this book, too.
The basics of the story are this: Andrew Bagby was a young doctor involved with an older doctor, Shirley Turner. When he broke things off with her, she killed him and fled the U.S. for Canada. She later revealed that she was pregnant with his son. Zachary was born a short while later. While she was out on bail and awaiting extradition to the U.S., she killed herself and one year old Zachary.
I really wanted to know more about the story and the background of the case after seeing the film. This book was actually written by Andrew's father, so I was really glad to see his perspective. It was extremely informative and fascinating, and dives much more into the case than the movie is able to. It's a heartbreaking story and my stomach literally hurt whenever I thought about what happened to Zachary, an innocent baby. Even though this book was sometimes painful to read, there's a certain beauty in the great lengths that David and Kate went to in order to take care of their grandson, Zachary, before the horrible tragedy.
Some of the legal jargon, particularly towards the end of the book, was a bit dry and difficult to understand at times. Ultimately though, it was necessary to include since the Bagbys are going to great lengths to try and get bail release laws changed.
If you've seen "Dear Zachary" and want to know more, I'd recommend you track down a copy of this book, too.
Want to read
June 19, 2009I saw the documentary...and I am speechless. I read on Netflix it's best you know nothing about the story, and that is so true. I was truly shocked when I watched it. And now I want to read the book.
March 17, 2025
a tragically beautifully written book, this is how you properly write a memoir. despite me being familiar with the case, I learned a lot thanks to the layman breakdowns of canada's broken bail system. the personal notes from the bagby's touched my heart, it is a gift to write so poignantly while navigating with such immense grief & all the mixed emotions that accompany it.
February 24, 2017
I have to be honest, I've stopped reading this at 27%.
Whilst I know (from the documentary) that the story would be worth reading, I just got completely bored of the legalities, which is what the book has consisted of after Andrew was murdered, through to Zachary being born. After that I've ploughed through pages and pages of legal processes, which frankly don't interest me in the slightest.
What I wanted to read was the family and human side of the story. I am not a lawyer, I am not a law student - the legalities don't interest me, even though I was initially interested in reading of the ineptitude of the Canadian courts and social work systems.
I should have just stuck with the documentary.
Whilst I know (from the documentary) that the story would be worth reading, I just got completely bored of the legalities, which is what the book has consisted of after Andrew was murdered, through to Zachary being born. After that I've ploughed through pages and pages of legal processes, which frankly don't interest me in the slightest.
What I wanted to read was the family and human side of the story. I am not a lawyer, I am not a law student - the legalities don't interest me, even though I was initially interested in reading of the ineptitude of the Canadian courts and social work systems.
I should have just stuck with the documentary.
May 9, 2017
Some months ago I watched the documentary, "Dear Zachery" on Netflix. I had NO idea what the outcome was going to be. I thought it was just going to chronicle a murdered man's life, for his son to reflect back on when he was older - because his father was killed before he was born. The ending was so shocking, I was screaming with David Bagby... That bitch!
I knew I wanted to read this book because often the books to personal documentaries have so much more information. This book did, but I felt the documentary was worth seeing first because the book tells you what happened right on the cover and in the forward. Some people who have reviewed this book seem upset by this, and I was too at first - but the point of Bagby's book is not really to just tell the story of how Shirley Turner ruined their lives but also to explain the faults and mistakes of the justice system in Newfoundland and more broadly, Canada. He offers suggestions, at the end, of how the law can be altered to protect the innocent citizens from being attacked before the accused have their day in court.
This book was so well written and clear I couldn't put it down. I feel horrible for the Bagbys, yet happy that they were able to take their hurt and grief, turn it into positivity to help others.
I knew I wanted to read this book because often the books to personal documentaries have so much more information. This book did, but I felt the documentary was worth seeing first because the book tells you what happened right on the cover and in the forward. Some people who have reviewed this book seem upset by this, and I was too at first - but the point of Bagby's book is not really to just tell the story of how Shirley Turner ruined their lives but also to explain the faults and mistakes of the justice system in Newfoundland and more broadly, Canada. He offers suggestions, at the end, of how the law can be altered to protect the innocent citizens from being attacked before the accused have their day in court.
This book was so well written and clear I couldn't put it down. I feel horrible for the Bagbys, yet happy that they were able to take their hurt and grief, turn it into positivity to help others.
September 25, 2020
True, heartbreaking story of a son's disastrous love relationship and the son his murderer bore. It gets a bit bogged down in legal tedium.
April 17, 2025
Rating 4.5 stars.
True crime is of great interest to me - primarily for the justice and psychological themes that are present. A friend told me her favorite true crime documentary was Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008), so I watched it. She was right! It is heartbreaking and compelling and is at the center of my themes of justice and psychology. After watching the documentary I purchased the book about the case, written by David Bagby.
David is the father of murder victim Andrew Bagby and grandfather to Zachary who is also murdered. Bagby tells the facts of the story (lighting under, heavy on legal proceedings) which are horrific, but the most compelling parts are the love, depth of loss, community, and passion that drives the family to get justice. It’s too late for Andrew and Zachary, but the Bagbys won’t stop until the bail release system is overhauled and people like Zachary are protected. This is a story about a family. It’s also a story about a legal system that is flawed which results in more murders.
Bagby takes complex legal issues and states them in a way that is more digestible. There were parts that I still don’t understand. Yet that is kinda the point. Why is it so hard to keep dangerous people from hating others? Why do the parts of the “system” not share information they have so crimes like this are prevented? Why do the laws protect the accused more than the public? Bagby is on mission to answer these questions and more and ultimately to make changes to the system. Bagby is honest even when what he says puts he and his wife at risk. This is a heart wrenching story but one I was compelled to know.
True crime is of great interest to me - primarily for the justice and psychological themes that are present. A friend told me her favorite true crime documentary was Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008), so I watched it. She was right! It is heartbreaking and compelling and is at the center of my themes of justice and psychology. After watching the documentary I purchased the book about the case, written by David Bagby.
David is the father of murder victim Andrew Bagby and grandfather to Zachary who is also murdered. Bagby tells the facts of the story (lighting under, heavy on legal proceedings) which are horrific, but the most compelling parts are the love, depth of loss, community, and passion that drives the family to get justice. It’s too late for Andrew and Zachary, but the Bagbys won’t stop until the bail release system is overhauled and people like Zachary are protected. This is a story about a family. It’s also a story about a legal system that is flawed which results in more murders.
Bagby takes complex legal issues and states them in a way that is more digestible. There were parts that I still don’t understand. Yet that is kinda the point. Why is it so hard to keep dangerous people from hating others? Why do the parts of the “system” not share information they have so crimes like this are prevented? Why do the laws protect the accused more than the public? Bagby is on mission to answer these questions and more and ultimately to make changes to the system. Bagby is honest even when what he says puts he and his wife at risk. This is a heart wrenching story but one I was compelled to know.
September 29, 2025
Dance with the Devil is one of the most powerful, heartbreaking, and honest memoirs I have ever read. David Bagby’s account of the devastating loss of his son Andrew and grandson Zachary is raw, deeply personal, and written with such clarity that you feel every ounce of grief, anger, and love that pours through the pages.
What struck me most is David’s unflinching honesty he doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He exposes not only the tragedy of his family’s loss but also the failures of the justice system that allowed it to happen. Despite the darkness, there’s also so much humanity in this book: the unwavering love between parents and their child, the fierce fight for justice, and the resilience it takes to keep moving forward when the unimaginable happens.
It’s not an easy read emotionally, but it’s an incredibly important one. If you’ve seen the documentary Dear Zachary, this book adds even more depth and perspective. It’s a story that will stay with me forever. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a memoir that is brutally real, deeply moving, and impossible to put down.
Trigger Words
Murder
Loss of a child
Domestic violence
Custody disputes
Suicide
Court system failures
Grief and trauma
Based on true story
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murde...
What struck me most is David’s unflinching honesty he doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He exposes not only the tragedy of his family’s loss but also the failures of the justice system that allowed it to happen. Despite the darkness, there’s also so much humanity in this book: the unwavering love between parents and their child, the fierce fight for justice, and the resilience it takes to keep moving forward when the unimaginable happens.
It’s not an easy read emotionally, but it’s an incredibly important one. If you’ve seen the documentary Dear Zachary, this book adds even more depth and perspective. It’s a story that will stay with me forever. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a memoir that is brutally real, deeply moving, and impossible to put down.
Trigger Words
Murder
Loss of a child
Domestic violence
Custody disputes
Suicide
Court system failures
Grief and trauma
Based on true story
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murde...
December 21, 2024
Boy! That was a doozy!!!
I listened to this one. Audio ok.
But this is not your typical true crime book.
Painful. Told by the murder victim’s father and grandfather.
Very painful to experience their grief.
The first death No one saw coming. Well, at least the victim didn’t see it coming, but maybe her past relationships could have clued him in, had he’d known.
The baby’s death? The court system should have prevented it. A complete and utter failure. Horrible.
She obviously had something going on, and from an early age.
Why didn’t anyone do anything? I think people just wanted to pass the buck, get the crazy lady out of their immediate lives and not worry about what havoc she may cause others. I can understand this thinking, where adults are concerned. Not babies!
Poor grandparents. Their grief oozes out of this book.
All the content warnings.
I listened to this one. Audio ok.
But this is not your typical true crime book.
Painful. Told by the murder victim’s father and grandfather.
Very painful to experience their grief.
The first death No one saw coming. Well, at least the victim didn’t see it coming, but maybe her past relationships could have clued him in, had he’d known.
The baby’s death? The court system should have prevented it. A complete and utter failure. Horrible.
She obviously had something going on, and from an early age.
Why didn’t anyone do anything? I think people just wanted to pass the buck, get the crazy lady out of their immediate lives and not worry about what havoc she may cause others. I can understand this thinking, where adults are concerned. Not babies!
Poor grandparents. Their grief oozes out of this book.
All the content warnings.
November 14, 2024
Heard about this book on the Murder in America Podcast. A Canadian doctor murders her American doctor boyfriend in Pennsylvania, then flees to Canada. The extradition process is a nightmare, and here’s the kicker, she’s pregnant with his baby. Penned by the victim’s dad, David Bagby, this is well organized and written, and beyond a memoir, it’s also a commentary on the justice system failures which resulted in the death of a baby.
August 22, 2023
A very, very sad story told by the father/grandfather of the murdered man/baby. It’s heartfelt but not an in depth study of the people involved.
It’s a purging of the hate, anger and sorrow felt by these parents.
I never felt involved in the story, nor did I learn more than I knew from a news clipping.
I think the documentary Dear Zachary is supposed to be far more moving.
It’s a purging of the hate, anger and sorrow felt by these parents.
I never felt involved in the story, nor did I learn more than I knew from a news clipping.
I think the documentary Dear Zachary is supposed to be far more moving.
June 3, 2021
Do not get me wrong: it is a ver emotional history with a real case but I am not sure to have a book about it and I think that the family deserves respect
March 4, 2025
A must-read book which is a perfect companion to a must-watch documentary
September 25, 2020
Andrew Bagby was an American who went to medical school in St. John's, Newfoundland, in the late 1990s. There he met an older woman named Shirley Turner, who was a doctor, who was from Newfoundland. She came from a broken home, had been married twice and had three children with the two husbands (the children lived with their fathers). She had a history of violence and instability. Andrew and Shirley started dating on and off for a couple of years.
Andrew was found dead on November 5, 2001, in a state park in Pennsylvania where he was a resident at a local hospital. He had been shot five times and the number one suspect was Shirley, his then ex-girlfriend, who was practicing in Iowa.
Shortly after Andrew's death, on the advice of a lawyer, Shirley returned home to St. John's. The Pennsylvania police wanted her back in the States to face murder charges but she refused to go so the extradition to the U.S. process began. Andrew's parents, David and Kate, were living in California and flew to St. John's for the hearings. It turned out that Shirley was pregnant and gave birth to her and Andrew's son, Zachary, in July 2002.
The Bagbys put their lives on hold and moved to St. John's. If Shirley ended up in jail and prison, they wanted to establish a relationship with Zachary and be able to raise him since he was their grandson. They had to fight for visitation.
On August 18, 2003, Shirley drugged Zachary and then jumped into the Atlantic Ocean with him trapped to her. It was ruled a murder-suicide.
David wrote this book to tell the story. He and Kate feel they were failed by the legal system that let Shirley out on bail and allowed her to retain custody of Zachary. After Shirley and Zachary's death, they began a quest to have Canada’s bail laws changed. Bill C-464 or "Zachary's Bill" was introduced which would change the Criminal Code of Canada to allow the courts to justify their refusing bail to those accused of serious crimes in the name of protecting their children. It received support and was signed into law on December 16, 2010.
I don't remember this happening at the time and I'm not sure where I came across this book but it was an interesting story. It was dry at times but the love for Andrew and Zachary, their frustration and fight of David and Kate came through.
I read an e-version of the book and there were no pictures.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2020/09...
Andrew was found dead on November 5, 2001, in a state park in Pennsylvania where he was a resident at a local hospital. He had been shot five times and the number one suspect was Shirley, his then ex-girlfriend, who was practicing in Iowa.
Shortly after Andrew's death, on the advice of a lawyer, Shirley returned home to St. John's. The Pennsylvania police wanted her back in the States to face murder charges but she refused to go so the extradition to the U.S. process began. Andrew's parents, David and Kate, were living in California and flew to St. John's for the hearings. It turned out that Shirley was pregnant and gave birth to her and Andrew's son, Zachary, in July 2002.
The Bagbys put their lives on hold and moved to St. John's. If Shirley ended up in jail and prison, they wanted to establish a relationship with Zachary and be able to raise him since he was their grandson. They had to fight for visitation.
On August 18, 2003, Shirley drugged Zachary and then jumped into the Atlantic Ocean with him trapped to her. It was ruled a murder-suicide.
David wrote this book to tell the story. He and Kate feel they were failed by the legal system that let Shirley out on bail and allowed her to retain custody of Zachary. After Shirley and Zachary's death, they began a quest to have Canada’s bail laws changed. Bill C-464 or "Zachary's Bill" was introduced which would change the Criminal Code of Canada to allow the courts to justify their refusing bail to those accused of serious crimes in the name of protecting their children. It received support and was signed into law on December 16, 2010.
I don't remember this happening at the time and I'm not sure where I came across this book but it was an interesting story. It was dry at times but the love for Andrew and Zachary, their frustration and fight of David and Kate came through.
I read an e-version of the book and there were no pictures.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2020/09...
May 11, 2009
I wanted to read this book because I saw a snippet on MSNBC or one of those late night shows, (about the last 7-10 minutes of the show) that was actually the television version of what had taken place back in 2001. While watching the few minutes of the show, I could not believe that what the woman in the 'story' had done (at the end of the show/book) (and don't want to give away the ending here).
But the story seemed familiar somehow. I had a recollection that I had heard the story before. I recalled my friend, J went to church with and knew the parents of the murdered son. I actually remember hearing J tell me that she got a phone call from these parents telling her that their son who was studying back east to be a doctor had been killed. Of course, they were devastated but they were getting ready to go across country and see if they could find out who had murdered their only son.
This book, written by the father of the murdered son is not a story I would typically read but I feel compelled to know what happened not only because I was trying to figure out why the woman in the book did what she did, and that J had known these people. So I'm reading it. It is a well-written, terribly tragic story. J loaned me the book. It's an autographed copy of a horrific event in this family's life.
But the story seemed familiar somehow. I had a recollection that I had heard the story before. I recalled my friend, J went to church with and knew the parents of the murdered son. I actually remember hearing J tell me that she got a phone call from these parents telling her that their son who was studying back east to be a doctor had been killed. Of course, they were devastated but they were getting ready to go across country and see if they could find out who had murdered their only son.
This book, written by the father of the murdered son is not a story I would typically read but I feel compelled to know what happened not only because I was trying to figure out why the woman in the book did what she did, and that J had known these people. So I'm reading it. It is a well-written, terribly tragic story. J loaned me the book. It's an autographed copy of a horrific event in this family's life.
August 7, 2010
If one thinks the American justice system is slow moving and against the victim most times, then one should encounter the Canadian justice system. In this brutally tragic true story a Father (David Bagby, author) and Mother deal with the slaying of their son by his ex-girlfriend. Than they are able to see a light at the end of the tunnel when she announces she is pregnant with Andrew Bagby's child, to be named Zachary. This sad tale tells how slowly justice moved and failed to protect an innocent year old child. Even though I knew the outcome, the day the main incident occurs, I was still shocked when the pages finally reveal the events that lead up to that day. I cried with rage, almost like the Bagby's and I normally do not get emotional when it comes to true crime novels. I became very emotional with this horrifying tale of injustice. Everyone could see how far off the deep end Shirley Turner was, including the very justice system that continued to set her free and place an innocent child in her arms. This story is about how the justice system in Canada failed the Bagby's -- not only when it comes to extraditing the murderer of their only son, but in aiding the murder of their only grandchild, Zachary -- their last living link to their son. Tragic doesn't even come close to describing this case.
June 11, 2016
This book is more about how the justice system failed and 2 more people are dead because of it. I agree whole heartedly, that things need to change. I was just hoping more from this book, but I can understand it. When I read true crime, I like to see more back story of the people involved. Since this was written by the first victim's father, little to no backstory was provided for the accused murderer. Unfortunately, there is not court case, as the accused murderer killed herself. That is not a spoiler, as it is on the back of the book.
July 25, 2009
The book is not written as a narrative, with suspense building until we find out what eventually takes place. More appropriately, it is written assuming we know the story and want to find out details of the why and the how. Therefore be forewarned that the back of the book reveals exactly what happened, as does the book itself near the beginning.
In other words, to go in not knowing anything about the story, go see the documentary, "Dear Zachary," and then read the book to find out more.
In other words, to go in not knowing anything about the story, go see the documentary, "Dear Zachary," and then read the book to find out more.
January 9, 2012
A well written memoir by a father who son was murdered by an ex-girlfriend that was pregnant with his son's child. After the child was born the clearly mentally-ill mother wrecked havok on the grandparents lives. This book ends in heartbreaking tragedy. I'm rarely the kind of gal that cries during movies or books and I was sobbing.
As sad the subject, it is a very interesting, honest, well written book.
As sad the subject, it is a very interesting, honest, well written book.
December 9, 2015
A little speechless.
More than likely I will re-read this book promptly. It is about as horrific of the story as one can imagine. How I went this long without hearing about the story, I'll never know, but now it absolutely intrigues me. God bless all the Bagbys, their friends, and family.
More than likely I will re-read this book promptly. It is about as horrific of the story as one can imagine. How I went this long without hearing about the story, I'll never know, but now it absolutely intrigues me. God bless all the Bagbys, their friends, and family.
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