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The Murder Gene: A True Story
As the soft-spoken, highly intelligent son of missionaries in Morganton, North Carolina, Luke Chang gave no indication of the killer he would become. But after hacking into a teacher's computer at his school, a stint in the Marines was his only option.
As a young recruit, Luke was taunted for being a virgin who didn't cuss, drink, or smoke pot. That all changed when Luke met Casey Byrams, a fun-loving musician and fellow Marine from Cullman, Alabama. Their friendship set off a series of events that would eventually lead Luke to Pendleton, Oregon, where he brutally murdered nineteen-year-old Amyjane Brandhagen in August 2012. When Luke attempted to kill another woman almost a year later, Pendleton Police knew they had a serial-killer wannabe on their hands.
Some forty years prior to Amyjane's murder, Luke's maternal grandfather, Gene Dale Lincoln, murdered a young Michigan woman and attempted to abduct a twelve-year-old girl. The similarities between the violent actions of grandfather and grandson compels the question: Is there such a thing as a murder gene?
As a young recruit, Luke was taunted for being a virgin who didn't cuss, drink, or smoke pot. That all changed when Luke met Casey Byrams, a fun-loving musician and fellow Marine from Cullman, Alabama. Their friendship set off a series of events that would eventually lead Luke to Pendleton, Oregon, where he brutally murdered nineteen-year-old Amyjane Brandhagen in August 2012. When Luke attempted to kill another woman almost a year later, Pendleton Police knew they had a serial-killer wannabe on their hands.
Some forty years prior to Amyjane's murder, Luke's maternal grandfather, Gene Dale Lincoln, murdered a young Michigan woman and attempted to abduct a twelve-year-old girl. The similarities between the violent actions of grandfather and grandson compels the question: Is there such a thing as a murder gene?
- GenresTrue CrimeNonfiction
252 pages, Hardcover
Published May 10, 2022
39 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Karen Spears Zacharias
18 books98 followersKaren Spears Zacharias is an Appalachian writer, a former journalist, and author of numerous books, both fiction and non-fiction.
She holds a MA in Appalachian Studies from Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and a MA in Creative Media Practice from the University of West Scotland, Ayr, Scotland.
Her debut novel Mother of Rain received the Weatherford Award for Best in Appalachian Fiction from The Loyal Jones Appalachian Center at Berea College, Kentucky.
Zacharias was named Appalachian Heritage Writer in 2018 by Shepherd University.
Her work has been featured on National Public Radio, CNN, the New York Times, Washington Post and in numerous anthologies.
She lives at the foot of the Cascade Mountains in Deschutes County, Oregon, where she’s an active member of the League of Women Voters and Central Oregon Writers Guild. She is a member of Phi Beta Delta and Phi Kappa Phi. A Gold Star daughter, she is a fierce advocate for democratic principles and women’s rights.
Zacharias taught First-Amendment Rights at Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington, and continues to teach at writing workshops around the country.
Her forthcoming novel No Perfect Mothers will be released by Mercer University Press, Spring 2024.
She holds a MA in Appalachian Studies from Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and a MA in Creative Media Practice from the University of West Scotland, Ayr, Scotland.
Her debut novel Mother of Rain received the Weatherford Award for Best in Appalachian Fiction from The Loyal Jones Appalachian Center at Berea College, Kentucky.
Zacharias was named Appalachian Heritage Writer in 2018 by Shepherd University.
Her work has been featured on National Public Radio, CNN, the New York Times, Washington Post and in numerous anthologies.
She lives at the foot of the Cascade Mountains in Deschutes County, Oregon, where she’s an active member of the League of Women Voters and Central Oregon Writers Guild. She is a member of Phi Beta Delta and Phi Kappa Phi. A Gold Star daughter, she is a fierce advocate for democratic principles and women’s rights.
Zacharias taught First-Amendment Rights at Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington, and continues to teach at writing workshops around the country.
Her forthcoming novel No Perfect Mothers will be released by Mercer University Press, Spring 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 18, 2022
Karen Spears Zacharias uses research and her usually seamless storytelling skills to ask hard questions about two murderers who were related to each other. The implications are uncomfortable, but handled honestly and compassionately by Zacharias. That makes this both a compelling book and an important one, a description that fits all of the author’s work. Read, consider, and think.
May 18, 2022
This book was fascinating - not only a well researched true crime story, but also a story about what could be a "violence" gene. Two murders forty years apart likely linked by this so-called "murder gene." The author does a great job of introducing the reader to information about genomes and gene pools and then tying it all together at the end when it was determined these two murderers were grandpa and grandson. If you are a true crime buff, with interest in science, this is your book!
April 8, 2023
Oh my God, this is a much different story than the usual true crime book. Gene Dale Lincoln abducted and murdered a college girl in the 1980s and forty years later his grandson, Luke Chang killed a woman in a motel room. A slight variation on the sins of the father line.
Luke's fraternal grandfather was killed while fighting alongside American troops in. Vietnam. His Hmong father escaped to the United States with his mother and his son Jay married an Appalachian woman. Her father Gene served ten years in prison and first lived with her and her children.
Amyjane Brandhagen was a murder victim at the motel where she worked as a made. She died from multiple stab wounds and the police had their hands full with a long list of suspects, as the young lady had many intimate boyfriends and a married man who admitted to an affair with Amyjane. Methamphetamine was found in her blood along with a few prescription drugs.
One year later a woman was beaten with a pipe at a levee and surveillance cameras captured an Asian man who was recognized by the police as a transient who had been picked up previously. "Danny Wu" turned out to be Luke Chang and he calmly described his attacks in detail. The Marines had trained him to kill efficiently and Amyjane's death was an outcome of that training.
The book ends with an overview of DNA and the nature vs nurture debate on criminality. Chang is in jail and his killer grandpa Gene bought the farm in 2006.
Luke refused to be interviewed by the author and he could have provided more insights into his behavior had he done so. Overall, a good read.
Luke's fraternal grandfather was killed while fighting alongside American troops in. Vietnam. His Hmong father escaped to the United States with his mother and his son Jay married an Appalachian woman. Her father Gene served ten years in prison and first lived with her and her children.
Amyjane Brandhagen was a murder victim at the motel where she worked as a made. She died from multiple stab wounds and the police had their hands full with a long list of suspects, as the young lady had many intimate boyfriends and a married man who admitted to an affair with Amyjane. Methamphetamine was found in her blood along with a few prescription drugs.
One year later a woman was beaten with a pipe at a levee and surveillance cameras captured an Asian man who was recognized by the police as a transient who had been picked up previously. "Danny Wu" turned out to be Luke Chang and he calmly described his attacks in detail. The Marines had trained him to kill efficiently and Amyjane's death was an outcome of that training.
The book ends with an overview of DNA and the nature vs nurture debate on criminality. Chang is in jail and his killer grandpa Gene bought the farm in 2006.
Luke refused to be interviewed by the author and he could have provided more insights into his behavior had he done so. Overall, a good read.
July 23, 2024
A combination of true crime and science journalism, this book leaves a lot to be desired, particularly as "non-fiction".
The true crime portion of the book reads quickly and is fairly interesting, as expected from the author's background as a crime reporter. Yet the writing style is immature, particularly when chapter after chapter ends with varied preachy warnings of what is to come. I assume this is the author's attempt to create tension, but to me, it was just annoying.
In addition, much of the psychological description of the characters seems to be creative license on the part of the author. "When I think of Amy and Luke, I prefer to think of them as the friends they might have been, most assuredly would have been..." is just one example.
As a scientist, I found this book overly speculative and I hope no one thinks this is real science. There may be genetic tendencies to violence (clearly a worthwhile topic for research), but this book is a poor example. The "similarities" between the grandfather's and the main character's crimes are superficial at best. Even if they were more substantial, we know very little about their mental health, personality, and "nurture," all of which are likely to play an important role. Most importantly, the author shows only a vague understanding of the underlying scientific research, yet preaches about genetics being an explanation (perhaps even an excuse for) crime.
There are many examples of science journalism that make difficult topics accessible to the common reader, while also remaining scientifically valid. This book is not one of the them.
The true crime portion of the book reads quickly and is fairly interesting, as expected from the author's background as a crime reporter. Yet the writing style is immature, particularly when chapter after chapter ends with varied preachy warnings of what is to come. I assume this is the author's attempt to create tension, but to me, it was just annoying.
In addition, much of the psychological description of the characters seems to be creative license on the part of the author. "When I think of Amy and Luke, I prefer to think of them as the friends they might have been, most assuredly would have been..." is just one example.
As a scientist, I found this book overly speculative and I hope no one thinks this is real science. There may be genetic tendencies to violence (clearly a worthwhile topic for research), but this book is a poor example. The "similarities" between the grandfather's and the main character's crimes are superficial at best. Even if they were more substantial, we know very little about their mental health, personality, and "nurture," all of which are likely to play an important role. Most importantly, the author shows only a vague understanding of the underlying scientific research, yet preaches about genetics being an explanation (perhaps even an excuse for) crime.
There are many examples of science journalism that make difficult topics accessible to the common reader, while also remaining scientifically valid. This book is not one of the them.
April 22, 2023
Reading Karen's writing is like watching a 2-hour true-crime documentary (which to me, is an excellent way to spend two hours.) The Murder Gene is enthralling, and I didn't want to put it down. It not only builds, but it simultaneously takes the reader to back-stories that make the present make sense. Her writing paints vivid pictures of people, their lives, and their surroundings in a way that makes you "see" them. She poses questions you want answered, and as you continue reading...the answers are there.
Then, as is her style, the book is replete with facts about the obvious question of the book... Is there a murder gene? If so, what should be done with that fact? What have scientists found? What have scientists done? I was surprised at the answer to that question. And you can be sure that Karen, journalist as she is, presents research and facts that made me take notes for future googling. I’ve got to know more about this question.
But as for the individuals in this incredible story, I feel I have a very clear picture of "who" they all were and are, and what they all went through. I loved reading this. I found it fascinating.
Then, as is her style, the book is replete with facts about the obvious question of the book... Is there a murder gene? If so, what should be done with that fact? What have scientists found? What have scientists done? I was surprised at the answer to that question. And you can be sure that Karen, journalist as she is, presents research and facts that made me take notes for future googling. I’ve got to know more about this question.
But as for the individuals in this incredible story, I feel I have a very clear picture of "who" they all were and are, and what they all went through. I loved reading this. I found it fascinating.
January 22, 2023
As the author notes in her epilogue, this is not a who-dunnit true crime. This is a look into why a murder (actually several murders within a family) was carried out. The narrative does a good job at interweaving fact with interview and including an empathetic look not just for the victims and their families, but also for the convicted and their families. The author takes sensitive and sometimes complex subject matter and makes it accessible to the reader. The material will leave you asking questions about how do we, as a society, learn to accept and mediate complex issues of genetic predisposition with ethics, fairness, and understanding. How do we offer preventative support rather than waiting to react to an action that may be avoided? While there is certainly more to unpack regarding a genetic link to violence, this book begins the conversation.
November 19, 2022
I loved the interesting take on a mystery novel, mixed with nonfiction and science along with a compelling storyline. Following the story of the "main" character from his grandfather and the parallels that they lived was intriguing. It is interesting - and terrifying - to think of this "murder gene" being hereditary. It will now make me curious about other serial killers/murderers and their back story and if this "murder gene" might also exist in their genealogy. Great story and concept.
November 19, 2022
I just finished reading this book and I was extremely impressed. It covers the murder of a girl who just graduated and was working to get money for college and the assault for a teacher. And goes into details about the convicted murderer. This all happened in Pendleton, Oregon about 10 years ago. It was extremely well written and tackles the extremely complicated subject of DNA.
March 7, 2023
Wasn't that impressed with the true crime story. There was some repetitive writing as if to fill pages. I have read another book on study results by CT scan of the brain of criminals that was more evident based. It is a quandra about how or what should be done if there is a way to alter someones genes, behavior? It is a religious and moral dilemma.
April 1, 2023
Having lived in Pendleton for 7 years I attended church with both Amyjane, a young child at the time, and Karen. The author does a great job telling this story and I appreciate the way she handled some of the more delicate matters without judgement of the people involved. I loved the scientific explanations and law enforcement angle. Well done!
August 27, 2023
Disappointed that this was 95% true crime reportage with surface level exploration of a genetic propensity to violence. The title and back cover copy, “The similarities between the violent actions of grandfather and grandson compels the question: Is there such a thing as a murder gene?” led me to mistakenly expect a more science-driven book.
November 29, 2023
I wanted to like this one more than I did. It felt incomplete. It was an interesting idea that just wasn't as well done as I would have liked.
January 3, 2024
Wish it had begun with the grandson's story instead of the grandfather's, but still a good read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews