Cruel Heart: The True Story of a Beautiful Co-ed, a Vicious Murder, and the Trial that Tore Apart a Town

by William Van Meter

On the morning of May 4, 2003, a well-loved, hard-working freshman student named Katie Autry was found dead in her dormitory room at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. She had been raped, stabbed, drenched in hairspray, and set on fire. The story of Katie's horrific murder made local headlines-and there was a huge public outcry to bring her killer to justice... Stephen Soules, an unemployed high school dropout, had given Katie a ride home from a party on the night of her murder. With him was Lucas Goodrum, a twenty-one-year-old, sometime drug dealer with a known history of domestic abuse. Soules claimed that Goodrum forced him to participate in the crime, and received a life sentence in a plea deal. But what really happened in Katie's dorm room that night? And which of the two accused is the real killer? Cruel Heart is the true story of a crime that sent shockwaves through a small Southern town-and the mysteries that still remain...

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Mystery, Audiobook, Thriller, Americana, Crime

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 6, 2008

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Believe that the author did a good job with all things considering. The story itself was interesting...however the characters were just ordinary...but seeing that it was based on actual events that occurred after a frat party...I suppose ordinary is the best description for them. I was very impressed with how this author handled the people that made up his account. William Van Meter tells this story without any condescension or judgement. Life in semi-rural Kentucky might have been filled with cliches in the hands of other writers... but not William Van Meter. He simply shows us the aimless lives of the two boys and the semi-aimless life of the girl and their unimaginatively bad choices along with their almost innocent kindnesses. It's not a perfect story with a neatly tied-up ending..but then life seldom is. In spite of the facts being laid out well...you still come away not really knowing what actually happened in that dorm room. It's a creepy story of sadly wasted lives but still an excellent read.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid true crime story, written in straightforward journalistic style, about a murder case in Kentucky. Author Van Meter is a good, level-headed writer and never descends into the overwrought tabloid style that often afflicts this genre, though it would have been easy enough to do given the subject matter. (Frankly, I can only assume that those people who called this book "poorly written" actually like that overwrought tabloid style -- think Ann Rule and the awful Kathryn Casey -- and were disappointed by its absence here. I mean, an opinion is an opinion, but by no meaningful or knowledgeable standard is this book "poorly written." Well, let a thousand flowers bloom, I guess.)

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 out of 5) A sickening crime committed on a college campus late one night after a bunch of young people were partying at a frat house in Kentucky. Twenty-year-old student Katie had too much to drink again but is just learning about who she is at long last after a rough start. After getting a sober ride safely back to her dorm she went to bed, but when her roommate calls to check on her, she's not answering. What really happened to Katie and who was really involved in it?? This was a gut wrenching read after learning about Katie and all she'd experienced just getting to Western in the first place. A decent true crime read with some strange twists.

[Danny Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tragic Story

This one leaves the reader asking, "Did he get away with murder?" It's difficult to say, given the absence of evidence and a family alibi that the cops were unable to overcome. It's very unfortunate that the campus cops, with zero experience investigating death or any major crimes, didn't ask the county or state to assist. That was very shortsighted and apparently driven by pride. Otherwise, we may have known whether Luke got away with murder.

[Kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Incredibly tragic story, but very poorly written. The author needs to learn that overdramatization and overuse of adverbs is not a great way to write.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mainly wanted to listen to this book because I live in Owensboro, Ky and most of the kids from this area usually go to one of three colleges if they don’t stay in town and go to the 2 here in town. That being Western in Bowling Green, UK in Lexington or U of L in Louisville. The book isn’t what I expected. It was an ok book. There was a lot of speculation that the guy who went to prison for the crime wasn’t the one who committed the crime but the other guy Lucas who came from a wealthy family. The guy who went to prison was from a poor family and I’m sure had to rely on the county defender and not a paid attorney. For some reason I don’t remember any of this. I guess I might not have let my daughter go to school there

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting bit of true-crime writing, though I can't say I really loved it. A horrible crime. Author seemed to try to be fair, but even I think there was more to this story than the one guy who pleaded guilty in order to avoid death penalty. Many unanswered questions. But I understood why the jury voted the way they did, I suppose I would have as well.

[Fishface · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read about an utterly unexplained crime. Well written; it really keeps you turning the pages.

[Brittney Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This heartbreaking story about the murder of a young woman will rip your heart to shreds. I only wish that I had an update tacked onto the end of the book.

[Pam Soto · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to it on Hoopla, wasn't a great listen for me. Saw a review that compared it to In Cold Blood which I love and read the first time when I was 16. That comparison NEVER entered my mind. If there hadn't been some facts/anecdotes that I found interesting, I probably would have given it one star.

[Lindsay Darnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming from someone that was born and raised in Owensboro, Kentucky then graduated from Western Kentucky University I greatly enjoyed the description of these places that are close to my heart. I also enjoyed learning some history of my state that I had not known. The crime itself was horrific and I am not certain justice was served but I hope her family and friends have found some peace.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gut wrenching story about a horrific crime at WKU.

[Maryann MJS1228 · Rating 5 out of 5]

New titles are published in the True Crime every year but new voices are rare. Anyone who cares about the genre has to wonder when the next Ted Olsen or Darcy O'Brien or Shana Alexander is going to arrive. Or wonder is they'll ever arrive at all. A new voice has arrived with Bluegrass.

The lives of three young people, all barely out of their teens, intersect as a typical college frat party. The girl gets her heart broken, gets drunk, acts out and then gets tossed out. One of the boys has spent the party passed out in a pickup truck after an all too successful pre-party. The second boy is unimpressed by his first frat party. By morning the girl is in ICU suffering horrific injuries. The investigation and murder trial that follow leave many questions unanswered.

William Van Meter tells this story with nary a trace of hysteria and what's even more impressive is that he also does it without an ounce of condescension. Life in semi-rural Kentucky would be filled with only alcohol and Ten Commandments road signage in the hands of other writers but Van Meter avoids the clichés. He shows us the aimless lives of the two boys and the semi-aimless life of the girl, their stunningly bad choices and their almost innocent kindnesses. His occasional commentary on their lives is devastating in its brevity. Case in point is his assessment of Stephen Soules: "a sluggish existence wholly in the present - a life structured around `chillin'."

This is the rare true crime book that is successful despite a genuine ambiguity about what actually transpired. Van Meter never hands the reader an easy out of "this is what I think happened", leaving us to sort it all out for ourselves. It's not a perfect book, the writing could stand a bit more polish in places but this is Van Meter's first book I'm willing to overlook a few rough edges when the overall content is this good. At 240 pages this is a short book well worth the time of any True Crime fan. Highly recommended.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who attended Western around a decade after this happened, I'd obviously heard of Katie's case though she was almost always referred to only as that girl who was burned alive in the dorms. I was interested in learning more about the case because it was brought up so often, and after learning more I feel terrible how casually and callously it would get referenced.

As for the actual book I really wasn't that impressed. The author does his best to avoid sensationalized the story and instead give a fair and balanced account. In doing so he leaves us with a bloated and meandering narrative. Relaying both sides of the story doesn't mean we have to forsake a real narrative. I would have liked to have spent a little more time with Katie and a little less time with the suspected killers, but given the quick and brutal nature of the crime I'm capable of recognizing that narrativly that's not possible. To give the author credit, he does manage to put forward a victim first narrative at no point are we allowed to forget about Katie or the awful things that were done for her. Though her past is brought up it's also never used against her, like it likely was at the time.

Now the somewhat petty complaints, I listened to the audio book of this, and the location pronunciations of which there were many were so awful. The emphasis put on the Gs in Bowling Green were jarring every time and not once was Louisville pronounced right. It bothered me every single time and obviously at least Bowling Green was referenced a lot.

Overall, glad I read it but kinda wish I'd done it physically instead

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

First True Crime book I've ever read. And it will probably be my last. This murder happened in Bowling Green KY in May 2003. I started dating my now husband in June 2003. He lived in Bowling Green KY at the time and I had heard about this horrible murder. It was 11 years later that I went to my husbands 20 year High School reunion and found out that his class mate had written a book about the murder. I was fascinated because it was so close to home. I started reading on Monday and for two nights I could not sleep. My stomach was in knots for two days. This murder made no sense what so ever. Katie did not deserve this torture that ended her young life. This book has consumed my thoughts and I have tried to look up more about this murder but not much is out there. I will say that I don't think Luke was guilty of any involvement. People say he lived a life of privilege and that his stepfather was wealthy from his family's ownership of Dollar General Stores. Its pretty obvious that be was not living " high on the hog" he lived by himself with no help from his mother. Stephens different telling of his stories made no sense and seem to be made up as he went along.
There still a lot of unanswered questions in my opinion and it doesn't seem like we'll ever get answers.
Like I said this was my first True Crime book so I have nothing to compare it to. I thought is was really good and well written and the author told the story rather than his opinions about what happened.

[Jamieleigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not a great read for me. I felt that there was sooooo much filler and unnecessary information on people and places that did not matter to the main story. This book should of been more of a novella than a novel. The writing was not the greatest but it wasn't terribly either. It was not made 100% aware that everything that was said by the suspects and court were directly from police files but I really hope it was; if not man that's terrible. Some of the interviews really annoyed me because of the way the detectives handle potential suspects based on JUST hearsay. I probably will not read anything else from this author.

[Michelle "Champ" · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea this happened at WKU. Word of warning, this is a true crime book that depicts the crime in detail. Very interesting, albeit sad book.

[Cory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katie Autry, a well known name is heard around campus being the “party girl”. A name that may be more known after the night of May 3rd, 2003. A night out with Luke Goodrum and Stephen Soules wound up being the last night she’d ever get out. A truly sad story behind the murder of Katie Autry, that also digs into the trial of the two boys. Who will go down for the murder of Katie Autry? Will this be a quick and easy trial?

Katie was a student at Western Kentucky University. She was working at a local strip club and bar, named Tattle Tails. And, she was living in a dorm room on campus with Danica Jackson, another student at the university. She was newer in the area, coming from a small town in Kentucky named Pellville, where she lived with her foster family. She had lived with them most of her life until the time she graduated. She was very close to them, closer than her blood family. This could turn the trial into something disturbing. Two close sides to Katie will turn on each other.

Luke is a Scottsville native, only being about 30 minutes from campus. He and some of his friends go out one night for a party, but he leaves behind a tragic murder scene in Hugh Poland Hall, Katie's dormitory. He commits multiple, unspeakable crimes. Crimes that are still talked about today in my hometown of Scottsville. He has to go through the trial, spending his time in jail while the police get behind just how horrific this all was. He seems like a pretty good suspect, given he has a rough history. Will he be convicted for the murder? What will Luke's fate be?

His accomplice Stephen Soules, another Scottsville local, has his name drug into the case too. Multiple matches of his DNA were found all over her dorm room, and on her. That doesn't look too good on his part. He claims that he was forced into doing these acts by Luke. Who will serve the time for the murder of Katie Autry? Will one of them be out of the picture forever? Both of these Scottsville boys are very close in this case,but who will be the one to serve?

Cruel Heart does a great job at depicting just how intense the trial got. It goes into great detail, explaining just how everything was involved. This book gives you great background knowledge behind the pretty face of Katie Autry and her brutal heartbreaking murder. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys more intense reading, definitely someone who enjoys a courtroom setting and the trial process.

[Elizabeth Piel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I lived in Bowling Green when Katie was murdered. My kids (ages 4 and 2 at the time of Katie's murder) took swimming lessons at Western. My husband attended WKU from 1983 to 1985. In fall of 2004, I began my Master's program at Western (and eventually taught there as an adjunct professor). Western Kentucky University is part of my family's story. Despite this, I do believe that the WKU Police mishandled the investigation into Katie's murder bc WKU powers that be wanted it wrapped up quickly so the press wouldn't do too much damage to the university's reputation.

I remember the constant TV coverage. Social media in 2003 - 2005 wasn't as pervasive as it is now (was any of it even created at that time?) so TV news and newspapers were still the main ways people got information. I'm sure if social media had been as big then as it is now, it would have been much clearer who did what. I'm certain Stephen was there. Evidence proves he was. But was anyone else?

I was one of the few that wasn't convinced Lucas had a part in her murder. I couldn't get past that there was no evidence of him in her dorm room. And despite how big BG is compared to Scotsville, BG is still a small city compared to Louisville or Lexington, heck, even E-town. Someone, somewhere in BG was always watching. So I found it hard to believe that none of the boys saw "nothing". Stephen was seen. How could Lucas, who was bigger, not be seen?

I will say, as a mother to girls, Katie's murder in her dorm room terrified me for the time my girls would eventually go off to college. I think, in some part, colleges across the USA learned from Katie's murder that security should, and must be, a number one priority.

I still think of Katie every May. I hope she's at peace. What she endured should never happen to anyone.

[Carson Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucas Goodram a rich kid from Scottsville that gets away with just about anything. He's family is well known, coming from the million dollar business called Dollar General. Lucas is usually found at his house or with his high school sweet heart. Lucas was quite the party animal though, he always had weed and other drugs on him. He wasn’t always the friendliest guy, known to lash out a lot and not being able to control his temper.

I enjoyed this book a lot, it doesn’t seem real that two people from Scottsville could do such a cruel wicked thing. If Stephen Souls was there and is telling the truth how could he just sit there and watch it without doing something or at least yell for someone or anything. Katie didn’t deserve what happened to her. It goes to show you how you have to be careful in everything you do. No one will ever know the exact truth but it sure does make you wonder what happened. I believe it will catch up to them in the end. If Lucas Goodram did what Stephen said he did it will catch up to him and he will eventually pay for it.

This book to me was a great book that I enjoyed to read, I'm not much of a reader so if I say it was good/interesting it has to be. This book hits pretty close to home, coming from Lucas and Stephen Souls was from Scottsville and that all of my family went to WKU. I would say anyone interested in murders would like this book. I would say if you're from the Scottsville Bowling Green area you would like to read this book. It hits pretty close to home if you're from this area. Even though Katie wasn’t from here, it's hard to believe someone from Scottsville could do that. If your into the gruesome murders, and twister wicked ways of people this would be a good read for you. I highly recommend it to anyone, it’s a very god read.

[Emily Jochim]

I was a freshman at WKU in the residence hall next door to Poland when Katie Autry was murdered, which is what lead me to read (I actually listened to the audiobook) this book. Katie was my age, she worked at the Wendy’s in my hometown during high school, and lived across the river. I knew the names of the suspects and followed the story at the time. Although I didn’t know Katie personally, her story was so close to home in so many ways. I remember the media really fixating on the fact that she worked at Tattle Tails…as though that fact was her asking for this. It was frustrating then and is even more so after hearing a more investigative account of the story. It has been almost 20 years since Katie was killed so brutally, and I still feel as though things are so unanswered.

I don’t necessarily feel the book was super well written, but the audio was pretty terrible. Maybe I would feel differently about the actual writing quality if I had read instead.

[Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story definitely took me on a trip. As someone who lived and worked in the Bowling Green, Scottsville, and Morgantown area from 2003-2016 this certainly took me back to the smalltown feel of the area. The writing was average and sometimes difficult to follow. For someone who wasn't already aware of all the major key players and timeline events the flow may have been difficult to keep track of at times. Four stars for bringing me right back home to Bowling Green and reminding me of the home town I grew up in. I always avoided reading the story before as I knew many of the responders on this case however this was the perfect time for me to read it. Definitely recommend anyone from the area to read or anyone interested in small town true crime.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm certain this was more interesting to me as an alumni of WKU who was in attendance at the time this horrific crime took place. Van Meter's writing style is factual with just a bit of descriptive flair. It reads like it was written for a TV episode - which it did become, although I haven't seen it. There was a lot of detail that I don't recall from that time. The one detail that stood out to me was the statement from president Ransdell essentially blaming the victim. I lost some respect for the administration of WKU after reading about how poorly this murder was handled. I can only hope they have improved their plans of action in times of crisis.

[Dig The Plot · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not going to lie I am finding it hard to review a non-fiction book. This book is very straight forward. The story is told in a very matter-of-fact way. There are some bits of information that I’m not sure why it was added. Some things just didn’t add to what happened. I live only an hour away from this town which was why I was interested in reading the book. It is an older book and when reading it you’ll feel it was written that way. I can’t say I got caught up in the way he told the story but it’s a true story so it was just the facts. The crime itself is very gruesome and leaves a lot of unanswered questions.

[Sabrina Pate · Rating 5 out of 5]

He did such a good job giving more in depth picture of each of these people. From what the media told us at the time (I was a sophomore at WKU at the time this happened), I was sure she had gotten involved with these guys through working at Tattle Tales and that she let them in the side door. Seeing that while she had worked there, there was no connection to these guys ever found made me annoyed with the media for making assumptions.

I had always heard Luke just got off because of the money. But if this book is true and there was no evidence connecting him to this other than the other persons word, that’s a much different situation.

The whole thing is so sad and crazy. One night of complete craziness and a lifetime of consequences.

[V. Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been several years since I read this book but I still feel compelled to add my review, as I wasn't using Goodreads at the time. This was the first true crime book that I ever read and it cemented the idea in my head that true crime is a fascinating and simultaneously haunting genre. Bluegrass got me into true crime. I read the book for my forensic science class in high school and did a project on it.

If you want to read a true crime book with cohesive narration, evidence clearly laid out, and gripping storytelling, I recommend this book.

[Clint · Rating 4 out of 5]

True crime offering details the gruesome early 2000s murder of a Western Kentucky University coed. A Black friend of the coed admits his responsibility but says it was instigated by a wealthier white friend, who is then put on trial. Narrative does a decent job of moving back and forth among the principals and keeps the reader guessing how things might come out. Less well explored are the factors of race and money, though they might not have been as much of a factor as they were 30 years earlier.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a tedious read, all things considered. Perhaps because I know the areas mentioned well, so reading about them felt a bit boring? I'm not sure, but it just wasn't super engaging. While I do appreciate the facts about the case being presented, especially since I do NOT remember this at ALL from when it happened, I just feel like this wasn't maybe the most compelling murder case to write about.

[Manda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read better true crime novels. This was unorganized. Too much time spent on describing KY (I’m from KY so that’s probably why I was annoyed) and not enough time spent on the crime, the investigation, or the court room. There were also far too many grammatical errors for me to overlook. This case is on Hulu, called Death in the Dorms. Highly recommend, there is more information for you true crime folks.

[carlareadssometimes · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS:
I liked the writing style of this a lot. Very straightforward and journalistic. It’s broken up into 3 sections: background, the crime itself, and the trial. This one was local to me, and I went to Western myself. I actually lived at Bemis my freshman year until they tore it down. This book is pretty graphic and very detailed oriented, so if that’s not your vibe then don’t read it.

GENERAL VIBES: true crime, nonfiction, small town, murder,