One Deadly Night

by John Glatt

On September 28, 2000, former Indiana State Trooper David Camm made a frantic call to his former colleagues in the state troopers He'd just walked into his garage, and found lying on the floor the bodies of his 35-year-old wife, Kim, and their two children, Brad and Jill, ages 7 and 5.This was the kind of crime that could tear the heart out of a community. The Camm's lived the American Dream. They had what seemed like a loving marriage, a nice little house with a white picket fence, and two adorable children. To top it all off, David Camm was a pillar of the community who had dedicated his career to the enforcement of the law and the sanctity of human life. Then, this happened.Three days later, it got worse when police arrested David Camm for the triple murder. Soon, new stories started stories about mistresses and violent bursts of temper. And as the ugly truth about the Camms' marriage got uglier and the evidence against David started piling up, two families-and the community at large-took positions at opposite sides of a yawning and bitter divide.Was David Camm a dedicated, conscientious public servant-the victim of unspeakable tragedy, railroaded by an unfair system? Or was he a cold-hearted murderer who earned his three murder convictions and every one of the 195 years behind bars to which he was sentenced?Investigative journalist John Glatt finds out in this gripping new book.

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

364 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2005

About the author

English-born John Glatt is the author of Golden Boy Lost and Found, Secrets in the Cellar, Playing with Fire, and many other bestselling books of true crime. He has more than 30 years of experience as an investigative journalist in England and America. Glatt left school at 16 and worked a variety of jobs—including tea boy and messenger—before joining a small weekly newspaper. He freelanced at several English newspapers, then in 1981 moved to New York, where he joined the staff for News Limited and freelanced for publications including Newsweek and the New York Post. His first book, a biography of Bill Graham, was published in 1981, and he published For I Have Sinned, his first book of true crime, in 1998. He has appeared on television and radio programs all over the world, including ABC- 20/20Dateline NBC, Fox News, Current Affair, BBC World, and A&E Biography. He and his wife Gail divide their time between New York City, the Catskill Mountains and London.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/johnglatt

Reviews

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 4 out of 5]

True Crime Commemoration # 18
Setting: 2002 Georgetown, IN a rural area about 20 minutes from Louisville, KY (and my hometown)
This occurred about 2 miles from my house. Reading this book is bringing a lot of anger and disillusion to the surface as so many feelings were boiling for many years over this heinous crime. Really it still cannot be mentioned without tempers flaring


GUILTY!!! GUILTY!!! GUILTY!!!!

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really well written true crime book - you know it is good when you find yourself heading to Wikipedia halfway through the book just because you want to know what the outcome was. I'm glad I wasn't on the jury for this case. I disliked David Camm intensely and I disliked his family, and I could see why he didn't warm himself to the jury. But nevertheless, the case for murder against Camm was flimsy and history has confirmed that. But this is a great story with a neutral author who writes the facts of the case in a measured but very entertaining way.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a true crime fan, for me you actually need dna evidence to solve the case. This was a tricky case. It was very well written. I have never been left hanging like this on a fence. I am not 100% sure that he did do this. Its very likely but I need hard evidence. You know its a good book when you have to google it to find out the current situation.

[Clued-in With A Book (Elvina Ulrich) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Case: On September 2000, David Ray Camm, former Indiana State Trooper returned to his home in Georgetown Indiana, to discover the body of his 35-year-old wife, Kim, and their two children, Brad and Jill, ages 7 and 5. He would later be arrested, charged and convicted for the triple murder. Was David a cold-hearted murderer or was he a victim of wrongly convictions?

My thoughts: This was a heartbreaking case and as always the author tells the story with compassion and sensitivity. I am really loving Glatt's books more and more. His writing is super engaging and it always reads like a fiction. Although there was a lot of information in this book (David's parents' background, his childhood, career, affairs, etc), it didn't feel overwhelming at all.

David is not the most faithful man. He is a sexual opportunist and had numerous affairs with different women. It seems that his unfaithfulness is a solid motive for murdering his family yet he also has the support of his family who could not believe that he is capable of murder.

His case was a complicated one. There were errors in evidence collection and investigation and even allegations on witness and evidence tampering. Since this book was published in 2005, it ended with a cliffhanger as I am still not sure if he did commit the murders . However, in 2013 there was a new update on his case and I would suggest looking up this case online. Not going to spoil it here!

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟
Another pos man who took advantage of his position as a member of the law, who was a womanizer and sick individual.

This was a very twisted case.

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wrote a review for this book and when I pushed submit, Goodreads glitched and my review was lost. Here is my second attempt.

One of the better true crime books I have read. The best thing about it was that it highlighted, seeming without intent to do so, the significant problems inherent in our justice system. The investigators in the Camm case lacked even the most basic understanding of logic. They lacked education as well. What they didn't lack was a serious desire to pin the murder on someone, even if it was illogical to do so. The jury didn't seem much better.

It was clear that Camm was a repugnant human being. I am sure glad I wasn't married to him. But, no matter what my personal feelings about him, I would only allow my decisions to be dictated by evidence. The investigators threw logic out the window as they pursued a case based almost entirely on their personal feelings. What a disaster of an investigation.


At the end of the day, I do not actually know if Camm had anything to do with the murders. I have some thoughts on that, but they would involve spoilers. Once you finish this book, I would recommend looking up this case on Wikipedia. There is updated information. Reading it made me enjoy the book all the more.

[Denise Mullins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a great deal of fiction in my life in which despicable villains were portrayed, but I must consider that this true crime account of David Camm and the crimes he’s accused of rank with the worst. Author John Glatt does a first rate job of meticulously presenting the arrogant, philandering, manipulative sociopath. After reading this book, I searched for any updates and discovered the latest events from 2013. And while I am a staunch supporter of DNA evidence, with all the facts and conversations laid out in this book, I still sincerely believe in Camm’s guilt.
My only criticism of the book is that the background of Camm’s family in the beginning could have been edited. However, once past that, this became a compelling page turner.

[Elaine Nickolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this book one is still left wondering if justice was served. Mr. Glatt lays out the lives of those involved and describes their every day lives so by the time the murders occur you feel like you can understand why a crime may have been committed. I myself would not be sure how to have voted as a juror and there would always be that one nagging question about blood. This was an interesting read and a quick read as Mr. Glatt leads the reader to want to know how it all ends. I would be willing to read another sample of this authors works. For true crime lovers, this would be a good choice.

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never heard of this crime before I read the book. It is also interesting that this book was written before Camm was officially exonerated.

I do think that Camm was a shit guy. He was a shit husband and a shit father, but I don't think he murdered his family.

I honestly don't understand how he was found guilty on more than one occasion. There is so much evidence that he wasn't even there. The prosecution kept changing their theory to match all the new evidence that was found.

I am glad that the true murderer has been bought to justice and that Camm has been freed.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whenever I'm depressed, it seems like true crime is all I read, and I was plenty depressed as the 2020 election finally dragged to a finish. Then I was no longer depressed, and I ordered five new books to get started on.

The most true thing about this book is that when psychopaths are caught, all they do is whine and complain and cry in court, on TV, to cellmates, or to anyone they think will listen. The protagonist of this book shoots and kills his wife and two children, and then tries to deny it, which is pathetic but typical for psychopaths. The sheer gall of someone killing his family and then trying to deny it is just amazing, and this book does a good job of showing exactly what the ex-cop's true colors are. He is a loathsome human being.

The book is well-written.

[Susan Liston · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wondered how, when I came upon this I could have avoided already knowing about this crime. As I read, bells started to go off and I realized that I had heard of it before, no doubt I had one of the 48 Hours or Datelines about it. This book was written 13 years ago, and there is a ton of information to get through SINCE then. I've only started to do that, so I don't feel as though I am up on this story yet. But the book is a good place to start. Terrible when you loathe the person accused of a crime but have to admit that the evidence against them is pretty flimsy.

[Jimmy Chaillot · Rating 3 out of 5]

When everything adds up you think there is no one else that could have done it. However in this case at the end of the day it wasn’t the right person.

A lot of the times Glatt likes to use articles to piece together his books he talked to both the victim’s and accused families. It was a good book but the ending was a buzzkill for me.

Decent recommendation here. You can skip if you want.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS SUMMARY/REVIEW WAS COPIED FROM OTHER SOURCES AND IS USED ONLY AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT FOR MY PERSONAL INTEREST. ANY PERSONAL NOTATIONS ARE FOR MY RECOLLECTION ONLY.
3.5
*****
This was a book about a very convoluted murder case in which a former Indiana State Trooper was tried and at first convicted of the murder of his wife and two small children. Because he was an adulterer, as were many of his co-workers, and this fact was allowed during the trial, as well as unfounded allegations that he molested his seven year old daughter, he was found guilty during his first trial and sentenced to 225 years in prison. However, an appellate court was scathing in their criticism of the trial, and also in the fact that unknown DNA on a mysterious sweatshirt found in David Camm's garage was never tested, except against that of his sexual partners. This case only went to 2005 in this book, but upon further research, I found this man was tried three times; convictions were overturned twice, and he was acquitted the third time. There were also findings of prosecutorial misconduct, among other things such as evidence and witness tampering.

It turns out the mysterious DNA belonged to a career criminal, Charles Boney, who had just been released from prison three months before the murders. Boney claimed that David Camm asked him to obtain a .380 gun for him, and also claimed that David killed his family, although there was no evidence that the two even knew each other. Boney was found guilty. To this day, David's murdered wife's family will not associate with him due to all the damage done by the political shenanigans in this case.

It is a shame this man served 13 years in prison due to all of the above, in addition to the testimony of blood spatter "experts" who had basically no experience, and lied about their education and credentials. It is no wonder that now, at age 50, Mr. Camm works for a project named Investigating Innocence.


*******
The investigators in the Camm case lacked even the most basic understanding of logic. They lacked education as well. What they didn't lack was a serious desire to pin the murder on someone, even if it was illogical to do so. The jury didn't seem much better.

It was clear that Camm was a repugnant human being. I am sure glad I wasn't married to him. But, no matter what my personal feelings about him, I would only allow my decisions to be dictated by evidence. The investigators threw logic out the window as they pursued a case based almost entirely on their personal feelings. What a disaster of an investigation.


At the end of the day, I do not actually know if Camm had anything to do with the murders. I have some thoughts on that, but they would involve spoilers. Once you finish this book, I would recommend looking up this case on Wikipedia. There is updated information. Reading it made me enjoy the book all the more.

further updated information
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Camm

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book about a very convoluted murder case in which a former Indiana State Trooper was tried and at first convicted of the murder of his wife and two small children. Because he was an adulterer, as were many of his co-workers, and this fact was allowed during the trial, as well as unfounded allegations that he molested his seven year old daughter, he was found guilty during his first trial and sentenced to 225 years in prison. However, an appellate court was scathing in their criticism of the trial, and also in the fact that unknown DNA on a mysterious sweatshirt found in David Camm's garage was never tested, except against that of his sexual partners. This case only went to 2005 in this book, but upon further research, I found this man was tried three times; convictions were overturned twice, and he was acquitted the third time. There were also findings of prosecutorial misconduct, among other things such as evidence and witness tampering.

It turns out the mysterious DNA belonged to a career criminal, Charles Boney, who had just been released from prison three months before the murders. Boney claimed that David Camm asked him to obtain a .380 gun for him, and also claimed that David killed his family, although there was no evidence that the two even knew each other. Boney was found guilty. To this day, David's murdered wife's family will not associate with him due to all the damage done by the political shenanigans in this case.

It is a shame this man served 13 years in prison due to all of the above, in addition to the testimony of blood spatter "experts" who had basically no experience, and lied about their education and credentials. It is no wonder that now, at age 50, Mr. Camm works for a project named Investigating Innocence.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a tabloid-style true crime read. The only reason I read it was because it was about the Camm murders. Dad was mentioned in the book many times (as the lawyer for the Renn family of the victims). This book was gripping though. I couldn’t put it away as Joe and I made the two day driving trip from New Albany to Houston. It ended up giving me nightmares. After reading it, I still am not sure what really happened that night in September 2000. Some days Im convinced he did it, others Im not sure.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't usually read true crime, but after listening to NPR's Serial, I wanted something similar. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a fine job. The first hour or so of the book was pretty boring and I skipped some of it.

If you liked Serial and are interested in something similar, you should check this one out.

[Ned Carriger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hopefully, this author or someone else willwrite another book about this case. A lot has happened since this book was written.

[Lenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book by John Glatt. Ex-cop with many girlfriends and a wife and two kids ends up as the number one suspect in their murder.

[Annie Booker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've actually put this aside half finished to read first a more up to date version of this case (which I ordered yesterday)

[Emily Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and well written; a real whodunit!

I hope I can find out if this ex state trooper killed his wife and two children or not. It LOOKS bad for him, but there was prosecution trial misconduct in spades. I disliked the prosecutor; I disliked him AND the accused, but the fact that David Camm was a womanizer does NOT make him a triple murderer.
I was somewhat perplexed in regard to the accused man's wife. It's like she was a " very nice person" and that's that. She was quiet. She didn't seem to have many friends. No hobbies, just work work work and take her kids to lessons for this and that constantly. Nothing wrong with that. She comes across as a boring person when you even think of her. When she's found murdered, it's awful, but I found myself feeling much worse about the kids! Sounds awful, I know. But if you read this book you'll see what I mean.
I could not have convicted David Cam beyond a reasonable doubt. Too many witnesses swore he was with them. 11 people! That's a lot. Very interesting book. Eager to see the final outcome!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is definitely binge-worthy, but I was put off a couple of times by odd little comments that were included. There was one part when the author is about to quote a family member saying something along the lines of "I can't imagine how anyone can do hurt children" but the way the author introduces it is "this person is reported to have MS and can't have children of their own". Uhh...what? 1) The statement being introduced is not controversial so whether or not the person saying it has kids is irrelevant; 2) "it is reported" lends itself to the person not being public about their struggle, so outing it for no reason is really a dick move; 3) This is such a well-researched story, a comment like this makes me question the integrity of the teller because there's no good reason for it.

There were a couple of points like this, but this was the last one I noticed and the most glaring so it stands out.

[Sandra Laymon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book...Terrible ending!

One of the weirdest endings I've ever read!! The book itself was quite good unless you enjoy a lot of court action. In that case, you would be wise to pick a different book. Although there was "some" courtroom action, there was not nearly enough.

The ending was really kinda bizarre. I was enjoying the story at the end when suddenly it was just finished. I turned the page to read some more and it just ended...It left me wanting and I was really surprised! It definitely left me wanting more! I would love to know what happened next. I guess I will have to check out the final action on the internet. Very good read but a very a strange, abrupt ending.
Inkl"

[Koren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A former policeman is accused of murdering his wife and two children and is arrested for it. After the arrest, I kept thinking that it certainly looked like he did it, but did the investigators do a thorough investigation. I didn't think the prosecution proved without a shadow of a doubt. If you don't want any spoilers, then don't read any further.
*******

I was glad I wasn't on that jury. The trial lasted 3 months, I think it was, and the jury was only allowed to go home on weekends. After a days long deliberation he was convicted. At the end of the book there is a postscript about new happenings that occurred just as the book was ready to go to print. The most interesting part of this case is what happened after the book went to press so you won't find out without a google search.

[Vijay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another 200 page crime book expanded into a 380 page one, so be prepared to be inundated with massive amounts of completely irrelevant information that adds nothing to a book of this genre (unless the people involved were very interesting, which is rare).
Please just read the wikipedia page ('Wrongful conviction of David Camm'). Trust me on this one.

Otherwise the author is a good writer of the genre, but atrocious at math: Kim (70.000 USD) was earning 'more than twice' as much as David (38.000).
But don't worry. David will then be able to earn six figures (!) in his new job (600 USD/week + a possible 10% bonus).
I would have guessed the editor would have noticed, but I guess not.

[Irish Sharky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was reading this for a True Crime book club on Facebook. It went into more detail about David Camm's Womanizing Adultery than the 48 Hours interview. Also, there was no update on his second trial. Luckily I found the 48 Hours episode on YouTube.
Here is the link. https://youtu.be/ZuKcqoZ2ITY

This is an ok book. It left a cliffhanger at the end. It tells what the prosecutor was trying to prove at the time of the crime. David Camm seems incomplete as they paint him as a womanizer but is a "born again" christian after the crime. I could not really get a good understanding of him.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven't really read a lot of true crime novels, so I might not be the best person to be "rating" it. I suppose one of the challenges of writing true crime is that there are always loose ends that people are going to wonder about. (What was the involvement of the second man? What truly happened? Would the wife's parents have had more to add?) I think it's more the genre itself that I thought was "ok" rather than the book.

[Dionne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glatt does a thorough job of covering this difficult case.

After listening to this book and watching documentaries about it, I’ve gone back and forth on whether Camm is innocent or guilty. In the beginning, I was sure he was guilty because he was such a lying, serial adulterer. But when I found out Charles Boney’s DNA was on all the victims, I changed my mind. What I still don’t get is that Boney had a history of attacking women, but why did he kill the children?

[Stephanie Dargusch Borders · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such an odd book. I feel like due to the outcome, the entire book needs to be rewritten. This is absolutely nothing against the author—John Glatt is my go-to author for true crime and I’m desperately hoping he is currently working on a book about Letecia Stauch 😆—but just the nature of the justice system sometimes.

This is a case that looked like one thing, turned out to be another, and I have absolutely no idea what actually happened but I plan on deep diving it sometime.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the author, John Glatt, did a great job laying this story out, I wish someone would have taken the time to update the information with the outcome of the 2005 case. I am appalled by Camm’s actions during his marriages and am torn between if he played a role in these horrific crimes. Since this is the first time I have come across this case, I will definitely look for other information about it.

[Lexi Mag · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was frustrating. Glatt really likes to go over the information twice- telling the story and then during the explanation of the trial. Which is fine. But this trial was very different. He really should have focused more on the contradictory evidence and eyewitness statements, especially now that we know what actually happened.