Careless Whispers

by Carlton Stowers

When the bodies of three teenagers were found on the shores of Lake Waco, Texas in July, 1982, even seasoned lawmen were taken aback by the savage mutilation and degradation they had been subjected to. Yet only 52 days after the gruesome triple-murder was discovered, frustrated authorities suspended the case indefinitely.

Patrol Sergeant Truman Simons, who had been called to the scene that night, saw the carnage first-hand — and vowed to find the ferocious killer or killers. He soon became a man with a mission, risking his career and his family's safety in search of evidence. Plunging himself into a netherworld of violence and evil, Simons finally got close enough to a murderous ringleader to hear his careless whispers—and ultimately, put him and his three accomplices behind bars for the brutal slayings.

Now, in his Edgar Award-winning account of the Lake Waco killings, acclaimed true crime writer Carlton Stowers lays bare the facts behind the tragic crimes, the twisted predators, and the heroic man who broke the investigation—with important updated information based on new developments in the case.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Audiobook, Book Club

Paperback

Published January 2, 1989

Reviews

[Bettye McKee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is how true crime should be written

The story of the Lake Waco murders just won't die. From July 13, 1982, until the present day, this case keeps appearing in the news.

On that Tuesday in July, 1982, in Waco, Texas, three teenagers, Kenneth Franks, Jill Montgomery, and Raylene Rice, were savagely murdered in Koehne Park and their bodies dumped in nearby Speegleville Park. Despite an investigation by the Waco Police Department, no leads were produced.

In the midst of tension and resentment, the case was turned over to Sergeant Truman Simons who had not been a part of the investigation team. Simons had made a promise to the victims at the crime scene, and he intended to keep it. His fellow officers refused to cooperate with him, so he quit the WPD and joined the McClennan County Sheriff's Department as a jailer.

Like a bulldog, Simons would not let go. He was constantly gathering evidence. His top suspect was in the jail, and he had no doubt that David Wayne Spence was guilty. Now he needed to find the other guilty parties.

The investigation is covered in the book all the way through the trials. Now all of the perpetrators are dead, and hopefully the families of the victims can go on with their lives with a sense of vindication and peace.

This is a book that I would highly recommend to fellow true crime readers.

[Willow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up in Waco I remember when all of this happened and of course followed the case in the local media. And yet reading this book brought everything into a different light than the local news could have ever done. I know a couple of the people named in the book and never have I seen or heard anything to indicate the story was anything than purely what the author wrote.

I enjoy true crime stories and this one being local held special interest. For those who believe this is what Waco (and Branch Davidians) are all about, like any city there are many layers to a community. Unfortunately yes this is one of the layers. And thankfully another layer were the dedicated people who wanted to see justice for those who were so innocent.

[SAM · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the third book this year where I've skimmed through the last fifty odd pages. Den of Thieves proved that overly complicated financial crime is dull, The Traitor Baru Cormorant was the worst fantasy book I've had the displeasure of reading and Careless Whispers just went on and on and on and on........

The crime is pretty messed up and a little unusual but i believe 460+ pages is way too much. By the 300 page mark i was ready for a conclusion but the author just had to keep tapping on his keyboard adding more and more boring filler.

The front cover says 'As chilling as In Cold Blood'. Now, i wasn't overly excited about 'In Cold Blood' and could only stretch to 3 stars but compared to Careless Whispers it was a masterpiece. I hate it when lesser known books are compared to classics. It's a guaranteed letdown.

The only reason to read this book is for David Spence, who is an absolute nut case.

[Roger · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story (the crime) was horrific (as, of course, all brutal murders are) but the author's writing was atrocious!

Although Stower’s is a good writer, this book was about 300 pages longer than it could (should) have been. Stower’s suffers from diarrhea of word processing – he goes into extraneous details about every irreverent little detail which adds NOTHING to the story except a mountainous amount of extraneous words. I tried for a while reading page by page until my patients become exhausted. I grabbed about 100 pages about three-quarters way into the book and flipped back to about page 400 and something……… and even then Stowers was still talking about events going back 400 pages.

Could not take any more of Stower's incessant and repetitive and irrelevant ramblings. I slammed shut the book and never picked it up again.

Those publishing rave reviews must have a lot more patients than I.........or they are simply bored out of their minds. I know I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.............

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this true crime (though the narrator isn't one of my favorites). I will definitely look at the author's other books. He really researches it and really puts us in the heads of all those involved. At times, I even sympathized with some of the criminals. He does a great job of showing us who all these people were. I really felt for the family members. It must've been horrible.

[Jeannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I understand why this won an Edgar Award, Carlton Stowers is not only a great writer but makes you really know and care about the people he is writing about. This has got to be one of the Top Ten BEST True Crime books I have ever read and that's saying a lot. A senseless and brutal crime inflicted on 3 innocent teenagers, this just broke my heart. I hated knowing this book was coming to an end, I tried to slow myself down but found myself up till 3 am last night just having to finish. Sorry Ann Rule, you have been my favorite true crime writer for many, many years but you just got knocked out of first place. If you're a true crime buff as I am, this book will not disappoint you!

[Tommy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best true-crime books!!

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stowers' account of this tragedy really involves the reader.

[Nancy Hudson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting crime case I had not heard of. Three teenagers, 17-18 years old, were brutally tortured and murdered in Waco Texas in 1982 in a case involving a botched hit with a mistaken identity. Carlton Stowers is a very good TC writer but in this case the book was too long with an overly detailed description of the time it took to get the right people and way too much dialog, which is ultimately recreated or paraphrased in the first place. Why so much? What was most disturbing about this case is that the original investigators didn’t seem to care a whole lot about solving the case and it was basically up to one man to do the dirty work much to the disapproval of the other cops and I just couldn’t get over that! They refused to cooperate with Truman. He had to quit the Waco PD and join the sheriff’s office to do his own investigation in a very unusual way. I am glad he prevailed and that justice was served, though I am not a fan of the death penalty. The book was well researched and the story was told in a cohesive manner that was not repetitive, something which is hard to find in true crime books these days. It was just way too long, so 3 stars.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written, detailed account of 3 horrible murders. I knocked off 1 star for the book’s incredible length, something that I have never done in all of my ratings/reviews. The book is very good and I can see why it is compared to the best true crime books written. However, the countless interviews and the many details that didn’t move the story along detracted from the true potential of this book. I can’t begin to tell you how many individuals were mentioned in the book, but it had to be over hundred (or seemed that way) and that made it “overkill”at times. ...just my honest opinions.

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here is another interesting real life murder and how to prove it case. But once again the author goes on too long and needs to get the main focus of the victims and the killers. There are times he spends chapters on people that didn't have much to do with the murders. Needs a bit more focus and better pacing.

[Leigh Ann Gottfried · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Maura Jortner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Careless Whispers brings the reader through the Waco lake murders that happened in the early 1980s. I recently moved to Waco, and I'd never heard about these crimes before, so I was interested to read what happened.

In 1982 three teenagers were killed. Their murders took almost two years to solve. Carlton Stowers' book introduces the reader to the murderers, the cops investigating the crime, the victims and their families, and, in the end, the attorneys who prosecuted the case. Perhaps because there are so many "key players," the narrative starts slowly. It took me a while to get into the book; the first 100 pages seemed to go on forever and ultimately I'm sure I still missed some facts. There were simply too many people (names) to keep track of. Once the story takes hold, though, it is a gripping book.

Ultimately, I read with excitement, but I was left with many questions. There were some loose ends--things that were never explained.

I would recommend this book, but not enthusiastically.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a true crime tale I had no knowledge of. Waco, to me, was only famous for the religious stand off many years ago. However, years before that, three teens were viciously murdered at the lake and it took years to bring the culprits to a trial.
I never felt sorry for David Spence. He was cruel, sadistic and just plain mean. His cohorts, the Melendez brothers, deserved the death penalty as well but seemed to squeak by with multiple terms of life in prison. What a shame I learned nothing about the minds of these three warped individuals. Money and the ability to be in control seemed the only motive. And to think that Deeb managed to get off in his second trial repulsed me.

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book discusses the 1982 Lake Waco murders of three teenagers: Raylene Rice, Jill Montgomery, and Kenneth Franks. Franks was found by patrons of the park area, and law enforcement discovered the bodies of Rice and Montgomery nearby. This book discusses the investigation of the murders, which was full of twists and turns. I have the Audible version of this book, which was around seventeen hours long. The narrator was not my favorite, and it felt very tedious at times. If you want to give it a try, it is available on Audible Plus for free currently. If you are interested in a physical version, it is around 450 pages long.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw Carlton Stowers speak at a writing conference recently, and on the strength of his speech, I went out and bought this book. I ended up reading it in two or three days. (Very fast for me.) It's the true story of three teenagers who were murdered in Waco, TX in 1982, and the resulting trial two years later. Stowers tells the story in all of its gruesome detail, including how the police botched the investigation and how the victims' families struggled with the loss of their loved one. An engrossing, moving read.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

True Crime: Sad story about 3 teenagers murdered in Lake Waco, TX.

A small store owner, from one of the Eastern Countries, was out to get a wife, at any cost, so he could stay in America. One of the girls that he asked to marry him kind of teased him and many girls took advantage of him as he gave them free goodies/drugs from his store to win their approval.

He bought an insurance policy on the "tease" and then asked a fellow to kill her. The fellow got desperately drunk and the three teenagers were killed - mistaken identity.

[Alvesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ!!!!!! This is the first true crime book I read and fell in love with these types of books...I was taking an investigations class and had to read this book and reinvestigate the story...This book was so well written that I felt that I was there....I have read lots of Carlton Stowers books and all of them have been awesome...He is a local author and has written about a true crime that occured within his family...I will continue to read his books....

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, it's an horrific murder, so don't subject yourself to this book if you're highly sensitive to graphic crime descriptions. Second, I was ultimately frustrated because I didn't feel the author resolved the questions he raised about the initial investigation (apparently kind of sloppy) and why Truman Simons was an object of so much gossip and back-biting within the PD. Third, and this is highly subjective, I found this narrator dull in his reading.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good and detailed, but it was one of those audio that really dragged on in the middle. The author did a great job covering the victims and their families in the first part of the book but got distant from them later with all the detail and life in prison and situations for the killer, to where I pretty much forgot their names when mentioned on who was who.

[Sunsette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very detailed, well-written account of what was deemed the lake murders in Waco, Texas quite a few years back. It's a sad, disturbing story that takes you into the minds of almost everyone involved.

[Fishface · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first Carlton Stowers true crime novel. It was pretty good. I read it several times.

[Jjean · Rating 5 out of 5]

A True story that was very well researched - Characters come to life - well written with the dialouge that was used by the characters - will keep you reading to the end.

[David Carniglia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good telling of a terrible true crime story. The author takes us through the night of the crime from many perspectives and points of view, including the lucid view of a psychic. Some readers don't like what they feel is a non-linear, repetitious format; but since the story of the three teenagers' murders in 1982 involves a group of people, and affects many more, this episodic structure is the best way to relate the events.

There's surprisingly a lot of suspense too. Although it's fairly clear early on that the psychopath David Spence is the leader of his loser clique (including the brothers Gilbert and Tony), it's difficult to corner him, and, because of the multiple stories, many filled with deception and vague memories, there's a labyrinth complicating the questions of who exactly did what.

The intrepid determination of Officer Simons to keep at the case is a story in itself. We see some of his colleagues and superiors ignoring him, and even working against him by putting up bureaucratic roadblocks. In one of many paradoxes, Spence comes to trust, rely, and sort of befriend the guy who's instrumental in getting him convicted.

The role of chance is apparent in this tragedy. Had Jill, Raylene, and Kenneth went somewhere else that night; if Jill's brother would've accompanied her, if even one of them had something else going on, then maybe some or all of them would've survived.

Spence's behavior wasn't determined either. He was so mercurial that he might just as well have merely 'partied' with the three teens, instead of becoming uncontrollably violent. Maybe Gilbert or Tony might've stopped him--short of commiting murder at least. Soence might simply have passed out from drinking too many beers, and never 'finished' his crimes.

In a way, Deeb, the indirect mastermind of this horror, is at least as strange and evil as Spence. Easily insulted, especially by women, he was a loose cannon. By trying to do people (mostly young girls) favors he set himself up for disappointment. And that stoked his resentment and sense of vengeance. Not that it would matter from a criminal point of view, but his mis-identification of Jill for Gayle was a cruel irony.

This narrative history is very clear, and juggles multiple versions of events well. Just when you think things are wrapped up, there seems to be an endless series of stories and/or developments to prolong the tragic drama. Highly recommended for true-crime readers.

[Avid Reader and Geek Girl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read if you're in the mood for something: dark, informative, sad, & slow-paced

Book Rating: 1.0 stars
This book at first blush seems well-researched, however, the author has an agenda. It also seems as if his primary source is the police and prosecution. He didn't bother to talk to any of the people tried for these crimes, their lawyers, or any actual experts.

I hate that he glorifies people who committed obvious misconduct, quite a few of whom were later fired for such if not prosecuted. Even in the afterward update the author refuses to budge on their guilt.

From what I can tell, they didn't bother to add anything after the late 1990s. Like how supposed "bite mark" evidence has been proven to be BS. It's about as reliable as thread comparison.

He can shout from the rooftops that he thinks the people tried and mostly convicted, one of whom was executed for the crimes, are guilty. However, you only have the word of jailhouse snitches, or those who "confessed" to the crimes to avoid the death penalty. The cop he lauds so highly has been proven to have fabricated evidence.

I'd like a new edition with these things noted in a second afterward.
I could have also gone without the blow-by-blow of how the crime supposedly occurred; it was gratuitous. With very little mention of how the victims must have suffered. It seemed as if the author was largely immune to any suffering but that of the families of the victims, even at the expense of the victims themselves!

Takeaway: DO NOT waste 15+ hours of your life on this book.

Narrator Rating: 3.0 stars
You can't polish a turd, but he didn't make it stink any worse.

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Toxic relationship, Blood, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Addiction and Confinement

[M Delea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book prior to knowing all of the controversy surrounding the people who were accused of the crimes and the people (presented as the heroes in this book) who arrested and prosecuted them (and even wrote this book.

Even if there were no controversy, there are some issues with the book. There is some "casual" racism (by casual I mean racism that is presented casually, either as a fact or expressed by the protagonists in the story). One example is a part of town described as "bad" with the only explanation for that being that it is where "low-income blacks" live. The racism expressed against the defendant that was Jordanian is sometimes gleeful, and there is no look into whether or not racism played a part with the two Hispanic brothers.

There is also a lot of both psychics and Christianity, neither of which have much to do with the actual crime. But both are presented as meaningful.

Some of the conversations included seem a bit over-the-top and not the way real people talk. It is sometimes like a bad stage play, with people speaking very formally.

After finishing the book, I looked up the murders and discovered a lot of suspicion on the part of everyone the book shows as upstanding and right. My uneasiness with the book certainly helped me to be open to these accusations.

I have no idea who killed three teenagers in Waco in 1982. Unfortunately, I don't think we will ever know.

[Ululani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to a podcast about this case/story. The reason I decided to read it is because they said it’s still unsolved and most of the podcast was based around this book.
I decided to read it for myself and man I am so glad I did! I really cannot understand, how after reading this, someone could think it’s still unsolved. I also know that what I take from the book is not the same as everyone else.
I believe the letter sent much later was the killers way of torturing the family still and trying to keep the attention on himself. After his trial, he got no more attention and he was truly thriving on that. In my opinion this writer did an AMAZING job of telling this story with so many details and not leaving much to the imagination. One of the best investigative pieces written and read yet.

[Sandra Laymon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good Read

This was a long, complicated but good read. There were times when it became a bit confusing but there was a lot to explain because there were so many people involved in the story. The author did a good job keeping it all straight. The one thing that caused some confusion was that sometimes a person"s first name was used and other times the last name was used. Once I figured out who was who the reading became a lot less complicated and the book became much more enjoyable.

It's is a very sad story that didn't have to happen. My heart goes out to the families and all those destroyed by the evilness if a few people. God bless each one.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who grew up in the Waco area during the 1980s, you couldn’t not hear about this crime. It was horrific and brutal. I read this for the first time, as a teenager, not even a decade after the murders took place. Reading it again as an adult, who lives less than 5 minutes from where the murders took place, it chills me to the bone that this isn’t talked about in Waco anymore. Yes, it’s awful and other awful things have happened here to tarnish our city, but it is a tale of innocence lost and brutality that our city hasn’t seen since, and I hope never does. This great book makes me think about my city and it’s past more than ever.

[Kathy Anderson-robitaille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written and interesting book, about a very sad occurrence. Not like other crime books, this one kept the court proceedings to a minimal and completely understandable. The book showed the passion that Truman Simons had to catch the killer or killers of these 3 teenagers. It also showed his compassion as well.
The author did an excellent job of retelling the story without confusing the reader with alot of legal terminology. Although he was descriptive in his telling of the murders.
Would definitely read another of his books!