Starkweather: Inside the Mind of a Teenage Killer

by William Allen

In January of 1958, seventeen-year-old Charlie Starkweather killed eleven people in a grisly spree of cold-blooded murder in his hometown and neighboring towns in Nebraska. The story shocked America and cast Starkweather and his fifteen-year-old girlfriend, Caril Fugate, in the crime scene spotlight, a vivid embodiment of the dark side of the heartland. First published in 1976, this revised edition contains previously classified notes from Starkweather's prison journal and transcripts of the interviews between Starkweather and the prison psychologist, conducted as the teen awaited execution. Allen also provides further evidence that Fugate, often regarded as a kidnap victim, was indeed an accomplice in the murders.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, History, Biography, Crime

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

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Reviews

[Sharon Zink · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice short book about crimes that I remember growing up in Nebraska. I remember Starkweather's name and his girlfriend's and some of the places named in this book. I remember the scare when Starkweather was still on the loose. Of course 19 years old didn't seem as young to me as it did to my parents. That is how old Charles Starkweather was when he committed these murderss and, I think, when he went to the electric chair.

[Joshua Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

Similar to the last book I read, this book is about a boy from my home state of Nebraska who has some calling to violence. The previous book, Once an Eagle, was a fictional story of a soldier who goes to WWI and WWII and struggles with morality during it. This book, however, was the grim and factual recalling of the actual events that happened back in the 1950’s where Charles Starkweather and his 14 year old girlfriend did not struggle with morality at all as they killed 10 people.

“Hers was really a story of a child in fear of her life for eight terrifying days, a child who believed that not only her own life was in danger but also the lives of her family. She did not know they were dead. if people knew the truth, they would realize that Caril Fugate was no criminal. She was Startkweather’s victim…”
– John McArthur (Caril’s lawyer)

One thing that really struck me about this was the age of Caril Fugate, Charlie’s girlfriend – only 14 years old. It was very hard for me to reconcile that with the events that took place. There are some questions about how much she actually was responsible for — but in any case, she was definitely part of it.

“Nobody but the jury knows how we thrashed out this evidence and tried our best to find her innocent. There was no doubt in our minds as to her guilt.”
– A member of the Jury

The other thing that struck me was imagining how the residents of Lincoln must’ve felt during that week – as there were more and more cases of murder being reported, and they seemed to be pretty random, and they authorities weren’t able to find Starkweather.

“Governor Anderson called about 200 members of the National Guard, and they were cruising the streets with jeeps armed with mounted machine guns. Parents with guns drawn rushed to the schools and took their children home. The city was completely sealed off. A block by block search began… Aircraft were sent up to help look for the Ward’s black Packard.”

Throughout the book the author seems to put some questions in place – who is to blame for someone like this? The parents, the school system, society as a whole? Who knows – maybe everybody, maybe nobody – maybe only Charlie himself. I lean a little that way – but am still uncertain about Caril.

[Marianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a hard read. Not the actual book itself, but going into the mind of a mass murderer? It put me in a bad frame of mind most times I picked it up. And the fact that I know these places. There's mention of people eating in the restaurant in the Cornhusker Hotel, and how he hated those privileged enough to do so - I've eaten there. Nearly 60 years later, but still.
And then pictures of the people who were murdered are there. Seeing the faces of the people who had their lives senselessly taken away moved me to tears.

I think this might be the first non-fiction book I've ever actually read (instead of skimming for information to use in reports) and it's ok with me if it's the last.

[Theresa Connelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many stories and watched many documentaries on the accounts of the Starkweather homicides but this book still managed to give a new insight into the mind of Charlie Starkweather. A fair account was given on both parties and only facts about what the author had found were presented. Very well written!

[Diane Feldman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, especially because it took place in Nebraska.

[Salimah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This true account of an eight-day murder spree in Lincoln, Nebraska by the lovers Charles Starweather and Caril Fugate had me gripping at the pages. Their heinous crimes occured in 1958 and Allen published the book in 1976, but his diction retells the story so vidily that it is as if he traveled along side the murderers or wrote the book the year it had occurred. In short, I enjoyed Allen's retelling because it put me in a different time without having to read fiction (that which is what I am most acquainted with); so it was nice to get out of that realm for a little while.

[Librariann · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1958, 19 year old Charles Starkweather and 14 year old Caril Ann Fugate were involved in a murder spree. At the end of it, eleven people had died. An interesting true crime case, and one that has been the basis for several film and literary characters (Stephen King's The Stand alone features a few characters based off of Charles Starkweather.) (c) 1976 ISBN: 0395240778

[North Lake County Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bleak, but incredibly well told. Rich with detail and those subtle notes that build to complex characterization. (- Jery)