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Flesh Collectors: Their Ghoulish Appetites Drove Them to Crimes that Only Began With Murder
Follows social outcasts and devil worshippers Jeremiah Rodgers and Jonathan Lawrence, who were drawn together by their penchant for violence, as they leave a trail of brutality, murder, sexual assault, and corpse mutilation in their wake. Original.
- GenresTrue CrimeNonfiction
336 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2003
20 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
About the author
Fred Rosen
43 books60 followersAmerican true crime author and former columnist for the Arts and Leisure Section of The New York Times.
Rosen's published works in the genre include Lobster Boy, There But For the Grace: Survivors of the 20th Century’s Infamous Serial Killers and When Satan Wore a Cross.
He is also the winner of Library Journal’s Best Reference Source 2005 award for The Historical Atlas of American Crime, and has written many other works of historical non-fiction including Cremation in America, Contract Warriors and Gold!.
Rosen's published works in the genre include Lobster Boy, There But For the Grace: Survivors of the 20th Century’s Infamous Serial Killers and When Satan Wore a Cross.
He is also the winner of Library Journal’s Best Reference Source 2005 award for The Historical Atlas of American Crime, and has written many other works of historical non-fiction including Cremation in America, Contract Warriors and Gold!.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 24, 2016
KKK member and his friend, a general loser type of guy, go on a killing spree in Pensacola in homage to their heroes, guys like John Gacy and Jeff Dahmer. Typical Fred Rosen paperback. Totally depressing, sordid murder slammed into pulp format for maximum downer-osity. But I have to admit, this guy knows how to choose an interesting murder case. Someday I would like to have lunch with the guy and ask him how he tracks this information down.
July 6, 2020
I have read several Rosen books. I dont think this was the best but maybe not the worst. I think it needed to be written with more emotion. He achieved that with the mother's of the victims, which at the end he thanks them for letting him interview them. That is probably why we feel more emotion for them than for the victims. The ending was interesting when he discussed his reasons for his views on the death penalty and why he makes an exception in this case.
The book was published in 2003 so I did a search for an update. Skip the rest of this review if this is a spoiler for you:
Both murderers are still in prison on death row awaiting execution. It has been 20 years since they were convicted.
The book was published in 2003 so I did a search for an update. Skip the rest of this review if this is a spoiler for you:
Both murderers are still in prison on death row awaiting execution. It has been 20 years since they were convicted.
June 6, 2017
What an intense book! The crimes of Jeremiah Rodgers and Jonathan Lawrence are beyond belief. This book includes sex, violence, necrophilia, mutilation and more. But no one was surprised at what they did together. After all, they met in a facility for the criminally insane. They should have never been released. They both had morbid fantasies before they met, and expanded them when they met and became friends. Their first victim was Jonathan's cousin Justin Livingston. And they did torture him until he died. Then the second murder was even worse. Jeremiah Rodgers got Jennifer Robinson to go out on a date with him. They went, with Jonathan, to a remote area where they had sex in his truck and afterwards he shot her in the head. What happened after that is horrific and was hard to read. These two did get what they deserved. This book was well written and well researched. I really liked it, even with the stuff that was hard to read. I hope their loved ones will get the justice they deserve. The victims certainly did not deserve what happened to them.
June 22, 2014
I loved this book and I thought it was very well written
July 27, 2018
I have previously only read 'Body Dump' by this author, so was looking forward to seeing what else was on offer.
This was nothing like Body Dump! Fred Rosen still displays the numerous research that was obvious in his other book, but also seems to go into more depth but without the repetition that was a minor annoyance previously.
The two killers are both given extensive background detail, there are reports from numerous mental health assessors, court transcripts and also family interviews with the victims and reconstructions to piece together what may have taken place up to the events in question.
I was fascinated by this from start to finish and was both disturbed and entertained(?) by the quality of the material.
I highly recommend this, especially if true crime is your genre, and you don't mind reading about cannibalism / necrophilia in with the mix.
This was nothing like Body Dump! Fred Rosen still displays the numerous research that was obvious in his other book, but also seems to go into more depth but without the repetition that was a minor annoyance previously.
The two killers are both given extensive background detail, there are reports from numerous mental health assessors, court transcripts and also family interviews with the victims and reconstructions to piece together what may have taken place up to the events in question.
I was fascinated by this from start to finish and was both disturbed and entertained(?) by the quality of the material.
I highly recommend this, especially if true crime is your genre, and you don't mind reading about cannibalism / necrophilia in with the mix.
January 19, 2020
Rosen delivers an easy-to-read, fast-paced recounting of one attempted murder and two brutal killings by a pair of lost low-lifes. The one killing of a female, the last, suggests necrophilia and conspiracy for cannibalism. Considering the direction they were heading, it is a good thing the investigation, also recounted here, led to enough federal and state charges to keep them locked up the rest of their lives. I just checked and am surprised the state capital punishment sentence hasn't been carried out in either case over twenty years since the murders...
June 5, 2021
Read this 2 days ago.November 26/27-2007.
I did not think it to be very good. It is not that bad but just not really a great true crime book.
I do not believe Lawrence was a satanist just because they discovered La Vey's Satanic Bible in his room. I do think he was very disturbed.
All in all it could have been much better. The writing was not as bad as with some of Mister Rosen's books (Lobster Boy) but it did not suck me in like with the good true crime books.
I did not think it to be very good. It is not that bad but just not really a great true crime book.
I do not believe Lawrence was a satanist just because they discovered La Vey's Satanic Bible in his room. I do think he was very disturbed.
All in all it could have been much better. The writing was not as bad as with some of Mister Rosen's books (Lobster Boy) but it did not suck me in like with the good true crime books.
January 27, 2016
A true crime tale covering the gruesome murders of two victims by a disturbed pair of ex-cons in the late '90s in Florida, Flesh Collectors moves in a workmanlike way through the details of the case. Mr. Rosen takes us into the backgrounds of the killers, a step-by-step examination of the crimes themselves, and some information about the victims. The last couple of chapters cover the prosecution and sentencing of the killers.
January 8, 2013
Not to be morbid but these guys weren't "flesh collectors". Jon cut off one calf and Jeremiah wanted nothing to do with any of that. I must be jaded from all of the true crime I read but this book was boring. I didn't like the way the author jumped back and forth through time. It was just confusing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2017
Good. Detailed enough.
February 5, 2023
Having read this due to some personal connections with one of the individuals within this book, I am disappointed with Fred Rosen's lack of tact throughout the book. I can only say that I didn't care for this book but for anyone interested in knowing a little insight into Jonathan, before Jeremiah, I have lots of memories of Jon. I am not sympathetic to him regarding his actions, I feel for his victims but there's more to his story than what many know and what Rosen has compiled.
I grew up in Pea Ridge, the little town sandwiched between Pace and Milton. Mr. Rosen seemed to have confused the geography of the area with some inaccurate statements such has the location of the helicopter field which was actually within walking distance of Pace Middle and Pace High School, where myself and Jonathan Lawrence were classmates, but that's just minor details. Mr. Rosen's description of the area, as well as the people who reside there, is a bit extreme to call it a white washed community or the Redneck Riviera or even Lower Alabama, though it's actually 45 minutes east of Alabama. I wouldn't have ever used those words as a description to generalize the area because there's much more to Pace, Pea Ridge and Milton but I guess his involvement with the people involved in this story contributed to his conclusion regarding the area.
I'm sure Mr. Rosen put in a lot of time doing research and perhaps a bit of interviews, the book is peppered with inaccuracies and redundant information regarding the individuals mentioned in the book. Then again, I grew up in the area and I am well aware that the gossip mill is frequently corrupted with people's imaginations and stories are also skewed through prejudiced views.
When I moved to Pea Ridge in the early 1980s, Jonathan lived around the corner from me, I lived on Pace Lane and he lived on Overlook Circle. He and I became best friends almost immediately. We rode our bikes, listened to music including his sister's Cyndi Lauper tape, played in the woods and even hunted squirrel, rabbits and snakes with our pellet and bb guns. We had a normal friendship for 3rd to 5th grade boys except we were pretty much our own playmates, though other boys were in our neighborhood, Jon didn't play much with them. I remember we would talk about what we wanted to be when we grew up and found it strange when I talked about becoming a singer or a writer, Jon's reply was he didn't want to do anything. Jon seemingly had no ambition, dreams or goals other than to just exist. Believe it or not, Jon was not a judgmental person, though he did have a fascination with the KKK, I just don't think he connected the ideology of the actual KKK with people he knew in real life. I feel as if family member's Jon knew were influential with his interest in the KKK and he saw it more as an exclusive club like a country club rather than a community of racist extremists. Jon was the first person I came out to. When we found a dirty magazine in the woods, he was completely turned on whereas I was indifferent. When I told him that all I saw was naked women and what was going through my mind was how uncomfortable they may have been his feelings were completely different and took the magazine home for his own enjoyment. Jon never told anyone about my confession, not that I didn't make my feelings much of a secret, though Jon's brother, Wesley knew which prompted him to see me as a threat and would occasionally launch into bully mode and punch me or shoot me with my own BB gun. Needless to say, Wesley and I didn't get along very well and I tried to stay out of Wesley's line of sight. Jon had an unusual sense of humor and would do things to amuse himself and one wouldn't find out until days, weeks or even months later, if someone found out at all. During our 4th grade class photo, at the exact moment the camera flashed, he crossed his eyes and made a silly grin which caused a lot of controversy with our teacher Mrs. Norris when the photo company sent our class photo to us at the end of the school year, when it was way too late for a reshoot. I didn't notice Jon's mental issues until we were in the 6th grade when he started a fire, which I suffered a 3rd degree burn from. Looking back, I can see the signs that Jon and Wesley needed help. Jon's issues were progressive and seemed to be on a slow incline which is probably the reason that some of his disturbing behavior would fly under the radar. I do remember him showing me his new kittens a few times over the years that I knew him but I never saw the kittens as fully grown cats nor do I know their fate. Their mother, Iona, was nice but she was a single mother running a business while trying to take care of two boys and a girl in high school on her own. Jon and Wesley's sister, Lori, seemed to help as much as she could but she was just about 6 years older than Jon and myself and still in high school and I now realize she pretty much had to take care of herself. Lori was a very nice person and always treated me with kindness and respect. My sister and Lori remained friends after high school, in fact Lori has given us updates of Jon's life on death row a few time and how he speaks about the kindness our mom showed him as a child. After the fire I was forbidden to talk to Jon, our friendship had ended when I looked into his eyes and saw the grin on his face as flames engulfed my arm. Several years later, while Jon and I were in high school and we began speaking again but the dynamic was not the same and we never became friends again. I could see he was a completely different person, dark and very much emotionless. He attempted to dye his bright orange hair to jet black, which made him have a dead look to him with his fair skin, which would only last for a few weeks before his bright orange roots would start rapidly to show through. Jon was known throughout the neighborhood to wander at all hours of the night, sometimes prowling through people's yards. One night around 2 am, Jon was caught trying to steal the lawnmower of my next door neighbor, Eric Cook, from his backyard. It wasn't unusual to see Jon walking down the street in jeans, cowboy boots and wearing a black trench coat in 90 degree weather with a transistor radio singing along to whatever was playing on the radio, he didn't care what others thought, or perhaps he did and just craved some sort of attention. After I left school, I heard Jon had been arrested a few times including an attempt to blow up a Gulf Power substation as well as trying to set a church on fire. While he was in jail, my friend Angie had been corresponding with him through letters and she even shared some of the contents of the letters with me. Angie had become friends with Jon during her freshman year at Pace High. I believe Angie may have been Jon's only girlfriend during his entire life, I cannot remember any point in time that he had been involved in a relationship at school. I'm not sure how long their relationship lasted or if it fizzled out by the time of his release from that charge. I had never met Jeremiah Rogers as I had already left school by the time he came into the picture. From what I have gathered through former classmates and friends, Jeremiah fit into the clique known as the headbangers, which in Pace High's pecking order just meant that he wasn't an absolute loner but he didn't fit in with the religious crowd, jocks or nerdy kids. Jeremiah was an alpha type that Jonathan would have had no issue gravitating towards because Jon was most definitely a bit passive and a follower. I will never make excuses for Jon but I can say with all honesty, had Jonathan never crossed paths with Jeremiah after high school, Jon's fascination with death would most likely never have crossed over to reality. Jeremiah was like a lit firecracker introduced to a tank of gasoline. While Rosen did get a lot of elements to the story correct and did a good job to convey the character the victims so we got to know more about Jennifer and Justin so they weren't just names or old photographs. There are details within the book that I feel should have been left out, especially pertaining to personal issues regarding Lori. With all that said, the book is what it is, it's an account of Jonathan and Jeremiah's case which for all intensive purposes is correct.
I grew up in Pea Ridge, the little town sandwiched between Pace and Milton. Mr. Rosen seemed to have confused the geography of the area with some inaccurate statements such has the location of the helicopter field which was actually within walking distance of Pace Middle and Pace High School, where myself and Jonathan Lawrence were classmates, but that's just minor details. Mr. Rosen's description of the area, as well as the people who reside there, is a bit extreme to call it a white washed community or the Redneck Riviera or even Lower Alabama, though it's actually 45 minutes east of Alabama. I wouldn't have ever used those words as a description to generalize the area because there's much more to Pace, Pea Ridge and Milton but I guess his involvement with the people involved in this story contributed to his conclusion regarding the area.
I'm sure Mr. Rosen put in a lot of time doing research and perhaps a bit of interviews, the book is peppered with inaccuracies and redundant information regarding the individuals mentioned in the book. Then again, I grew up in the area and I am well aware that the gossip mill is frequently corrupted with people's imaginations and stories are also skewed through prejudiced views.
When I moved to Pea Ridge in the early 1980s, Jonathan lived around the corner from me, I lived on Pace Lane and he lived on Overlook Circle. He and I became best friends almost immediately. We rode our bikes, listened to music including his sister's Cyndi Lauper tape, played in the woods and even hunted squirrel, rabbits and snakes with our pellet and bb guns. We had a normal friendship for 3rd to 5th grade boys except we were pretty much our own playmates, though other boys were in our neighborhood, Jon didn't play much with them. I remember we would talk about what we wanted to be when we grew up and found it strange when I talked about becoming a singer or a writer, Jon's reply was he didn't want to do anything. Jon seemingly had no ambition, dreams or goals other than to just exist. Believe it or not, Jon was not a judgmental person, though he did have a fascination with the KKK, I just don't think he connected the ideology of the actual KKK with people he knew in real life. I feel as if family member's Jon knew were influential with his interest in the KKK and he saw it more as an exclusive club like a country club rather than a community of racist extremists. Jon was the first person I came out to. When we found a dirty magazine in the woods, he was completely turned on whereas I was indifferent. When I told him that all I saw was naked women and what was going through my mind was how uncomfortable they may have been his feelings were completely different and took the magazine home for his own enjoyment. Jon never told anyone about my confession, not that I didn't make my feelings much of a secret, though Jon's brother, Wesley knew which prompted him to see me as a threat and would occasionally launch into bully mode and punch me or shoot me with my own BB gun. Needless to say, Wesley and I didn't get along very well and I tried to stay out of Wesley's line of sight. Jon had an unusual sense of humor and would do things to amuse himself and one wouldn't find out until days, weeks or even months later, if someone found out at all. During our 4th grade class photo, at the exact moment the camera flashed, he crossed his eyes and made a silly grin which caused a lot of controversy with our teacher Mrs. Norris when the photo company sent our class photo to us at the end of the school year, when it was way too late for a reshoot. I didn't notice Jon's mental issues until we were in the 6th grade when he started a fire, which I suffered a 3rd degree burn from. Looking back, I can see the signs that Jon and Wesley needed help. Jon's issues were progressive and seemed to be on a slow incline which is probably the reason that some of his disturbing behavior would fly under the radar. I do remember him showing me his new kittens a few times over the years that I knew him but I never saw the kittens as fully grown cats nor do I know their fate. Their mother, Iona, was nice but she was a single mother running a business while trying to take care of two boys and a girl in high school on her own. Jon and Wesley's sister, Lori, seemed to help as much as she could but she was just about 6 years older than Jon and myself and still in high school and I now realize she pretty much had to take care of herself. Lori was a very nice person and always treated me with kindness and respect. My sister and Lori remained friends after high school, in fact Lori has given us updates of Jon's life on death row a few time and how he speaks about the kindness our mom showed him as a child. After the fire I was forbidden to talk to Jon, our friendship had ended when I looked into his eyes and saw the grin on his face as flames engulfed my arm. Several years later, while Jon and I were in high school and we began speaking again but the dynamic was not the same and we never became friends again. I could see he was a completely different person, dark and very much emotionless. He attempted to dye his bright orange hair to jet black, which made him have a dead look to him with his fair skin, which would only last for a few weeks before his bright orange roots would start rapidly to show through. Jon was known throughout the neighborhood to wander at all hours of the night, sometimes prowling through people's yards. One night around 2 am, Jon was caught trying to steal the lawnmower of my next door neighbor, Eric Cook, from his backyard. It wasn't unusual to see Jon walking down the street in jeans, cowboy boots and wearing a black trench coat in 90 degree weather with a transistor radio singing along to whatever was playing on the radio, he didn't care what others thought, or perhaps he did and just craved some sort of attention. After I left school, I heard Jon had been arrested a few times including an attempt to blow up a Gulf Power substation as well as trying to set a church on fire. While he was in jail, my friend Angie had been corresponding with him through letters and she even shared some of the contents of the letters with me. Angie had become friends with Jon during her freshman year at Pace High. I believe Angie may have been Jon's only girlfriend during his entire life, I cannot remember any point in time that he had been involved in a relationship at school. I'm not sure how long their relationship lasted or if it fizzled out by the time of his release from that charge. I had never met Jeremiah Rogers as I had already left school by the time he came into the picture. From what I have gathered through former classmates and friends, Jeremiah fit into the clique known as the headbangers, which in Pace High's pecking order just meant that he wasn't an absolute loner but he didn't fit in with the religious crowd, jocks or nerdy kids. Jeremiah was an alpha type that Jonathan would have had no issue gravitating towards because Jon was most definitely a bit passive and a follower. I will never make excuses for Jon but I can say with all honesty, had Jonathan never crossed paths with Jeremiah after high school, Jon's fascination with death would most likely never have crossed over to reality. Jeremiah was like a lit firecracker introduced to a tank of gasoline. While Rosen did get a lot of elements to the story correct and did a good job to convey the character the victims so we got to know more about Jennifer and Justin so they weren't just names or old photographs. There are details within the book that I feel should have been left out, especially pertaining to personal issues regarding Lori. With all that said, the book is what it is, it's an account of Jonathan and Jeremiah's case which for all intensive purposes is correct.
March 8, 2017
Will cause you to explore your own beliefs on crime and punishment.
I have read numerous accounts of true crimes as well as the histories of those who commit some of the most horrendous acts that one person can do to another and yet somehow Mr. Rosen managed to effect me in a more profound way than all the others.
The horror of these deaths and the men responsible is truly put forward in away that has caused me to seriously exam my feelings on the legal system and how society Mets out not only punishment but how we allow those with known disabilities and mental defects to float around the edges of society while expecting that they will some how magically never touch the lives of the people around them.
I have read numerous accounts of true crimes as well as the histories of those who commit some of the most horrendous acts that one person can do to another and yet somehow Mr. Rosen managed to effect me in a more profound way than all the others.
The horror of these deaths and the men responsible is truly put forward in away that has caused me to seriously exam my feelings on the legal system and how society Mets out not only punishment but how we allow those with known disabilities and mental defects to float around the edges of society while expecting that they will some how magically never touch the lives of the people around them.
February 3, 2019
Four stars for this retelling of a grotesque & disturbing/despicable crime.
It is disgusting that these two criminals belong to the human race.
While it was devastating to read about their horrid upbringing, it still does not excuse that these two men were incarcerated in a mental institute that houses violent criminals & then released back into society.
Based on the depravity/nature of the crimes Jon & Jeremiah committed once out, it is clear they should never have been released.
Heartbreaking for both victims & their families.
It is disgusting that these two criminals belong to the human race.
While it was devastating to read about their horrid upbringing, it still does not excuse that these two men were incarcerated in a mental institute that houses violent criminals & then released back into society.
Based on the depravity/nature of the crimes Jon & Jeremiah committed once out, it is clear they should never have been released.
Heartbreaking for both victims & their families.
July 15, 2022
I had not heard of these two pieces of trash. I was appalled by their disrespect for life. How easy it was to kill “friends”. How they just didn’t seem to care about anyone. I hate that a lot of crimes discuss the mental health of the killers. I don’t think that’s ever an excuse. There’s plenty of mental health patients who never are violent or deem it okay to Jill someone. And these killings to me were just like thrills for these two pieces of garbage. I’ll have to look them up later to see id they lived, were released from prison and/or died somewhere along the way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2025
The book explained the story well, maintained a consistent, professional tone, and did a good job of diving into how criminal cases that seem clear-cut to the public, actually wind up having to walk a tight-rope of ever-changing legislation to get to the desired outcome.
I'm not a fan of True Crime, so this won't get more than an "I liked it" out of me. It was on my Kindle so I read it, I can't think of anybody I would recommend it to over any other available book.
I'm not a fan of True Crime, so this won't get more than an "I liked it" out of me. It was on my Kindle so I read it, I can't think of anybody I would recommend it to over any other available book.
July 4, 2022
I grew up in this area when I was young. This happened down the road where some of my family currently lives. It was one of the saddest books I've ever read. These guys were mosters! It was horrific what they did to their innocent victims.
February 18, 2018
Made me cry. I loved the manner in which it was written
February 8, 2020
This was an amazing account of an awful crime. I am never disappointed with a Fred Rosen book.
April 2, 2023
This true Florida serial killer story was sickening I feel bad for the victims.
June 15, 2016
This is a true crime story which took place in the Florida panhandle. 2 mentally unstable young men decided to see what it was like to kill someone.
One of them had sex with one of the victims, he also decided to save some of her flesh to eat.
The book takes you through the murders, the capture of the murderers, the court trial, and the punishment faze.
One of them had sex with one of the victims, he also decided to save some of her flesh to eat.
The book takes you through the murders, the capture of the murderers, the court trial, and the punishment faze.
April 10, 2023
Don't bother
Poorly written and boring. The author includes too much extraneous information. He also reaches false legal conclusions. Additionally, the crimes are not as interesting as the title implies.
Poorly written and boring. The author includes too much extraneous information. He also reaches false legal conclusions. Additionally, the crimes are not as interesting as the title implies.
October 30, 2009
those dudes are sick puppies....
March 23, 2015
I liked it a little but not to much
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews