Murder in West Virginia - Another Justice Fiasco

For Immediate Release

Contact: M M Stoddart
Phone 613.270.0813
E-mail: margaret@nativefusion.com January 21, 2008

The Chaparral Murders
Dollar Store Justice by M M Stoddart

(Kanata, Ontario, January 21, 2008) --- Canadian woman exposes twenty-five year old West Virginia justice fiasco involving own family’s double murder.

Tragic Story of death and deception:

• double homicide in Appalachia from 1982
• shockingly deficient investigation and trial cast doubts on the verdict
• potential wrongful conviction of Rusty Phillips for first degree murder without parole
• close to the author's heart, her stepmother’s first husband and son were the victims

From the dense woods of the Appalachian Mountains comes this true tale of deception, murder, and greed in a tiny West Virginia town. Stoddart returns to the scene of the murders of Glenn Roberts and his teenage son, Timmy, to conduct a new investigation of the biggest homicide case in Tucker County – one shrouded by suspicion and doubt for twenty-five years.
The victims were killed by the same weapon on the same night but their bodies were found eight miles and three weeks apart. Stoddart reopens the case and finds that the murders were much more than a simple botched robbery, as West Virginia authorities had concluded. New information uncovers a vast web of missing evidence, deceit, and family intrigue.

Why undertake such a project? “I was incredulous at the way the case was handled. There seemed to be another agenda violently pushing everyone in one direction. With the encouragement of my family, I dug in with determination to sort it out.” Stoddart says.

Speaking about challenges she faced in researching her first book Stoddart says, “Several of the key people refused to speak about the case. I couldn’t understand that after so many years. I thought they would be glad someone was interested in their experience after all this time. There is still a great deal of reticence surrounding this case.”

Stoddart explains her stepmother’s reservations about her book. “Although Edith never intended this book to lead to a review of Rusty’s case, I believe that would be fully justified given what I have gleaned from my research.”

Born in Shiloh Manitoba in 1949, while attending school in Ottawa, Stoddart found an inspirational mentor in her high school English teacher, Canadian author Brian Doyle (2005 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature). University studies in Sociology, Psychology and Anthropology earned her a BA. In 1994, she received the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of Canada awarded to individuals making, “A significant Contribution to Canada, the Community, or Fellow Canadians”. She is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and lives in Kanata, Ontario.
The iUniverse Publisher’s Choice designation identifies new titles with potential for greater commercial success. Deserving titles become eligible to be displayed on the New Paperback Releases table in the author’s local Barnes & Noble store for a minimum of eight weeks.

For more information go to Stoddart’s website at www.mmstoddart.com
978-0-595-44329-1 ● December 4 2007 ● $23.95 ● Publisher: iUniverse ● Trade Paper

Press Release Source: http://www.bookcatcher.com/bookreleases

M. M. Stoddart margaret@nativefusion.com www.mmstoddart.com 613.270.0813

Please Rate this Press Release

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

# of Ratings = 2 | Rating = 4.5/5