One of my Sunday pleasures is reading the Daily News’s historical piece in their weekly, long-running Justice Story feature. Each true tale is about a nasty crime — and nasty criminals — plucked from the annals of American crime, predominantly murder, over the past 100 years.
These are true crime stories I, for one, have never heard of previously. They’re wonderfully written (see above post title) in fulsome tabloid style. Today’s ugly tale is told by journalist Mara Bovsum.
Since I’ve been reading this feature for years and am somewhat inured to the criminal nature of certain Americans, I am slightly less captivated by today’s serial criminal (in 1970s Texas) than by the language used to tell his gory story. Thus:
The Daily News title is actually, “He Prayed, & Preyed.” (Yes, the killer was a devoted church-going guy). And right after the line, “In his spare time he killed people,” came this, from the killer’s father:
“I just can’t believe this. He was always a good boy.”
ψ
Support your local tabloid. It will amply return the favor.