One of the first things I realized when I started working on my capstone project in early 2017 is advances in technology weren’t always going to make the project easier. That became abundantly clear when I tried to track down Bob and Tracy Keller’s phone number. Ironically, that would have been much easier 20 years […]
Webb: A tough call in ‘Goodbye, Butterfly’ Read More »
“If the death penalty had been Kansas law that day, he would probably be on death row at this very moment.” It’s a quote from Bob Keller 30 years ago that I included in “Goodbye, Butterfly: Murder, faith and forgiveness in a small Kansas town.” The line is in Chapter 16, “A Nobel Fight,” which
The death penalty and its role in ‘Goodbye, Butterfly’ Read More »
Why am I here? I often asked myself that at the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010. I’d just moved to Tulsa, the last stop in a nomadic journalism career that included six newspapers, four states, nine cities and 12 residences in 11 years. Some of that frantic journey was about working my way
Tulsa plays an important role in ‘Goodbye, Butterfly’ Read More »
Brenda: Today’s a big one. You know that, of course – you would have celebrated your 45th birthday. It only seemed fitting to make an important announcement to celebrate: My book about your life is close to becoming reality. After seven years of research and writing, we have a tentative release date of August 2024.
Webb: Happy birthday, Brenda Keller Read More »
Hey, Brenda. Long time, no talk. I’d normally apologize for not writing sooner, but I know you see everything now that you’re on “the other side,” as your father once referred to it. I think of you and your family this time of the year. Christmas was a big event for your family, a tradition
Twelve Days of Christmas, Part VII: A letter to Brenda Keller Read More »
This excerpt is from Chapter 7 of my upcoming book about 12-year-old Brenda Keller’s death on Oct. 19, 1991. The untitled book should be published sometime in 2024. As she stood in the Blake house, Tracy Keller was convinced her daughter Brenda was somewhere on the property. But alone and with no proof of wrongdoing
An excerpt from the book about Brenda Keller: ‘The search kicks into high gear’ Read More »
Brenda Keller would have been 44 years old today. On her Heavenly birthday, I’m sharing an excerpt from the book about her I’ve been working on since my last semester of graduate school in 2017. This is from Chapter 11, which focuses on the days and weeks after her tragic death, including media coverage: In
Sharing an excerpt on Brenda Keller’s Heavenly birthday Read More »
Note: This excerpt is from the true crime book I’m writing about the shocking murder of Brenda Michelle Keller on Oct. 19, 1991. Just 12 years old, Brenda was riding her bike in tiny Dover, Kansas, when she was abducted. You can read more about the book and how I started on this journey in
Constantly dancing and happy. Those were the words Teresa Davis used to describe the brother she knew up until he was 15 years old. In addition to breakdancing, Jon Mareska Jr. seemed to be getting along fine at school and relished the life he had with this friends in the Brookside neighborhood of Tulsa. When
Webb: An excerpt from my book about ‘Jon Boy’ Read More »
This portion of the book I’m writing about Brenda Keller is from Chapter 13, which describes her funeral service from Oct. 23, 1991. While Beverly Rue and her husband Steve were at the service, a small bug crawled toward them and several others, and somebody nearby attempted to squash it. He waved the person off,
Webb: A book excerpt on a father’s powerful message about forgiveness Read More »