A Killer Is Set Loose To Kill Again When The Prosecution Fails To Stop Him
Author and award-winning journalist, Monte Francis
On a clear, brisk night in September of 2000, 33-year-old Della Brown was found sexually assaulted and beaten to death inside a filthy, abandoned shed in seedy part of Anchorage, Alaska. She was one of six women, mostly Native Alaskan, slain that year, stoking fears a serial killer was on the loose. A tanned and thuggish 20-year-old would eventually implicate himself in three of the women’s deaths and confess, in detail, to Della’s murder.
Yet, after a three-month trial, Joshua Wade would walk free. In 2007, when Wade kidnapped a well-loved nurse psychologist from her home and then executed her in the remote wilderness of Wasilla, two astute female detectives joined forces to finally bring him to justice. ICE AND BONE is the chilling true account of how a demented murderer initially evaded police and avoided conviction only to slip back into the shadows and kill again. Journalist and writer Monte Francis tells the harrowing story of what eventually led to Wade’s capture, and reveals why the true scope of his murderous rampage is only now, more than a decade later, coming into view.
“A chilling chronicle of victims brutally murdered by a cold, merciless killer, against a backdrop equally as unforgiving – the Last Frontier. Through meticulous reporting, Francis uncovers the shocking truth about how the Alaskan justice system failed and allowed a warped predator to strike again.”—Henry K. Lee, author of Presumed Dead: A True-Life Murder Mystery
From the book…
“It was the first time Detective Perrenoud and Agent Thoreson had come face-to-face with Wade, who was sitting behind a metal table, kicked back in his chair. They pulled up chairs to the table and sat down.
“Hey Josh, I’m with the FBI,” Agent Thoreson said.
“And I’m Pam Perrenoud with APD.”
Wade didn’t acknowledge their presence. Although he hadn’t uttered a word, his body language conveyed a cocky attitude; he seemed to be saying, Do what you’ve got to do and just take me to jail. Agent Thoreson knew right away that sweet talking Wade wasn’t going to work.
“You going to talk with us at all … or are you just going to sit there?” Thoreson asked. There was no answer. “You going to do the silent treatment? Do you want to talk with us?”
“About what?” Wade finally asked, facing to one side.
Joshua Wade
“About what you’ve been arrested for,” Thoreson responded.
“I have no idea what I’ve been arrested for, man,” Wade said.
“You’ve been arrested for two counts of bank fraud, aggravated identity theft … and access-device fraud,” Thoreson informed him.
Wade perked up and turned his head, finally making eye contact. Thoreson knew most people weren’t familiar with the term access device fraud.
“What the fuck is that?” Wade said.
“It just means that you used an ATM card of somebody that’s not yourself … and that person did not give you permission to do so,” Thoreson explained.
“You’re assuming that,” Wade quipped. As Wade spoke these words, Agent Thoreson had an idea. He thought, the only way to get something out of Wade, was to surprise him by saying something outlandish.
“No, we don’t assume. We do a little bit more than assume,” Agent Thoreson said. “We actually talked to Mindy, you know.”
“Hmmm? What did you just say?” Wade asked, sitting up.
“I said we talked to Mindy,” Agent Thoreson repeated.
A devious smirk came over Wade’s face. If there was any doubt before that moment that Wade had killed Mindy Schloss, for either Agent Thoreson or Detective Perrenoud, it evaporated with one facial expression. Detective Perrenoud could see in Wade’s eyes what he must have been thinking: You couldn’t have talked to her, because I killed her.
“Are you guys trying to play games with me, man?” Wade asked.
“Why would we be playing games?” Thoreson returned.
“Can I have a cigarette, please?” Wade said dismissively, sitting back in his chair.
“No, you can’t,” Thoreson replied.
“Okay, well, I want my attorney, dude.”
The interview was over.”
–From Chapter 40 of Monte Francis’ ICE AND BONE
Wow, such a good book! I couldn’t stop listening and finished it in one day.
Very well researched and presented.
I wish Kevin Pierce could narrate all true crime. He’s the very best of the best.
There is a long epilogue that really adds to this narrative.
Highly recommend this one!
I was given this book at no charge in exchange for an honest review from Wild Blue Press.
I picked a good one! Thank you.