Author Kevin Sullivan
Very soon, my true crime tome, KENTUCKY BLOODBATH, will be released by WildBlue Press. It’s a trip into the odd, fascinating, and often shocking world of true crime. As such, a few words from yours truly are in order…
Having grown up reading true crime, it wasn’t at all surprising that one day after I’d begun my writing career that I dove into true crime, putting onto pages those strange and terrible events that are part and parcel of this macabre world. And so, after finishing a book on George Armstrong Custer – a personality study of the man -, I turned towards true crime, knowing there was much to write about in my home state of Kentucky. I was also aware, that, to my knowledge, no previous writer in the state had ever conducted such a thorough search for strange Kentucky murders such as I was undertaking.
Can’t wait for KENTUCKY BLOODBATH to get your Sullivan fix? Check out his WildBlue Press true crime original
VAMPIRE: The Richard Chase Murders!
Coming in May! KENTUCKY BLOODBATH
As I began my research into past Kentucky killers and their victims, I was well aware there were a good number of very unusual homicides from the Bluegrass State, as I’d read about them over the years in newspapers accounts, heard the strange tales from relatives and friends, or watched the occasional newscasts on TV (remember, if it bleeds it leads!). But these sources were never in-depth studies of the cases in question; and worse still, very often, erroneous information came forth, and it wasn’t until I began the research, using the original case files, that I’d find out what really happened. And it would be in these moments of discovery, that an accurate picture of each individual tragedy would rise and take shape from the seemingly innumerable police reports and interviews of those involved.
Indeed, many of the stories I’ve “unearthed” would have been lost forever had I not sought them out from the dusty archives and storage facilities scattered throughout the state; stories that would, ultimately, be destined for obscurity and eventual disposal as the decades dragged on. One case in particular, took weeks to locate, and finally came to light only through the staunch determination of the archivist who kept digging and refused to give up. That case (previously published as an article), is now in book-form as The Valley Drive-In Double Murders, and can be found, along with five other Kentucky murder cases I wrote, in Death of a Cheerleader, published in Gregg Olsen’s very popular Notorious USA series. Recently, one radio interviewer, contemplating their bizarre aspects, quite rightly stated how all of these Kentucky murders resembled something out of The Twilight Zone, and I quickly had to agree with his assessment. That’s the nature of these cases, and frankly, it was what I was looking for in my quest to uncover true crime in Kentucky.
While most of the murders I penned were intended for future book publication, some were picked up by Snitch, a weekly print newspaper devoted to issues of crime and the law that began in Louisville, Kentucky, and, at its height, was published in five states. All were feature articles and were well-received – no surprise here, as many folks seemed to have only the vaguest of memories pertaining to some of the more long-ago murders before the newspapers hit the stands. As a writer, I found it very gratifying to be able to bring this information to the light, knowing it was, and will continue to be preserved for a very long time.
And now, in that same spirit of satisfaction, I’m pleased to announce that my publisher, WildBlue Press, will be publishing ten wildly bizarre Kentucky homicides from my very own case files, with the exceedingly appropriate title: Kentucky Bloodbath. All of these stories are being published for the first time, and those readers who find themselves turning these pages are in for a real excursion into the weird and the bizarre: from the medieval type murder that occurred in a small town museum early one morning; to the brutal killer of a little girl who walked free and remained a constant danger to other little girls; to the jilted boyfriend who decided that his former girlfriend needed to die on her twenty-first birthday.
Suffice it to say that KENTUCKY BLOODBATH is not for the faint of heart.
I very young just a small little girl who remember the sick two murders that l am sure they are demons in human shape, when the very sick+sad end to two young kids not much older then me at the. It really made me understand about how easily evil can hide ? I just have to wonder how this very evil act has & did to the yo no fest of the two l think she was 1st killed then they started their evil deadly night that went no untill early that next morning…l still pray for both her family and the young man’s(he maybe was 19teen at the most?) Oh, and she lthink ,tell me if l am wrong? She was almost 16 teen, ALMOST….One more thing l grow up on Knob Creek RD. Off of highway #44 very close to Dixie hwy way just less then 2or3 miles from Dixie+drive+inn where the devil made his mark intwo young kids blood…for kicks. *Still crying=Cheri*
Hi Cheri,
Yes, you’re referring to The Valley Drive-In murders that occurred on Dixie Highway (on the outskirts of Louisville), during June 1973. The two murders happened on different nights, and this story is in my book (co-authored with Gregg Olsen), Unnatural Causes, not Kentucky Bloodbath. Thankfully, the two losers who committed the murders were caught.
Thanks for the contact, Cheri!
Kevin
This was my first cousin once removed. Rita Jo Robbins. Her father said that it was time for her to get a job and learn some responsibility. My mother was very close to Rita as she was just a couple years younger. If Rita Jo would’ve lived, our entire family would be different.
Hi Dane, and thanks for the contact.
Yes, murder always changes the family and friends of the victims. No matter how many years pass, there is still deep sadness because their loved one was taken. Terrible.
I grew up in Valley Village right next to the drive-in. Remember that day very well. I knew Rita, we called her Reba, she was 17. Also knew Tetrick and Sefcheck. Last I heard they were still in prison. I hope they die there.
Hi Tom,
Over the years I’ve had lots of folks contact me about that case; like you, they were living in the area in 1973 and they knew some of those involved. One such contact turned out to be the daughter of Ronald Shumaker, the second ticket taker to die that June, and we’ve kept in touch over the years. I even had a chance to meet her when she and her husband came to Louisville. She no longer lives in Kentucky. And yes, I would imagine the killers will spend the rest of their lives behind bars.
Here’s something folks don’t know: When Snitch published the article, it was in June 2003-the 30th anniversary of the murders. And you might remember they used (as I provided the pics) the school pic of Rita that was given to the police for the search into her disappearance (and as I recall, Rita had just picked them up days earlier). Well, I think it was perhaps one or two weeks after the story appeared in newspaper racks all over the city, her family contacted the editor, and they were very upset about it and they wanted to know where we got that picture of Rita. So, the editor called wanting to know how I laid my hands on the pic; and if memory serves me correctly, they were more upset about the pic being used even more than the article being published. And I could hear the concern in the editors voice that I was going to say something like I acquired it from someone that wasn’t an official source, and if that was the case, there could be legal action taken as we didn’t hold copyright nor receive permission (yes, thankfully,editors do think this way lol!). Knowing it was okay, I gave him the info he most wanted to hear: the picture (and all the pictures) came from the archives (public domain) of the Jefferson County Police Department,and as such, if they were angry,they needed to contact the police. That said, I did feel badly about upsetting the family. The last thing I wanted to do is spark additional pain in their lives. Without question, however, the story needed telling.