Author Ron Chepesiuk
When I finished my last book, THE REAL MR. BIG: How A Refugee Became The UK’s Most Notorious Cocaine Kingpin, also published by WildBlue, I really didn’t have another book project in mind. I have been focusing on writing screenplays and was enjoying it, but I still have the itch to write another book. If you are thinking about making money from writing, there is no comparison between writing a book and a screenplay. Writing a low-budget screenplay ($3 to 4 million) can often earn you nearly or actually the equivalent of a best-selling book. I have often joked that one writes a book at minimum wage.
But there’s something about writing a book that makes my blood race. For one thing—recognition. Name me a screenwriter, and you would be hard-pressed. But you don’t have to be a best-selling author to receive recognition. The name of any author, for example, can be found prominently on the Internet.
In any case, when I finished THE REAL MR. BIG, I decided I wanted to write another book. Usually, I have three or more ideas percolating, but at this time, the well was dry. What was to do? One day, I ran across a reference to Henry Louis Wallace, the Taco Bell Strangler. I remembered this case from the 1990s. In fact, at one time, I had thought about writing a book about him.
Surely, there must be a book out about him. I remember in the mid-1990s having read that when Wallace was caught and tried, he was inundated with the requests from people who wanted to do a book or film about him. I did my research and found out that, outside of a couple of documentaries, nothing had been done about him.
I checked with my agent, and she liked the idea. I did a book proposal, and she submitted it to WildBlue Press. As they say, the rest is history.
With the contract in hand, I eagerly dove into the project. I have always found research fascinating, particularly the art of conducting interviews. While I had hoped for more cooperation, I did have the privilege of speaking with relatives of a couple of Wallace's victims, and their insights were invaluable. Dee Sumpter, in particular, was incredibly helpful and shared the belief that the Wallace story deserved to be told in the form of a book.
The experience with the police involved in the Wallace investigation was frankly hostile. A retired officer, who kindly checked police sources on my behalf, candidly informed me that those involved in the investigation would not be willing to speak with me. However, I did manage to secure an interview with Sheriff Garry McFadden, the head of the police investigation, and his comments and insights proved to be quite valuable. Despite a significant portion of the court records being missing, I was fortunate enough to obtain the transcripts from the ten hours of interviews with Wallace, which also proved to be an essential resource.
In the end, it all came together quite well. I sincerely hope you enjoy the final product.
BAD HENRY uncovers the depths of his monstrous crimes, the struggles of the investigation, and the resilience of a community seeking justice. This gripping true crime account sheds light on the dark legacy of a serial killer and the untold story that needed to be told.
