The Real Story With Maria Elena Salinas Gives Taste Of “SAVING ANNIE”
SAVING ANNIE by New York Times bestselling author Steve Jackson with Tom McCallum will be available in September. Pre-order now and save!
As with most true crime television documentaries, especially involving a case with as many moving pieces and storylines as are involved in my new book, SAVING ANNIE, the creators of “Fall of Innocence” made some mistakes, got some things wrong, and barely touched on many of the facts. Prior to airing, the producer acknowledged that even at an hour, the show could only reveal the proverbial tip of the iceberg.
Having said that they did a decent job, and certainly much better than a 48 Hours take that aired last year. In particular, the questioning of the accused in the case, Stephen
Stephen Nichols
Nichols, revealed his character for all the world to see. Especially telling was when Ms. Salinas asked him why when he called 911 he seemed more concerned that he was cold than the fact his girlfriend, Rhonda Casto, had just fallen to her death from a cliff. In addition to calling the question “silly,” Nichols phlegmatically explained that because Rhonda was already dead, it was more important that he be helped.
Here’s the Amazon page description of SAVING ANNIE:
In March 2009, pretty, vivacious Rhonda Casto plunged to her death from a 300-foot cliff in the Oregon woods. The only witness, Stephen Nichols, the father of her nine-month-old baby, Annie, told police investigators she slipped and fell.
Rhonda Castro
Yet, Nichols’ story didn’t mesh with the facts. And some of his other actions raised suspicions as well, including just days after her death trying to collect on a million-dollar life insurance policy he’d taken out on his unemployed, 23-year-old girlfriend. What had begun with a 911 call to report an accident, quickly turned into a homicide investigation.
However, due to lackluster police work, the case grew cold. Then in 2011, Dardie Robinson, a tenacious investigator with a Portland law firm began digging into the circumstances surrounding Rhonda’s death. The law firm represented Rhonda’s mother, who believed that Nichols, 34, had murdered her daughter. She wanted to prevent him from gaining custody of Annie and the life insurance money.
What Robinson discovered, including an attempt by Nichols to throw his first wife off a high-rise balcony in China, as well as sexual assault charges, convinced her that Rhonda’s death was no accident. So began her six-year battle to ‘save Annie’ from her own father and find justice for Rhonda.
In the meantime, a parallel investigation into the case by co-authors Steve Jackson, an award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author, and private investigator Tom McCallum, posed the same questions. What really happened to Rhonda Casto on that cold, rainy afternoon on the Eagle Creek trail? And what would become of her child?
SAVING ANNIE by Steve Jackson with Tom McCallum will be published in September 2018. Pre-Order Now And Save!
Where can I buy the complete series for saving annie- steve Jackson?
I saw the 48 hours show just now, July 8, 2023 & I felt that Steve Nichols Did Not Murder or Push Rhonda, his Girlfriend and mother of his daughter! It’s a shame! It seemed like an unfair grand jury, unfair court hearings and unfair trials! He shldve been notified in China that that there was an arrest for him! That way he wldnt have brought his daughter back for a visit!! It was awful! That little girl had a mother in china, and father in jail and she was thrown w family she did not know, never to see her new mom or dad again!? Or what about Her paternal grandparents!? When there is a death of a parent, no one ever thinks of the children!! Just like Steve taking his little girl to china for 5 years! She didn’t get to see or know her mother’s family during that time and that wasn’t right! First off just watching that show I don’t think he pushed her!! He said there wasn’t any cell service ! I saw that author Steve Jackson pacing in the back of the courtroom! Why did he even email the DAs office or whomever he emailed!? It wasn’t his business!! What a jerk! I’d never read any of his books! He is disgusting and macabre! Shame on him!!! I feel poor Steve Nichols was basically forced to plead to criminally negligent homicide of Miss Rhonda! Just so he can get out!! It’s now 2024 and he’s off probation! Did he ever get to see his little daughter who WAS THRIVING WITH HIM!? TAKING BALLET, TAIKWONDO & PIANO AND SPEAKING 2 LANGUAGES and happy with her new Chinese Mother!?!!!! Does he!? Does he get to see the wife in China!? Did he contact his wife in China right away to let her know he was arrested at airport!! Was she kept informed!? All the lives that Author destroyed and Rhonda’s mom was a grieving mom, so I don’t blame her for saying anything and everything that he killed her daughter! When my daughter died I blemed everyone and everything! So did my family! And my daughter’s children went to her husband and his mistress w same name as my daughter,who eventually became his wife. But those babies were 3&5 when mom died and we just started getting close to those kids as 17 year olds! They are now going off to college and one is living across country w their paternal grandparents. But my grandkids lost not only their mom but whole side of her family and also all her friends who were honorary “aunts and uncles”!! It was awful! So I know the pain of the mother of Rhonda! But I do believe she was wrong in this case and wrong to. Illegally cash checks! She seemed money motivated. I just pray that some day Stephen Nichols will get this conviction overturned, his name cleared , he gets money for his suffering and that he is reunited w his daughter and wife in.china! Hopefully his wife in China is able to get visa to come here!? It’s just a shame, this whole thing seemed unfair! Blessings Lyndy