Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 326
•
Trim: 6½ x 9¼
978-1-4422-4579-2 • Hardback • May 2015 • $53.00 • (£41.00)
978-0-8108-9608-6 • Paperback • November 2017 • $36.00 • (£30.00)
978-1-4422-4580-8 • eBook • May 2015 • $34.00 • (£25.00)
Kathleen P. Munley, PhD, is a local historian and longtime professor of history at Marywood University, Scranton, Pennsylvania, where she teaches a variety of courses on American history and served on many elected and appointed academic committees. She developed and directed a legal studies program at the university that included an American Bar Association–approved legal assistant major. A lifelong resident of the region, Munley has been associated with many local community organizations and volunteer activities.
Paul R. Mazzoni, JD, has been a practicing attorney in Lackawanna County for over fifty-two years and served the county as its district attorney for two terms, from 1970 to 1978. As district attorney, Mazzoni was the chief prosecutor in the Commonwealth v. William J. Wright. Mazzoni continues to practice law with the firm Mazzoni, Karam, Petorak, and Valvano in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Mazzoni is a longstanding member and former president of the Lackawanna Bar Association and a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Active in community life in the region, Mazzoni was appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to serve as director of the Census for the Tenth Congressional District.
Introduction
Prologue
1: The Missing Boys
2: Investigation and a Camper’s Discovery
3: Who Murdered Paul Freach and Edmund Keen?
4: The Murderer
5: Who is William J. Wright?
6: The Investigation Concludes
7: Preliminary Hearing
8: Preparing for the Trial
9: Trial – September 12, 1974
10: Trial – October 16, 1974
11: Trial – December 12, 1974
12: Aftermaths
When two teenage boys, Edmund Keen and Paul Freach, didn’t make it home after leaving school on November 1, 1973, the town of Scranton, Pa., was forever changed, assert local historian Munley and attorney Mazzoni. Though William Wright was eventually caught and successfully convicted of murdering Freach and Keen due to Mazzoni’s efforts as chief prosecutor. . . .the ensuing fear has remained. Here, the authors recount the early days of the investigation—the countless interviews with friends and relatives, the FBI bulletins, and the grim search for remains, as well as the tremendous stroke of luck that led authorities to Wright. . . .The authors delve into the minutiae of the investigation, culminating in an epic recounting of Wright’s trial.
— Publishers Weekly
A terrifying trip inside an American nightmare.
— Michael Benson, author of The Devil at Genesee Junction
Drawing upon their historical and legal expertise, the authors have presented, in plain language and granular detail, the tragic tale of a horrible crime that deserves wider notice and attention.
— Michael Flamm, Professor of History, Ohio Wesleyan University
A spellbinding must read for true crime enthusiasts! It is a strong warning to the evil monsters that exist in our society today, and how a teen killer can slip through the cracks and prey on the innocents of our society. This is a tragic example of the great importance bestowed upon us to teach safety and awareness to families and children, which has been my mission for thirty plus years. I recommend this book to law enforcement, parents, and anyone who comes into contact with troubled youth. A MUST READ!
— Phil Chalmers, author of Inside the Mind of a Teen Killer; featured on the LMN Network show Killer Kids