Synopses & Reviews
On October 30, 1975, fifteen–year–old Martha Moxley was brutally murdered in her backyard on the way home from the house of her Greenwich, Connecticut, neighbors Tommy and Michael Skakel. Her murder made national headlines. But for years no one was arrested, despite troubling clues pointing to the Skakels, a rich and powerful family related to the Kennedys. Enter Leonard Levitt. When two newspapers asked Levitt to look into the murder Levitt soon uncovered groundbreaking information about what had happened that night and subsequently, in the police investigation. But for years, Levitt's superiors mysteriously refused to publish the stories. Convinced that the Moxley family deserved peace and closure at last, Levitt refused to give up. Finally, after Levitt's first article appeared, the case was reopened. Frank Garr, a seasoned Greenwich detective, was appointed investigator on the Moxley case. He pursued unexplored leads and became increasingly convinced that for over a decade, his colleagues had been pursuing the wrong suspects. At first mistrustful of one another, Levitt and Garr became friends, encouraging each other in their quest for the truth as the obstacles against them piled up. In 2002, more than twenty–five years after Moxley's death, thanks largely to Garr's work, Michael Skakel was convicted of the murder.
Review
“A bombshell new book.” Sunday Mirror
Review
“Its the true-to-life whodunit about a reporter who wouldnt let go.” New York Post
Synopsis
On October 30, 1975, fifteen-year-old Martha Moxley's brutal murder made national headlines. But for years no one was arrested, despite troubling clues pointing to the Skakels, a rich and powerful family related to the Kennedys.
In the years that followed, investigative reporter Leonard Levitt uncovered groundbreaking information about how the police had bungled the investigation; he also discovered that Tommy and Michael Skakel had lied about their activities on the night of the murder. The case was reopened and investigator Frank Garr began to doggedly pursue unexplored leads. In 2002, more than twenty-five years after Moxley's death, a shocked world watched as Michael Skakel was convicted of the murder, thanks largely to the evidence Garr alone had marshaled against him.
Now, for the first time, Levitt tells the amazing true story of Garr's fight to solve the case and of how their friendship with each other, and with Martha Moxley's mother, Dorthy, sustained them over the years. A riveting, suspenseful drama that unfolds like a mystery novel, this incredible memoir also reveals how a police officer and a reporter refused to give up, and how they helped justice to prevail, against all odds.
Synopsis
From an award-winning journalist comes a moving and revealing look into how he and investigator Frank Garr doggedly pursued clues in the Martha Moxley case, braved the odds, refused to give up the case, and uncovered information that led to Michael Skakel's conviction for murder. 16-page color photo insert.
About the Author
Leonard Levitt writes "One Police Plaza," a column for Newsday. He previously held the position of Investigations Editor at the New York Post, and his work has appeared in Time, Harper's, the New York Times Magazine, and Esquire. The recipient of a Rockefeller Foundation Humanities grant, he also served in the Peace Corps in Africa. He lives in Stamford, Connecticut.