Losing Jon

A Teen's Tragic Death, a Police Cover-Up, a Community's Fight for Justice

By: David Parrish

Narrated by: Jonathan Yen

Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's Summary

A chilling true story of injustice 

David Parrish was in disbelief when he learned that 19-year-old Jon Bowie's body had been found hanged from a backstop at the local high school's baseball field and the death declared a suicide. David had known Jon and his twin brother since they were boys. He had coached them on the baseball field and welcomed them into his home for sleepovers with his own sons. However, when David learned how Jon's body was found, he felt compelled to find the facts behind this incomprehensible tragedy. 

Soon, David would learn of a brutal incident at a local motel where Jon and his brother had been severely beaten by police officers, the charges filed against those officers, and the months of harassment and intimidation Jon and his brother endured. Few in the utopian community of Columbia, Maryland, believed Jon could commit such a final act. Like many others, David wondered how a fateful night of teens blowing off steam could lead to such a tragic end. 

As law enforcement failed to find answers and seemed intent on preventing the truth from surfacing, David uncovered a system of cover-ups that could only lead to one conclusion - Jon's death was an act of murder.

©2020 David Key Parrish (P)2020 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Book review

Beautifully written, on the edge of my seat. Sad but inspiring. Heartbreaking also, so sad

Riveting story of a murder cover up

This true story is about a teen whose death is made to look like a suicide. His mother, his twin brother and his former coach ( the author) don’t believe he committed suicide. His mother and the author are determined to find out what really happened. The account of their investigation is gripping.

Goes nowhere

Terribly disappointing. I’m familiar with the narrator and that part was fine but the story rings silly at times and eventually ends nowhere. That doesn’t diminish my sympathy for the family and those who suffered the loss but as a book, it’s not necessary.

My hometown

Great depictions on about the town I grew up in and an under investigated case.

Touching, heartfelt and amazing.

I heard an interview with this author on the True Murder podcast. The story interested me and the author intrigued me enough to listen to this book. It was worth every minute and I didn't want it to end. I wish this was fiction. Only because it is so sad to me the loss of the mother, their family and the community. Jon was seemingly a truly good person and I shed a few tears throughout this story. I love the way it was summed up at the end. While it wasn't quite the outcome that I desired, it was poignant and I'm still teary-eyed as I write this. This book honors the memory of Jon and tells the story of the victims caught in this corruption and their tireless efforts to uncover it. Loved it.

Jude

Very good story. It kept me interested which is not easy. The reader was wonderful. I could understand every word.

Must read true crime

A reminder of corruption and cover-up and what a mothers love will do to find out what happened to her son. It’s scary and horrific - the system that works against good. It’s also very spiritual.

Seriously a book you don't want to put down until the end!

Law-enforcement workers, do you have a few bad and dangerous uniformed men and women! This is A true account, of the political 8 potentially dangerous aspect which do exist within all forms of agencies we are men and women are given powerful positions! In these past weeks in the United States of America, but everything seems to be wanting to be focused on The extreme uses of force upon just people of one skin designations! When in fact there are all types of these incidents A pond all peoples who come across those whom choose to irrupt!! Listening to the fact that there were so many coverups and lack of bureaucratic thoroughness and desire to find the truth:Truly for me showed why millions have in the past weeks peaceably want to bring focus upon these terrible injustices! The author, imports deep humanity of the victims and their families and friends!

Very good

This is a very good book that lacks a few perspectives to make it great. You will be left wondering “that was so long ago, what happened to everyone?”. Still very good.

Listened straight through.

I don't normally read true crime, but this book is FANTASTIC! Not only is this story absolutely horrific - my heart goes out to the Bowie family - it also reads like a page turning thriller, and sometimes it's easy to forget this isn't fiction. True crime, thriller, mystery - anyone who likes those kinds of books will enjoy listening or reading this one. My only hiccup was the ending. There's no real resolution but I guess that's what happens when you have an unsolved murder. Hopefully this book makes someone step forward.

Excellent book.... sad truth of life

For the first 50 years of my life, i had faith in those who govern us....the past 15 have been a late step into reality. Here is another example of a city and people where faith and hope and acceptance...and deep sorrow...transform our previous belief system into a new one that is a clear focus on truth, lies, justice, injustice....while holding on to the good and never giving up on the belief in my higher power's child named karma. Thanks for another brilliant example of how life really is....and how important these true life lessons are when written so well, so clearly.