Murder of Innocence

The Tragic Life and Final Rampage of Laurie Dann

By: Joel Kaplan, George Papajohn, Eric Zorn

Narrated by: Gary Tiedemann

Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Early on a May morning in 1988, Laurie Dann, a 30-year-old, profoundly unhappy product of the wealthy North Shore suburb of Chicago, loaded her father's car with a cache of handguns, incendiary chemicals, and arsenic-laced food. Driven by fear and hate, she was going to make something terrible happen.

Before the end of the day, Dann had blazed a murderous trail of poison, fire, and bullets through the unsuspecting town of Winnetka, Illinois, and other North Shore suburbs. She murdered an eight-year-old boy and critically wounded five other children inside an elementary school. It finally took a massed force of armed police to end the killing.

The shocking story of innocence destroyed by a rich young babysitter inexplicably gone mad made headlines all across the nation and inspired at least two psychotic killers to follow her example. What lead her to do it? Could she have been stopped? The case raised a host of agonizing questions that have remained unanswered - until now. In this book, three Chicago Tribune reporters who covered the Laurie Dann tragedy have pulled together all the available police evidence, unearthed valuable psychiatric information, and interviewed at length scores of people who knew Dann, many of whom had never before spoken to the media about this case. Despite clear and ominous warning signs, a young woman of beauty and privilege was allowed to deteriorate and go slowly berserk - and no one stopped her. Her parents, her doctors, and the police officers who knew her pathological behavior all failed her at critical times. By its passivity and silence, a community comfortable and quiet on the surface, yet reluctant to admit its underlying flaws, became an unwitting accomplice to the final rampage of Laurie Dann. Murder of Innocence is a searing portrayal of a family - and a society - unable to cope, and of a young woman who wanted all too desperately only to be loved.

©1990 Joel Kaplan, George Papajohn, & Eric Zorn (P)2017 David N. Wilson

Soul Searching

This story was indeed a sad tale. Lauie Dann was a mentally ill person that was not recognized as such. The people around her lived in denial. It's a sad, sad case that could have ended differently. So many people's live did not have to be in danger from her actions.

Thoroughly researched and well presented

This tragic case is thoroughly researched and well presented, including the professional narration by Gary Tiedemann. It reads like a novel, but unfortunately, it's true crime.

NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Amazing true story

Exceptionally well narrated. A stark reminder of how long school shootings and gun control have been a huge part of our national discussion with no resolution in site , and it is now 2019.

Fascinating, highly unusual

Fascinating characters in a highly unusual true crime story, told by an excellent narrator. I listened to this in one day

Don't Miss This One

Can't wait to see what other reviewers say. I found zero flaws with the book or the narration.

But I would take great personal pleasure in strangling Laurie's parents. Had they admitted their daughter was dangerously ill, many lives could have been saved.

If you are an avid follower of True Crime, you won't want to miss this one. Oh, and you might want to have a Xanax handy.

Good book!

true story of a young woman on the edge. If only those around her had taken her symptoms more seriously. I enjoyed listening to this book very much.

Unforgettable

This is one of the best true crime stories I have ever read/listened to. The narration is excellent. The amount of research that was put into this book is commendable. The picture painted of this tragic, sad woman is stunning. Had she been held accountable to her previous crimes and properly helped this TRAGEDY would have been averted. Russell Dan was a victim of her violence time and again and yet the police did nothing. As a victim of D.V. myself I personally understand victim blaming and irresponsibility by law enforcement. 22 years later there is still a long way to go in holding perpetrators accountable. She needed professional help in a LONG TERM FACILITY. Period.

someone dropped the ball

She needed to be locked up years before and medicated. The system, family and friends failed.

great true crime

I listen to audiobooks while driving, and this made me anxious to get in my car to drive to work in the morning! great narrator, and the book itself is so full of details. I enjoyed the way they did not end it right after the tragedy, but went on to discuss what happened in the aftermath. very sad story, and an absolutely intriguing look into just how a person who is mentally ill can spiral out of control when no one takes responsibility. Laurie Dann's parents may well have been able to help her, or at least to have protected others from her, if they had not been so anxious to sweep her problems under the rug and to leave her entirely to her own devices while funding her existence completely without awareness.

Great Book, Tragic Story

If you could sum up Murder of Innocence in three words, what would they be?

A well-written, thorough, and very sad story - expertly narrated.

What other book might you compare Murder of Innocence to and why?

This is my first true crime book.

Which character – as performed by Gary Tiedemann – was your favorite?

Great performance: he gave the narration and dialogue enough life to make it a great listen.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

That we've learned nothing about getting people the help they need and keeping guns out of the hands of violent and disturbed people.