Body Parts: A Serial Killer's Deadly Compulsions

by Caitlin Rother

Overview

Now updated with shocking details about the identity of Wayne Adam Ford’s first victim – revealed 25 years after her death – the brand new edition of a true crime classic from New York Times bestselling author Caitlin Rother delves into the disturbing mind and brutal crimes of the Humboldt County serial killer now on Death Row.

“I hurt some people.”



With these words, a tearful man hinted at a deadly crime, leading investigators to uncover a horrifying saga of abuse, tragedy, and serial murder . . .



When Wayne Adam Ford walked into the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office in November 1998 with a woman's body part in his jacket pocket, the 36-year-old truck driver wasn’t a suspect in any crime. After a lengthy investigation spanning four California counties and a sensational trial, he was convicted of the torture and murder of four women. His first victim, whom he dismembered, would remain unidentified for 25 years.

While serving honorably in the Marine Corps, Ford had learned life-saving techniques that gave him structure and purpose. But a severe head injury worsened pre-existing emotional problems, rendering him unable to suppress his dark sexual impulses. Knowing he would kill again, he enlisted his brother’s help to turn himself in.

Award-winning investigative journalist Caitlin Rother drew on previously sealed testimony and interviewed key players in the case, including Ford's brother and father, to write this intimate and psychologically resonant narrative. Extensively updated with the inside details of how Ford’s first victim was recently identified through DNA testing and forensic genealogy, this classic true crime story continues to haunt us.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780806543918
Publisher:	Kensington
Publication date:	02/25/2025
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Caitlin Rother is a New York Times bestselling true crime author and Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist. She worked for nearly two decades as an investigative reporter and has had work published in Cosmopolitan, The Los Angeles Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe, among others. As a TV crime commentator, she has done more than 200 media appearances on episodes of 20/20, People Magazine Investigates, Crime Watch Daily, Australia's World News, Nancy Grace, Snapped, and numerous shows on Netflix, Investigation Discovery, HLN, REELZ, Oxygen, E!, A&E, C-SPAN and various PBS affiliates. Rother also works as a writing/research coach and consultant, and plays piano and sings in an acoustic band. She lives in Southern California and can be found online at CaitlinRother.com.

Editorial Reviews

PRAISE FOR CAITLIN ROTHER:

“Rother shows how a long-unknown victim of Wayne Adam Ford finally got her identity, providing satisfying closure on this disturbing case.” —Katherine Ramsland, author of Confession of a Serial Killer on Body Parts

"A close look at a killer...Lost Girls by veteran journalist and true-crime writer Caitlin Rother is a deeply reported, dispassionately written attempt to determine what created a monster and predator. It is a cautionary tale and a horror story, done superbly by a writer who knows how to burrow into a complex case without becoming captive to her sources." —The Los Angeles Times

“A frightening and fascinating glimpse into a killer's mind.” —Ron Franschell, New York Times bestselling author on Body Parts

"Caitlin Rother skillfully chronicles one of the most fascinating and controversial cases of the past decade. Big money, sex and a questionable death make for an addictive read." —Kathryn Casey, bestselling author of In Plain Sight on Death on Ocean Boulevard

"Was it suicide or was it murder? Investigative journalist extraordinaire Caitlin Rother masterfully examines the controversial death of Rebeca Zahau in Death on Ocean Boulevard. What truths does she uncover? Riveting!" —Dan Zupansky, host of the "True Murder" podcast on Death on Ocean Boulevard

"We've finally found the next Ann Rule! Caitlin Rother writes with heart and suspense. Dead Reckoning is a chilling read by a writer at the top of her game." —Gregg Olsen, author of A Twisted Faith

"A suspicious headline-making death proves to be only the beginning as Rother unlocks the door of this real-life mansion of horrors to reveal a shocking true story of money, power, duplicity and scandal." —Michael Fleeman, New York Times bestselling author on Death on Ocean Boulevard

"Using her innermost understanding of suicide, Caitlin Rother connects you with the heart-wrenching details of the Coronado Mansion Case. Prepare to be deeply immersed in this beautifully written, impeccably researched book right up to the gripping epilogue. The new facts never before exposed about this case will shock you! DEATH ON OCEAN BOULEVARD is a must-read for any true crime fan!" —Alan R. Warren, host of the "House of Mystery" podcast on Death on Ocean Boulevard

"A true crime triumph for Caitlin Rother... It's a grim and bloody tale, one that directs our attention to the often-shocking complexities of the human animal and the sordid depths to which he may descend. Rother, who was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize during her tenure at the U-T, tells it well, thereby solidifying her star status in the field of true crime." —The San Diego Union-Tribune on Dead Reckoning

"Riveting... a story that will haunt you... Rother presents a fascinating study of one woman's evil and greed—that ultimately leads to the murder of a kind-hearted millionaire. The compassion the author shows for the victim and the victim's family makes this book an emotional and gripping tale from beginning to end." —Aphrodite Jones, New York Times bestselling author, on Then No One Can Have H

From the Publisher