South Dakota's Mathis Murders: Horror in the Heartland

by Arcadia Publishing

Overview

South Dakota's Mathis Family Murders brought death and deception to the heartland.

It was perhaps the most infamous murder case in state history. Ladonna Mathis was shot twice in the head at point-blank range inside the family's metal shed serving as their makeshift home. Two of her three children, ages 2 and 4, were also shot in the head. The brutality of the killings shocked the state and set off a frenzy of law enforcement activity. Despite its intensity, the investigation never found the murderer or the murder weapon. Though charged with the crime, the husband was acquitted, leaving the door open for endless speculation about what really occurred on that late summer morning of Sept. 8, 1981.

With renewed insight from those involved, veteran South Dakota journalist Noel Hamiel explores this cold case of murder and mystery that still haunts the Mount Rushmore state.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467150750
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	04/25/2022
Series:	True Crime
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	522,637
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

South Dakota native Noel Hamiel is a career journalist who retired in 2007 and then spent five years traveling the state for the South Dakota Community Foundation helping communities establish their own philanthropic funds. His first book, Sketches of South Dakota, was published in 2001. A former state legislator, he was inducted into the South Dakota Newspaper Hall of Fame in 2012. He and his wife, Janet, live in Rapid City and have three grown daughters and ten grandchildren.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 9

Introduction 11

1 A Call for Help 15

2 Investigation 20

3 Indictment 28

4 Who Was John Mathis? 35

5 A Battle of Titans 40

6 Trial Begins 47

7 Prosecution Presses Ahead 55

8 A Matter of Motive 63

9 Portrait of a Good Woman 70

10 Mathis Defense Pushes Back 74

11 Courtroom Eloquence 82

12 Jury Deliberates 88

13 Not Guilty, but Not Free 94

14 Unresolved 99

15 Reflections 107

Interviews 117

Notes 119

Index 125

About the Author 128