The Lonely Grave: How a Homestead Murder in South Dakota Brought Closure 100 Years Later
A brutal murder.
A community shocked.
A suspect proclaiming his innocence.
To the homesteaders who settled this untamed land of Dakota Territory, what affected one of them, affected all of them. And the motive shook them to their core.
As the years slipped into decades and then into a new century, new questions arose, spurred by the unusual placement of a grave on the outskirts of a cemetery. Who was this woman and why was she buried so far away? So lonely.
My investigation opened the doors that led to the answers to multiple questions that family members and the community had been asking for years.
The Lonely Grave is the true story of an old murder that still makes people gasp and the continuing compassion of a community that never stopped caring.
The true crime book brings modern relevance to a murder from the pioneer days of South Dakota. The book also examines the psychological effects that the harsh conditions of homesteading had on the pioneers.
In addition to the compelling human story of the victim, the killer and the other homesteaders, the book also presents the courtroom drama from the small pioneer community's trial of the century. It provides a glimpse into century old legal and trial techniques and the startling cross examination of a star witness that affected the case for both the prosecution and defense.
Authors Note:
I covered many big city murder cases and trials in my career as a television reporter in Houston, Texas, but an old murder case in a tiny country cemetery is equally as compelling. And with more layers added by time.
I first heard about the case when I was young because my father grew up just a few miles from where the murder happened. (Albeit decades later.) I asked my dad about it a few years ago when he was well into his 90's. He didn't know much about the details, but the 90-year-old gentleman was able to guide me directly to where I needed to go to get the answers. (That's a story itself and, yes, it's included in a back chapter in the book.)
My investigation led to answers to questions that family members had been asking for years. I'm humbled and honored to bring closure for them.
All those years of covering crime and murder trials in Houston provided an excellent foundation for researching and writing this book. Some of the high-profile murder cases and trials I covered include the Andrea Yates multiple murder case, the Clara Harris murder case and the Railcar Killer serial murder case.
Sue Speck is also the author of another non-fiction book. The Power of the Bull: Inside the Head of Sculptor Wayne Porter is the story of Porter Sculpture Park.
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