ANGELS OF DEATH A True Story of Murder and Innocence Lost

Paperback. Baby-faced victims, innocent pawns, or cold-blooded killers? The accused : 13yr old Derek King and his 12yr old brother, Alex, Sunday school students with choirboy looks. After midnight on November 26, 2001, someone bludgeoned Terry King to death while he slept, and set his Florida home on fire. By the time the firefighters extinguished the blaze, King's sons, Alex and Derek, were at the home of their 40yr old friend, Ricky Chavis, a convicted child-molester. By the next afternoon, following confessions, both boys were charged as adults in their father's slaying. Chavis was tried separately for the same crime - incredibly by the same attorney who would prosecute Alex and Derek, and argue two contradictory theories. The Victim: their own father. When Alex claimed a sexual relationship with Chavis, the trial took a sensation turn. So did Alex and Derek, who recanted their confession and blamed Chavis to no avail. A jury convicted the boys of second-degree murder, but the judge threw the verdict out. Chavis was acquitted. But the case wasn't over. More disturbing revelations came to light, criminal motives became more complex, and as the line between guilt and innocence was crossed, a stunned nation watched in disbelief to learn the ultimate fate of the 'Angels of Death'. Illus. with 8pp. of photographs. 242pp. mass market p/back. From the library of true crime writer, Wilfred Gregg, with his personal b/plate. F. with nbo creasing to covers.