The Lonely Hearts Killers

The shocking series of crimes committed by lovers Martha Beck and Raymond Fernandez dominated the front pages in 1949. Caught for the double homicide of a widow and her young daughter in Michigan, the first couple of crime became the focus of an intense debate over the death penalty and extradition. Their story climaxed in a sensational trial in New York City and concluded two years later inside Sing Sing's notorious "Death House." Pulp fiction era reporters, who followed every step taken by the accused slayers, christened Beck and Fernandez the "Lonely Hearts Killers"--a nickname that stuck and has since been used to describe an entire category of criminal behavior.
Despite the sensationalization of the killer couple's exploits, the story of the Michigan crime that ended their spree has until now remained largely untold. Drawing on rare archival material, this book presents, for the first time anywhere, a detailed account of this lost chapter in the saga of the "Lonely Hearts Killers." Both biography and analysis, this book also attempts to deconstruct the myths and misconceptions and to provide answers to a few unanswered questions about the case.

Table of Contents

Who's Who
Timeline
Preface
Introduction: The Busiest Post Office Box in Detroit
Part I. Michigan
1. Love Letters in the Dark
2. The Twisted Fairy Tale Honeymoon
3. The Lady Vanishes
4. Secrets in Cement
5. "Here's the Deal, Sweetheart"
6. The Golden Handcuff and the Hot Seat
7. More Secrets in Cement
8. Press Darlings
9. Only the Lonely Can Play
10. ­ Tug-of-War
11. Love Letters Behind Bars
12. Surprise
Part II. New York
13. Double Jeopardy
14. The Serial Husband: Fernandez on the Stand
15. People's Exhibit No. 99
16. A Good Offense Is the Best Defense
17. Beck Speaks, Again
18. Verdict
19. Prisoners #108594 and #108595
20. Folie a Deux
21. "Your favorite criminal" . . . Letters from the Death House
22. The Death House Secrets of Raymond Fernandez
23. The Last Mile
24. The Fates of the Major Figures in the Case
Part III. Secrets and Sins; Myths and Misconceptions
25. Trial Secrets: The Stories Behind the Stories
26. Myths, Misconceptions and Unanswered Questions
27. Born Again: Helmuth Schmidt and Raymond Fernandez
Appendix A: Excerpts from People's Exhibit 55
Appendix B: Excerpts from People's Exhibit 57
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index