Love Her To Death
Authors: M. William Phelps
Dear Reader,
Congratulations on picking up the latest real-life thriller by acclaimed investigative journalist M. William Phelps. You are about to experience a gripping and provocative true story that illuminates the best—and the worst—of human nature in a drama of powerful passions, coldblooded murder, and ultimate justice.
Fans of M. William Phelps will recognize his uniquely compelling storytelling skills. Those new to his masterful narrative style will be happy to add him to their lists of favorite authors. And I think readers everywhere will be riveted, as I was, upon seeing this shocking story unfold.
Deep in the heart of Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Michael Roseboro and his wife seemed to have it all—a beautiful family, a stunning home, and plenty of money. But Jan’s murder led to an investigation that exposed the festering lies at the heart of their lives together. A secret life, a mistress, and a cunning plot are just some of the elements in this headline-making case. Now M. William Phelps takes you to the heart of the story for the first time.
If you enjoy reading LOVE HER TO DEATH, we’d love to hear from you at
[email protected].
Don’t miss M. William Phelps’s other acclaimed true-crime thrillers, available from Pinnacle!
Happy reading,
Michaela Hamilton
Executive Editor, Pinnacle True Crime
LOVE
HER
TO
DEATH
M. WILLIAM
PHELPS
All copyrighted material within is
Attributor Protected.
Some names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals connected to this story.
PINNACLE BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2011 by M. William Phelps
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the Publisher and neither the Author nor the Publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
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Pinnacle and the P logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
eISBN-13: 978-0-7860-2788-0
eISBN-10: 0-7860-2788-6
First printing: March 2011
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America
Contents
Highest Praise for M. William Phelps
Book One
The Undertaker and The Po-Po
Book Two
The Mistress and the Mortician
July 14, 2008: Eight days before Jan Roseboro’s murder
July 15, 2008: Seven days before Jan Roseboro’s murder
July 17, 2008: Five days before Jan Roseboro’s murder
July 21, 2008: Twenty-seven hours before Jan Roseboro’s murder
July 22, 2008: The morning before Jan Roseboro’s murder
July 22, 2008: The afternoon before Jan Roseboro’s murder
July 22, 2008: The evening of Jan Roseboro’s murder
July 22, 2008: The night Jan Roseboro was murdered
Book Four
Where I’m Calling From
Book Five
Angie and the Rock Star
Highest Praise for M. William Phelps
Kill for Me
“Phelps gets into the blood and guts of the story.”
—Gregg Olsen
Death Trap
“A chilling tale of a sociopathic wife and mother willing to sacrifice all those around her to satisfy her boundless narcissism … Fair warning: for three days I did little else but read this book.”
—Harry N. MacLean
I’ll Be Watching You
“Skillfully balances a victim’s story against that of an arrogant killer as it reveals a deviant mind intent on topping the world’s most dangerous criminals. Phelps has an unrelenting sense for detail that affirms his place as one of our most engaging crime journalists.”
—Katherine Ramsland
If Looks Could Kill
“M. William Phelps, one of America’s finest true-crime writers, has written a compelling and gripping book about an intriguing Ohio murder mystery ultimately resolved by circumstantial evidence. Readers of this genre will thoroughly enjoy this book.”
—Vincent Bugliosi
“Starts quickly and doesn’t slow down…. Phelps consistently ratchets up the dramatic tension. His thorough research and interviews give the book a sense of growing complexity, richness of character, and urgency…. A great true-crime story.”
—Stephen Singular
“Phelps’s sharp attention to detail culminates in this meticulous re-creation of a tragic crime. This gripping true story reads like a well-plotted crime novel and proves that truth is not only stranger, but more shocking, than fiction. Riveting.”
—Allison Brennan
Murder in the Heartland
“Drawing on interviews with law officers and relatives, the author has done significant research and—demonstrating how modern forensics and the Internet played critical, even unexpected roles in the investigation—his facile writing pulls the reader along.”
—St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“Phelps expertly reminds us that when the darkest form of evil invades the quiet and safe outposts of rural America, the tragedy is greatly magnified. Get ready for some sleepless nights.”
—Carlton Stowers
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
“An exceptional book by an exceptional true-crime writer. Phelps exposes long-hidden secrets and reveals disquieting truths.”
—Kathryn Casey
Every Move You Make
“An insightful and fast-paced examination of the inner workings of a good cop and his bad informant, culminating in an unforgettable truth-is-stranger-than-fiction climax.”
—Michael M. Baden, M.D.
“M. William Phelps is the rising star of the nonfiction crime genre, and his true tales of murderers and mayhem are scary-as-hell thrill rides into the dark heart of the inhuman condition.”
—Douglas Clegg
Lethal Guardian
“An intense roller coaster of a crime story … complex, with a plethora of twists and turns worthy of any great detective mystery, and yet so well-laid out, so crisply written with such detail to character and place that it reads more like a novel than your standard nonfiction crime book.”
—Steve Jackson
Perfect Poison
“True crime at its best—compelling, gripping, an edge-of-the-seat thriller. Phelps packs wallops of delight with his skillful ability to narrate a suspenseful story and his encyclopedic knowledge of police procedures.”
—Harvey Rachlin
“A compelling account of terror … the author dedicates himself to unmasking the psychopath with facts, insight and the other proven methods of journalistic legwork.”
—Lowell Cauffiel
Also By M. William Phelps
Perfect Poison
Lethal Guardian
Every Move You Make
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
Murder in the Heartland
Because You Loved Me
If Looks Could Kill
I’ll Be Watching You
Deadly Secrets
Cruel Death
Death Trap
Kill for Me
Failures of the Presidents
(coauthor)
Nathan Hale: The Life and Death of America’s First Spy
The Devil’s Rooming House: The True Story of America’s Deadliest Female Serial Killer
This book is dedicated to all victims of crime.
A
UTHOR’S
N
OTE
I conducted what are referred to as “deep background” interviews with many of the key players involved in this true story. Somewhere near two hundred interviews in all. Along with e-mail messages, memorandums, telephone records, letters, affidavits, suspect and witness interviews, trial testimony, and various other forms of documentation, I was able to create scenes that reflect the views of my most cooperative, trustworthy, and vociferous sources.
I interviewed lots of sources who knew Michael Roseboro, Jan Roseboro, Angie Funk, and their families, many of whom would like to remain anonymous—along with scores of others connected to these people by various degrees of separation. In the end, those I expected to talk, talked; and those I suspected wouldn’t talk, didn’t talk. This happens with each book I write.