Death Cruise

by Don Davis

Book Overview

For pretty Ohioan Joan Rogers and her two teenaged daughters, a Florida sunset cruise was a dream come true. And even though all three were desperately afaid of the water, they were so taken with... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312957866
• ISBN13: 9780312957865
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: St. Martin's True Crime
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.4" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

True crime story that provides great level of detail while remaining respectful of the victims

Don Davis takes us through a heinous crime committed in Florida in 1989 - the grisly rape and murder of 3 women: a mother and her two teenage daughters. Joan Rogers, Michelle Rogers, and Christe Rogers were vacationing in Florida, having traveled by car from their home state of Ohio. At some point the women accepted a boat ride from a stranger, and days later their bodies were discovered in the waters of Tampa Bay, half naked and weighted down by cement blocks tied around their necks. This is the harrowing true story of the investigation into their murders and the arrest and conviction of Oba Chandler for those murders. This case took years to solve and years to gain a conviction. Meanwhile Oba Chandler continued his life of crime - until brave neighbors came forward and insisted on being heard, bringing evidence to light that ultimately led to his arrest and conviction. The level of detail this true crime story dives into provides as accurate a picture as possible considering the circumstances (no eye witnesses, evidence lost to the waters of Tampa Bay, etc.). Ultimately the case for Chandler's guilt seems very strong, even if it was circumstantial, and the plight of the women in his path quite heartbreaking. Reading about all that befell the women, and other Chandler victims, was horrifying. The persistence of those who finally broke the case, both detectives and civilians, made all the difference and society owes them a debt - Chandler proved himself over and over to be uncaring about other humans, including his many wives/girlfriends and children. Such a terrible fate for the Rogers women, and just a small consolation that the man responsible was caught and paid his debt. My heart breaks for the family left behind. I appreciate the treatment that Davis gave this case, and the respect he had for the victims even as he had to reveal such personal details about their lives and the crime that took those lives.

Very Indepth True Crime Story

Putting aside the numerous grammatical errors and misspellings, this book was very well written and provide an indept look into the crimes committed against the Rogers' finally as they vacationed in Florida in an effort to escape horrible transgressions against them by an uncle and brother-in-law in Ohio. After reading this book, even the most liberal minded readers will remember just exactly why the death penalty is a form of punishment used in American justice. Oba Chandler is one of the most deserving criminal I have read about that deserves the death sentenced issued to him within 30 minutes by a Jury. A sad story of a horrific crime, but one that you just can't put down!

A Masterpiece In True Crime Reporting

From cover to cover this reporting of the murder of three female family members at the hands of a vicious cold-blooded murderer in Florida is engrossing. The author creates an extremely easily readable tale of the victims lives before their meeting with their killer, how the lives intersected with one another while on vacation in Florida and the aftermath of the murders on the victims/killers familys, law enforcement personnel and the State of Florida residents themselves. It is a sad, shocking story and one that is definatly worth reading. A Classic! A footnote: As of my writing of this review the killer still sits on death row in the state of Florida at the age of 59, eleven years after receiving his death sentence.

To think people like Oba Chandler actually walk the earth

is abhorrent to me. There really are no words to adequately frame my thoughts on this man.. if there is such a thing as pure evil, I guess we found it here. I simply cannot imagine what Hal Rogers must have endured following the loss of his entire family.. I hope and pray that since this horrendous event, he has managed to find some measure of peace. A book well worth reading, if only to make us all aware of the old adage "Don't go with strangers".

Horrific

What a horrible sad story...Like the other reader said in there review how do people like this walk our earth... He should be given the death penalty ASAP!..What was so sad is that this was there special vacation and too experience what they did and how this man murdered them is outrageous,I feel so sorry for Hal his entire family wiped out from under him from one sick sadistic crazy man's doing....The book is well written and doesnt drag on like some other books it tells the story and a sad one at that...This has to teach people that you can't trust anyone you don't know and you need to be cautious at all times especially if your not on familiar ground...Why on earth would these 3 women get on a strangers boat and go out to sea, what were they thinking...The looks of this loser in the pictures in the book you can tell he looked weird and yes sometimes we need to judge a book by its cover to protect ourselves...I would never ever have gotten on a strangers boat ...Anyway Hindsight is 20/20...This is a very sad story