Selected Bibliography
A Robbery Gone Wrong
Smith, Robert Barr. The Last Hurrah of the James-Younger Gang. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2001.
Stiles, T. J. Jesse James: Last Rebel of the Civil War. New York, Vintage Books, 2002.
Trenerry, Walter N. Murder in Minnesota: A Collection of True Cases. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1985.
The Murder of Kitty Ging
Brown, Curt. “Dastardly Minneapolis Murder-for-Hire Became Legendary.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). August 19, 2017.
Crowley, Caitlin. “Harry Hayward: A Murder that Shocked Minneapolis.” Hennepin History Museum (hennepinhistory.org). April 18, 2017.
Holm, John G. “Ghost of Harry Hayward Haunts Old City Jail?” Minneapolis Star Tribune (newspapers.com). December 30, 1906.
The Circus Lynchings
Bessler, John D. Legacy of Violence: Lynch Mobs and Executions in Minnesota. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2003.
Galioto, Kaite. “‘An Unbroken Line’: Gov. Tim Walz Connects Duluth Lynchings 100 Years Ago to George Floyd’s Death.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). June 15, 2020.
Lawler, Chrisa. “Duluth Remembers Black Circus Workers Killed in 1920 Lynching.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com) June 15, 2022.
When the Criminal Becomes the Victim
Maccabee, Paul. John Dillinger Slept Here: A Crooks’ Tour of Crime and Corruption in St. Paul, 1920–1936.
St. Paul: Minnesota State Historical Society Press, 1995.
Bonnie and Clyde Visit Okabena
Guinn, Jeff. Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2009.
Snatching Millionaires
Brown, Curt. “St. Paul Gangster’s Kidnapping Trial Came to Dramatic End.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). April 3, 2021.
“Hamm Kidnapper Ends His Life in Cell Two Hours After Getting 30-Year Sentence.” New York Times (timesmachine.nytimes.com) August 1, 1936, p. 30.
“Life Sentence Given to Karpis.” New York Times (timesmachine.nytimes.com). July 28, 1936, p. 11.
One Who Got Away
Gorn, Elliott J. Dillinger’s Wild Ride: The Year That Made America’s Public Enemy Number One. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.
Beating the Rap—As Usual
Mannix, Andy. “How Did Kid Cann Become Minneapolis’ Most Infamous Gangster?” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). September 22, 2023.
Roper, Eric. “Was Organized Crime Behind the Demise of the Twin Cities Streetcar System?” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). November 5, 2021.
Woodbury, Marda Liggett. Stopping the Presses: The Murder of Walter W. Liggett. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1998.
The Dentist Did It
Millett, Larry. Murder Has a Public Face: Crime and Punishment in the Speed Graphic Era. St. Paul: Borealis Books, 2008.
Millett, Larry. Strange Days, Dangerous Nights: Photos from the Speed Graphics Era. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2010.
This Gun for Hire
Duchschere, Kevin. “St. Paul Attorney T. Eugene Thompson, Convicted of Hiring Hit Man to Kill His Wife.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). September 2, 2015.
Swanson, William. Dial M: The Murder of Carol Thompson. St. Paul: Borealis Press, 2006.
One Mother’s Cruelty, Another’s Love
Siegel, Barry. A Death in White Bear Lake. New York: Ballantine Books, 1990.
Racial Tensions of the Times
Mannix, Andy. “Minnesota Will Close Stillwater Prison, State’s Second-largest Correctional Facility.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). May 15, 2025.
Marcos, Coral Murphy. “Minnesota Prison Resolves Dispute with 100 inmates Refusing to Return to Cells.”
The Guardian (theguardian.com). September 4, 2023.
“Minnesota Correctional Facility–Oak Park Heights.” Minnesota Department of Corrections (mn.gov/doc/facilities/oak-park-heights).
Sawyer, Liz. “Rolling Memorial 50 Years Later Remembers Slain St. Paul Officer.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). May 22, 2020.
Swanson, Stephen. “Stillwater Prison on Lockdown After Attack on 2 Corrections Officers.” WCCO News (cbsnews.com). May 27, 2024.
Paying a High Price
Hyatt, Kim. “Convicted 1970s Leftist Militant Sara Jane Olson Loses Appeal for Blocking I-94 in 2020 Protest.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). November 21, 2022.
A Murder in the Family
Ford, Alyssa. “My Weekend with Marjorie Congdon.” Artful Living (artfulliving.com). May 12, 2017.
Kimball, Joe. Secrets of the Congdon Mansion: The Unofficial Guide to Glensheen and the Congdon Murders. White Bear, MN: Jaykay Publishing, 2004.
Preston, Rohan. “History Theatre’s Murder Musical ‘Glensheen’ Keeps Fans Coming Again and Again.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). June 18, 2024.
Cold Case Closed
Baran, Madeleine, and Jennifer Vogel. “Joseph Ture, Jr.” APM Reports (apmreports.org). October 11, 2016.
In the Dark. “This Quiet Place.” APM Reports (apmreports.org). October 11, 2016.
“Minnesota Serial Killers: Part 2 – Joseph Donald Ture, Jr.” Brandt Kettwick Defense (bkdefense.com).
State v. Ture, 353 N.W.2d 502 (1984). Supreme Court of Minnesota, June 29, 1984. Justia U.S. Law (law.justia.com).
State v. Ture, C8-00-798. Supreme Court of Minnesota, August 16, 2001. Findlaw (caselaw.findlaw.com/court).
Taurinskas, Trisha. “A Minnesota Serial Killer is Behind Bars for 6 Murders. Investigators Think There Could Be More.” St. Cloud Live (stcloudlive.com). October 4, 2024.
The Weepy-Voiced Killer Confesses
“Minnesota Serial Killers, Part 1 – Paul Michael Stephani.” Brandt Kettwick Defense (bkdefense.com).
“Paul Michael Stephani.” Find a Grave (findagrave.com).
Brown Curt. “Killer ‘Snapped’ and 3 Women Died.” Minneapolis Star Tribune (startribune.com). December 20, 1997, p. 1.
Taurinskas, Trisha. “The ‘Weepy-Voiced Killer’ Terrorized Minnesota in the 1980s, Until One Woman Took Him Down.” St. Cloud Live (stcloudlive.com). July 13, 2023.
Murder on the Farm
Amato, Joseph. When Father and Son Conspire: A Minnesota Farm Murder. Ames: Iowa State University Press, 1988.
A Mystery Solved
“Appeals Court Upholds Dismissal of Dan Rassier’s Lawsuit Against Jacob Wetterling Investigators.” WCCO News (cbsnews.com). May 3, 2021.
A Serial Killer Thwarted
“AIDS Virus Carrier Admits He Shot to Death 2 Gays.” Los Angeles Times (latimes.com). October 2, 1992.
Birkey, Andy. “Turning Anti-gay Hate into Love with a Loring Park Memorial to Joel Larson.” Twin Cities Daily Planet (tcdailyplanet.net/turning-anti-gay-hate-love-loring-park-memorial-joel-larson). June 17, 2014.
Brown, Curt. “Minneapolis Murders in 1990s Targeted Gays.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). July 14, 2019.
Dong, Arthur. “Licensed to Kill—Murderer’s Profiles.” Deep Focus Productions (deepfocusproductions.com).
Knopp, Larry, ed. Queer Twin Cities. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2010.
The Angry Heir
Rubenstein, Bruce. Greed, Rage, And Love Gone Wrong: Murder in Minnesota. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2004.
A Cold Case of Murder
Raguse, Lou, and Steve Eckert. “Details Revealed in Dunlap Murder Mystery.” KARE11 (kare11.com). February 13, 2020.
Black Cloud Over Red Lake
Chapman, Reg. “20 Years After Minnesota’s Deadliest School Shooting, Survivors Seek to Keep Victims’ Memories Alive.” WCCO News (cbsnews.com). March 21, 2025.
Cox, John Woodrow, Steven Rich, Lucas Trevor, John Muyskens, and Monica Ulmanu. “More Than 394,000 Students Have Experienced Gun Violence at School Since Columbine.” Washington Post (washingtonpost.com). March 28, 2025.
Davey, Monica, and Jodi Wilgoren. “Signs of Danger Were Missed in a Troubled Teenager’s Life.” New York Times (nytimes.com). March 24, 2005.
Enger, John. “Feeling Scars at Red Lake, 10 Years Later.” Minnesota Public Radio (mprnews.org). March 18, 2015.
———. “The Shooting at Red Lake: What Happened.” Minnesota Public Radio (mprnews.org). March 18, 2015.
“Sentencing in Minnesota School Shooting Case.” Associated Press (apnews.com). January 14, 2006.
Vigdor, Neil. “Death Toll in 1999 Columbine School Shooting Climbs to 14 With Homicide Ruling.” New York Times (nytimes.com). March 13, 2025.
Terrorism in Africa: The Minnesota Connection
Almond, Kyle. “Somalis Finding Their Place in Minnesota.” CNN (cnn.com). February 2017.
Browning, Dan. “Terrorism Conviction Upheld for Ex-janitor at Minneapolis Mosque.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). May 27, 2015.
“Building Community Resilience A Minneapolis-St. Paul Pilot Program.” Department of Homeland Security (dhs.gov). February 2015.
Connor, Phillip, and Jens Manuel Krogstad. “5 Facts About the Global Somali Diaspora.” Pew Research (pewresearch.org). June 1, 2016.
Elliott, Andrea. “Charges Detail Road to Terror for 20 in U.S.” New York Times (nytimes.com). November 23, 2009.
“Federal Jury Convicts Minneapolis Man of Supporting Foreign Terrorists.” U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota (fbi.gov). October 18, 2012.
“Four More Men Sentenced for Providing Material Support to Terrorists.” U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota (justice.gov). May 14, 2013.
Yuen, Laura. “Mahamud Said Omar Guilty in First Trial of Sweeping Federal Investigation.” Minnesota Public Radio (mprnews.org). October 18, 2012.
Self-Defense or Cold-Blooded Killings?
“Byron Smith, Serving Life for Murdering Teens in Little Falls, Denied Appeal from SCOTUS.” WCCO News (cbsnews.com). March 22, 2021.
Hunter, Brockton D. “The Castle Doctrine in Minnesota.” The Law Offices of Brockton D. Hunter P.A. (brockhunterlaw.com). November 17, 2020.
Louwagie, Pam. “First-degree Murder Charges Stand in Little Falls Case.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). November 25, 2013.
Meryhew, Richard. “Little Falls Man Indicted on First-degree Murder in Teens’ Deaths.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). April 25, 2013.
———. “Weeks After Shootings, Little Falls Divided by Tragedy.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com).
April 25, 2013.
Miller, Jax. “Minnesota Man Fatally Shoots Teen Cousins Who Broke into His Home, Curses at One After Killing Her.” Oxygen True Crimes (oxygen.com). November 21, 2024.
Powell, Joy. “Question Haunts Little Falls: What Led Shooter to Kill?” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). April 25, 2013.
“Self-Defense and ‘Stand Your Ground.’” National Conference of State Legislatures (ncsl.org). March 1, 2023.
Smith, Kelly. “Attorneys for Byron Smith Appeal Conviction, Say Trial Riddled with Errors.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). September 3, 2015.
Murder on a Minneapolis Sidewalk
Boone, Anna, Matt DeLong, and Matt McKinney. “Breaking Down the Video: What Happened During Daunte Wright’s Fatal Traffic Stop.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). April 15, 2021.
“Cardiopulmonary Arrest Complicating Law Enforcement Subdual, Restraint, and Neck Compression.” Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office Autopsy Report (hennepin.us). June 1, 2020.
Fischer, Samantha. “3 Years Later: Where Are the Ex-MPD Officers Convicted in George Floyd’s 2020 Murder?” KARE11 (kare11.com). August 7, 2023.
“Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison for Depriving George Floyd and a Minor Victim of their Constitutional Rights.” U.S. Department of Justice (justice.gov).
July 7, 2022.
Jimenez, Omar, and Eric Levenson. “Former Minneapolis Police Officer Mohamed Noor Released from Custody After Over 3 Years Behind Bars.” CNN (cnn.com). June 27, 2022.
Levenson, Eric, and Aaron Cooper. “Firefighter, 9-Year-Old and Teens Give Powerful Testimony in Derek Chauvin Trial.” CNN (cnn.com). March 30, 2021.
Levenson, Eric. “Here’s What Happened to George Floyd from Every Perspective and Angle.” CNN (cnn.com). April 5, 2021.
Mannix, Andy, and Jeff Day. “‘It Behooves Us to Be Prepared’: Walz, Other Minnesota Agencies Weigh in on Rumors Trump Will Pardon Derek Chauvin.” The Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). May 14, 2025.
Mayorquin, Orlando. “Inmate Stabbed Derek Chauvin 22 Times, U.S. Says.” New York Times (nytimes.com). December 1, 2023.
Olson, Rochelle. “Legal Community Sees Both Unequal Treatment and Mercy in Kimberly Potter’s Sentence.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). February 18, 2022.
“Protests Across the Globe After George Floyd’s Death.” CNN World (cnn.com). June 13, 2020.
Sidner, Sara. “Inside Cup Foods, Where It Seems George Floyd Never Left.” CNN (cnn.com). April 10, 2021.
“Timeline of Events Since George Floyd’s Arrest and Murder.” Associated Press (apnews.com). January 20, 2022.
Walsh, Paul. “Kim Potter Released from Prison Before Dawn as Safety Measure, 2 Years After Killing Daunte Wright.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). April 24, 2023.
“Witness: Chauvin Appeared to Kneel Harder on Floyd’s Neck as Crowd Pleaded with Him to Get Off,” CNN (cnn.com). March 30, 2021.
United States of America v. Derek Michael Chauvin. “Plea Agreement and Sentencing Stipulations.” U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota (justice.gov). December 15, 2021.
Winter, Deena. “Frey Vetoes Council Plan to Study Pedestrian Mall at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis.”
The Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). February 20, 2025.
Xiong, Chao, and Rochelle Olson. “Judge Resentences Ex-officer Mohamed Noor to Almost 5 Years on Manslaughter Count.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). October 21, 2021.
Unrest and Arson after the Murder of George Floyd
“Plans and Timeline.” Minneapolis Democracy Center, City of Minneapolis (minneapolismn.gov).
Caputo, Angela, Will Craft, and Curtis Gilbert. “‘The Precinct Is on Fire’: What Happened at Minneapolis’ 3rd Precinct—and What It Means.” Minnesota Public Radio (mprnews.org). June 30, 2020.
Eischens, Rilyn. “One Year Later, Few Charges for the Arson and Destruction.” Minnesota Reformer (minnesotareformer.com). May 27, 2021.
Mannix, Andy. “Brainerd Man Pleads Guilty to Helping Light Third Precinct Fire.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). December 15, 2020.
———. “How Will Third Precinct Arsonists Pay $12 million Restitution? They Probably Won’t.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). June 19, 2021.
———. “Last of Four Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Torching Third Precinct.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). June 7, 2021.
———. “St. Paul Man Sentenced to Prison and $12 million Restitution for Arson of Minneapolis' Third Precinct.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). May 6, 2021.
Montemayor, Stephen. “Federal Grand Jury Indicts Four Minnesota Men on Arson Charges for Third Precinct Fire.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). August 25, 2020.
———. “Feds Charge 23-year-old Brainerd-area Man with Helping to Burn Down Minneapolis Third Precinct Building.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). June 17, 2020.
“Brainerd Man Sentenced to Prison, $12 Million In Restitution for Minneapolis Police Third Precinct Arson.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota (justice.gov). April 28, 2021.
A Murder, But No Jail
Blume, Paul, and Katie Wermus. “Shakopee Decapitation Killer Deemed Not Guilty, Mentally Ill.” Fox 9 News (fox9.com). July 18, 2023. Available online at news/shakopee-decapitation-killer-deemed-not-guilty-mentally-ill.
Shaw, Adam. “Minnesota Man Charged with Beheading Girlfriend Is Illegal Immigrant from Cuba.” Fox News (foxnews.com). August 5, 2021.
Walsh, Paul. “Judge Who Convicted Man of Beheading in Shakopee Now Rules Him Not Guilty, Citing Mental Illness.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). July 18, 2023.
Xiong, Chao, and Paul Walsh. “Man Charged in Gruesome Killing of Woman at Shakopee Intersection in Front of Onlookers.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). July 30, 2021.
First Responders Face Awful Ambush
“BCA Shares New Details in Burnsville Incident.” Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (dps.mn.gov). February 22, 2024.
Walsh, Paul. “BCA Says Shannon Gooden Used Multiple Guns to Kill 2 Burnsville Police Officers and a Paramedic.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). February 21, 2024.
Jackson, Kyeland. “Girlfriend Pleads Guilty to Buying Guns Man Used to Kill 3 Burnsville First Responders.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). January 14, 2025.
Walsh, Paul, and Liz Sawyer. “Formal Review Zeroes in on Moments Before Burnsville Gunfight That Killed 2 Officers, EMT.” Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). July 3, 2024.
The 20th Terrorist
Rosenberg, Carol. “‘20th Hijacker’ Is Denied Transfer from Federal Supermax to French Prison.” New York Times (nytimes.com). July 31, 2024.
The Slipper Mystery
Farberov, Snejana. “Dying Mobster Who Confessed to Stealing Wizard of Oz Ruby Slippers Learns His Fate.” New York Post (nypost.com). January 29, 2024.
Karnowski, Steve. “Prosecutors Say Minnesota Man Accused of Hiding Stolen Ruby Slippers from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Is Dead.” Associated Press (apnews.com) March 17, 2025.
———, and Hannah Fingerhut. “Stolen Ruby Slippers Worn by Judy Garland in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Are Auctioned for $28 million.” Associated Press (apnews.com). December 8, 2024.
Sepic, Matt. “Second Man Indicted in ‘Oz’ Ruby Slipper Theft.” Minnesota Public Radio (mprnews.org). March 17, 2024.
Stealing Big Bucks
“Federal Judge Closes Receivership in Petters Ponzi Scheme Case; More Than $722 Million Distributed to Victim Investors.” United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota (justice.gov). July 30, 2021.
Miscellaneous
Mayo, Mike. American Murder: Criminals, Crimes and the Media. Canton, MI: Visible Ink Press, 2008.
Norman, Michael. The Nearly Departed. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society, 2009.
St. Paul: Minnesota State Historical Society Press, 1995.
The Guardian (theguardian.com). September 4, 2023.
April 25, 2013.
July 7, 2022.
The Minnesota Star Tribune (startribune.com). February 20, 2025.
U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota (justice.gov). April 28, 2021.