Sequel book covers macabre history
By ROGER ADKINS, radkins@newsandsentinel.comPARKERSBURG - Local author Dave Morehead continues to document the macabre side of the Mid-Ohio Valley and surrounding areas in a sequel to his popular book, "Death is No Stranger."
The new installment, "Death is No Stranger: The Sequel," documents six grisly cases spanning several decades of area history. Whether writing about a serial killer who seduced and murdered multiple victims in the 1930s or a disturbed college student in the 1990s with a lethal obsession for his closest friend, Morehead digs into the details of the cases.
Morehead said he wrote the sequel, in part, because the first book was widely popular, selling out in both the hardcover and paperback printings. But that wasn't the only reason. The simple truth is that there were more stories to tell, he said.
"I wrote the sequel because the first one did tremendously well. It was printed in both hardcover and paperback and both printings sold out," he said. "People wanted more. They couldn't get enough."
When they were making the news, the cases captured headlines and the attention of the public. Through his research of public records, newspaper articles and other documents, as well as interviews with the key players, Morehead explored the stories behind the stories.
One of those stories involved a man who became known as "The Bluebeard of Quiet Dell." Morehead writes about the case of Harry Powers, who killed five people and buried them in a ditch behind his garage in the 1930s. Morehead details how Powers began corresponding by mail with two women, convincing them he was an eligible bachelor who would care for them. Eventually he kidnapped the two women, as well as the three children of one of the women, and held them in cells in the basement of his garage before brutally slaying them.
"With one, he spent eight hours before death came to his victim," Morehead writes.
Morehead details the investigation, arrest, interrogation and trial of Powers, including how police beat Powers during interrogation and how the killer maintained an icy demeanor in the courtroom. Powers was eventually hanged.
"Thus was the life and story of Harry F. Powers brought to an end, being looked upon as the most hideous crime ever committed in Harrison County," Morehead writes.
The details of the cases take center stage and every story includes photographs.
In the book, Morehead also writes about the case of Jack Stephen Hart, who was convicted of killing two men, burying one in the woods and throwing the other down a well on property owned by his family in Pleasants County. After being convicted and imprisoned, Hart also was involved in an escape that resulted in the death of a West Virginia State Police trooper. Morehead said the story is one of the most well-known cases in the Mid-Ohio Valley, encompassing an extensive crime spree that involved theft and murder.
Other stories in the book include a mother who "brought home her son, a serial killer, so she could lay beside him in death," and the true story of a beat cop's fight for his life on the streets of Parkersburg while facing down enemies within his own department.
Morehead also writes about the murder of Sharee Petry, a college student who was killed by her obsessed best friend, Dennis Rydbom, and left in a storm drain in Marietta.
In addition to his crime writing, Morehead worked at DuPont for more than 35 years and created his own consulting company. He has taught at the college level and authored other books, including "A Place Grown Quiet: 300 Years of West Virginia History."
Morehead's book will be available at Trans Allegheny Bookstore in Parkersburg.
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KevinK
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09-22-09 7:24 AM
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I've read the book twice, and I am VERY interested in the second one. Will have to buy it shortly. Today is actually the day Mary Sam's was found dead in 1945. Her original house is still standing on the South Side property as well. I am not so sure how the mother couldn't identify the men that stopped and asked for Mary that evening from standing on the porch and looking out. My father worked for the Phone company at the time of the Dry Run Road decapitation. The day he was found the police came to my parents house because my dad had been to the residence the evening before the murder. He was not allowed to go into the basement for obvious reasons now (Had drugs etc in it) and thought the people in the house acted strangely. I also know someone that used to be acquaintances of Charles March, the victim. Claims he was a braggart and all out obnoxious person that constantly made claims to his drug ties and mob ties and often threatened people. You live by the sword, you die by the swor
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JCB1964
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05-23-09 6:52 PM
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I have "Death is no Stranger", signed by David Morehead. GREAT BOOK!! I work with a guy who was a mgr. at the BBF. The Wickline murder was freaky. Dennis Rydbom is a punk, or is someone's punk, at Mt. Olive.
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Donahue
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05-23-09 4:26 PM
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I have the first book which I bought directly from Mr. Morehead and finished it in two days. I found out about it on the web and called him directly. The reason being was that I worked at the BBF and Gary was a friend of mine. I was working that night and left around 11:00 to go home since I was still in high school in Belpre. It was a real shock the next morning to hear what had happened. He was a great guy and his father taught morse code to the boy scouts. I am looking forward to reading the new book to see if there are any updates on Gary's death. Ron
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Catman57
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05-23-09 11:35 AM
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Mr. Morehead's first book was absolutely FASCINATING, and my main regret is that I ended up giving it away for a raffle at work! The story of the late 1960's arson/murder of the Adkins(?) family is well documented, as is every other true story in the book, including what became known as "the BBF murder." The case of Harry Powers in this second book, by the way, was the basis for the novel by WV novelist Davis Grubb, "The Night of the Hunter," which was made into a major motion picture in 1955 starring Robert Mitchum (as Harry "Powell"), Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish and Peter Graves, and directed by Charles Laughton (his ONLY film as director). Parkersburg is mentioned TWICE in the film, by Mitchum and Ms. Gish!! I'm looking forward to purchasing this second book by Mr. Morehead!! This time I'll KEEP it!
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