Body Parts by Caitlin Rother

 

 "The quality of mercy is not strained.  It droppeth like gentle rain from Heaven upon the place beneath.  It is twice blessed.  It blesses him that gives and him that takes." - from The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare and as quoted in closing arguments by defense attorney Joseph Canty

"The pain and the grief never go away." - Deputy District Attorney J. David Mazurek

I am a big fan of Caitlin Rother's books.  In my opinion, she writes true crime for the thinking person: a nonfiction narrative that doesn't exploit the crimes or the victims but tells their story in as a respectful way as possible.  Despite having lived in California, I was unfamiliar with Wayne Adam Ford and his crime spree there in 1996-1997.  Body Parts tells the story of the havoc he wreaked upon the state and, in particular, Humboldt, Kern, San Joaquin, and San Bernardino Counties.    

Ford's tale is a particularly gruesome one.  Unlike most serial killers, he turned himself in.  Also unlike most serial killers, he did so with a victim's body part in his pocket.  Understandably, in describing a case such as this, the details are disturbing.  Ms. Rother did an immense amount of research into Ford, his family, the victims and their families (as well as attending the trial) and it shows.  Every known bit of Ford's psyche is explored in an attempt to understand what drove him to do what he did and how and why his victims ended up in his path.  Ultimately, his crime spree is both horrifying and absorbing.  His actions were horrendous and he was driven by a compulsion to kill, yet he turned himself in, being on no law enforcement's radar.  

A good bulk of the book deals with Ford's trial, which is fascinating to those of us who are interested in the legal aspects.  Ms. Rother leaves no stone unturned, providing even background information on each attorney and prosecutor.  

One of things I most appreciate in each of Ms. Rother's books that I have read is her ability to remain unbiased and focused on telling the story - not opinions, not sensational aspects.  Body Parts could have been just another somewhat exploited entry in the true crime market but it's not.  Her recounting of these monstruous crimes is told with dignity toward the victims and with her evident skill as an investigative journalist and former reporter.  While you may be left with mixed feelings on Ford's claims of remorse and his tearful confessions, there is no question on the sadness and sympathy felt for the lives he touched and took.  I especially appreciated that Ms. Rother interviewed both Ford's father and brother and I thought their opinions and viewpoints helped to give a more thorough profile of Ford.  

Body Parts was originally published in 2009 and as of today (February 25, 2025), a new edition, with 32 additional pages of updates on the case, has been released.   The majority of the updates has to do with Ford's previously unidentified first victim, who was finally given her name in 2023 thanks to DNA and a forensic genealogical match.   I found a sense of closure with the updated section, not only to know who the first victim was and to know that her family could finally place her to rest, but also to feel as though I was right in the middle of the cold case investigation.  

If you are a true crime fan or someone who finds the human psyche and psychology interesting, Body Parts should tick all the boxes for you. It's an intense read, an excellently written journey into a serial killer's mind from the formation of evil through to its actions and Ms. Rother does justice to both the victims and the story.          

Disclosure:  This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.  I was neither paid nor compensated for this review.  The provision of the book had no outcome on my opinions in this review.

For more information on author Caitlin Rother, please visit her website.