Writing True Crime: The Demon In Disguise

When my father and a friend were murdered execution-style and my mother kidnapped in a thwarted murder-suicide attempt in 2002, various media outlets provided their journalistic perspective to their respective audiences. I often participated, responding spontaneously to questions as they came. As time passed, however, with the help of therapy to cope with my PTSD, I realized the need to find my own voice. I had to come to grips with the worst thing I could ever imagine happening in my life in an expressive way that charted a healing path of self-discovery. Almost twenty years after the events, I wanted to reduce how I felt to words on paper.

I sat down each morning to write. It wasn’t easy. I cried often, sobbing uncontrollably, an unbearable experience that made things worse, sending me into darker, more painful places. It made me realize how much I was still grieving, despite the normal life I presumed I was living. I discovered that I had to engage in a more dramatic excursion, digging deeper into the crimes themselves. I had to know more, to know the truth, and record what I learned in a book.

I knew the writing process would enflame my PTSD and likely throttle my everyday family life. I knew too that taking a deep dive into the criminal justice system, unearthing the facts that lurked outside the reach of the public eye, would be daunting and difficult. It didn’t take me long to recognize that I could not write a book on my own. I needed to find the right ghostwriter to steward me on this journey. 

After a search, I came across Michael J. Coffino, who in addition to being a full-time author, ghostwriter, editor, and writing coach, was a trial attorney. After almost twenty years of enduring the criminal justice system, one thing was certain: I needed both an attorney and a professional writer. From the start, I knew Michael had the personal and professional qualities I needed, and we got to work. 

Michael walked me through his process of writing, which was far more logical than mine. I shared with him my initial attempts at writing, essentially pages of emotional vomit. We crafted public records requests to send to state and federal agencies and received voluminous investigative and court records.

We had weekly interviews, what were for me a series of therapeutic conversations, and for him a treasure trove of critical information. We explored my feelings in-depth. It was both refreshing and draining to have an experienced questioner probe deeply, not to trick me, but to honestly help me see into and past my pain and see from a safe distance the role the criminal justice system played in the ugliest parts of my life. Michael also conducted third party interviews, including of law enforcement, attorneys involved in the legal actions, and friends.

The process was at once exhilarating, exhausting, and upsetting. I spent countless hours reading investigative interviews of potential suspects, friends, family, and third parties, as well as court transcripts. I learned what the criminal justice system turned up over ten years. No attempt was made to spare me from my own emotions or hide the truth, other than Michael’s heartfelt recommendation that I not look at certain crime scene photos.

For the first time I felt allowed to cry, scream, yell, and act out like I wanted in the comfort of my own home, free from the judgment of others.

While I experienced a newfound form of therapy, Michael constructed the book. He sent me chapters one at a time for my review, comment, and edit, which I would return to him for further polishing. Once we had a routine, the process unfolded efficiently, producing a manuscript after only several months. 

My initial intent was not to create a book for general consumption. I wrote mainly to heal, a goal that entailed transparency and disclosure to my writer. I could not afford to squander more time pretending I was fine. I had to get to the root of the hurt. I had to rip off the bandages that for so long held me together. 

When it came time to decide whether to publish the book, I consulted people whose judgment I trusted, including professionals, family, and friends, and opted to proceed. The result is, The Demon in Disguise: Murder, Kidnapping, and the Banty Rooster. It is a narrative that encases the unique perspective of my pain and trauma though a personal lens peering into the criminal justice system. I am mindful others might have experienced the same events differently. What I published is my story alone.

I want others to know that the criminal justice system is not designed to accommodate the frailties of the victims of crime. We crime victims are, for the most part, institutional props with limited roles to play and sometimes, as in my case, shunted aside for perceived greater purposes. I want others also to know the value of the idiom “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” in seeing justice done. Be prepared to self-advocate. Your voice is essential. 

I hope my story provides aid, healing, and encouragement to those who endure experiences similar to mine. Don’t give up. Take the journey you know in your heart you should take. We are in this together. 

—

ASHLEY ELLIOTT was raised in Conway, Arkansas. A survivor and an advocate for victims, she devoted more than a decade to her quest for justice after her father’s murder and mother’s kidnapping. She holds a BS in Organizational Communication from the University of Utah, and is an avid hiker, athlete, bodybuilder who has competed in and won medals in various competitions. She lives in Utah with her husband and children. The Demon in Disguise is her first book.

Find out more about her on her website https://ashleyelliottauthor.com

Follow her on Twitter https://twitter.com/AshleyElliott55

THE DEMON IN DISGUISE,  MURDER, KIDNAPPING, AND THE BANTY ROOSTER, Ashely Elliott

In the late evening of May 18, 2002, prominent local businessman Carter Elliot and his young protégé become the first double-homicide victims in the history of Conway, Arkansas. The Conway PD, Arkansas State Police, and FBI combine to launch a painstaking investigation into what seems a meticulously planned mob-style execution. There are no eyewitnesses, recorded disturbances, fingerprints, or DNA.

After several weeks of investigation, and numerous theories, law enforcement has made no progress. They have no motive. No suspects. Then, one month after the murders, the estranged wife of Carter Elliott goes missing. Is there a connection?

The Demon in Disguise chronicles Ashley Elliot’s years-long, roller-coaster journey with the criminal justice system in pursuit of answers and justice for her parents.. When will it end, and what will it ultimately produce?

 

BUY HERE 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: How To and Tips