Reasonable Doubt: A True Story of Lust and Murder in the American Heartland

Reasonable Doubt: A True Story of Lust and Murder in the American Heartland by Vogel, Steve. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780809243211.

A mother and her three young children are found hacked to death in their beds. The apparent weapons, an ax and butcher knife, are found nearby. A month later the husband and father, who was away on a business trip when the bodies were found, is accused of thekillings. Police believe he methodically murdered his wife and children before he left. But why? A successful businessman and devoted memberof a fundamentalist religious group, David Hendricks has the totalsupport of his extended family. Police paint a darker picture, andprosecutors face the daunting task of convicting him on a case based oncompletely circumstantial evidence. A New York Timesbest-seller, this book has now been updated with additional content andphotos. Readers often comment they must continually remind themselvesthat this story is real, that Reasonable Doubt is testament tothe fact truth is stranger than fiction. The book has also been used in college-level criminal justice courses to explain and illustrate thelegal concept of reasonable doubt.