Looking back at Gone in the Night
the true crime that's worth your time
[for Susan’s full review of this 1994 Edgar nominee, click here; to get this and eeeeevery other article complete in your inbox, grab a paid sub!]
Our next 1994 Edgar nominee is Gone in the Night: The Dowaliby Family’s Encounter with Murder and the Law by David Protess and Rob Warden. ["I would link to Exhibit B.'s copy of the book here, but it seldom stays in stock long...and unsurprisingly, the PB I did have sold just last night, possibly on the heels of the death of Shannen Doherty, who played Cynthia in the 1996 TV movie." - SDB]
The crime
On a September night in 1988, 7-year-old Jaclyn Dowaliby went missing from her suburban Chicago bedroom. Days later, her remains were discovered behind a nearby apartment complex.
Law enforcement immediately suspected involvement by Jaclyn’s parents (mom Cynthia and stepdad David) despite scant evidence, and centered their investigation only on the Dowalibys. Both parents were arrested and tried for Jaclyn’s kidnapping and murder, lost custody of their young son, and found themselves subject to a host of injustices by the state. To date, Jaclyn’s murder remains unsolved.