M. William Phelps - Bad Girls

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I WOULD LIKE to thank the usual suspects (you know who you are). It gets kind of redundant naming the same list of people at the end of every book. So I will just say here that my family and friends, colleagues, and those working for me are the foundation of what I do, and I could not continue my work without any one of them. When it comes to my readers, moreover, I am always at a loss for words when trying to address all of you and express my gratitude to your continued support. You are the most important part of my work.

I am also profoundly grateful to each one of my Dark Minds, Investigation Discovery viewers. Thank you for allowing me to do what I love.

I am honored and humbled by both my readers and viewers and their dedication and willingness to spend the time they do with me.

It feels weird for me to thank Bobbi Jo, and theres really no reason to. Moreover, she wouldnt want me to thank her. We had a love/hate relationship. Bobbi understands she has issues that need dealing with and she is working toward the goal of getting the help she needs. I greatly respect that. Sobriety is a wonderful thing, a gift. In 2013, I celebrate eighteen years of sobriety myself.

I do want to thank Kathy Jones, Tamey Hurley, and Audrey Sawyer for opening up to me. Tamey, especially, was brutally honest, as was Kathy Jones. Tamey shared many personal bits of her life, which I chose not to include in this book. Tamey is a tortured soul, like her daughter. They need time to reconcile. Time to love again. Im told they are beginning anew.

For Kathy and Audrey, I wish them the best. There is love in their hearts. Jennifer should have trusted Audrey more.

There was one person, Shaunt Weston, a friend of Bobbis, who initiated a dialogue with me. Miss Weston was very helpful. She believes in Bobbi. Thank you, Shaunt, for your help.

Brian Boetz was helpful in responding to my queries in a timely fashion and I thank him for that. Mike Burns, mostly, as well. Boetz and Burns were sincere in their responses to me. I appreciate that. Both believe in justice and that they did the right thing hereand who says they didnt.

I would not have heard of this story or written this book if it had not been for my good friend Chip Selby. A freelance television producer by day, Chip told me about this story, took some photos, and was a great source early on. I want to extend a big thanks to Chip for turning me on to this great true-crime tale. And perhaps, most important, M2 Pictures researcher Joanne Taylor, who originally found this story. This one hovered under everyones radar, but Joanne plucked it out. For that, I am thankful to her.

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to everyone at Investigation Discovery and Beyond Productions involved in making Dark Minds the best (nonfiction) crime show on television: Andrew Fazz Farrell, Alex Barry, Colette Coco Sandstedt, John Mavety, Peter Heap, Mark Middis, Toby Prior, Peter Coleman, Derek Ichilcik, Jared Jars Transfield, Jo Telfer, Claire Westerman, Milena Gozzo, Cameron Power, Katie Ryerson, Inneke Smit, Pele Hehea, Jeremy Peek, Jeremy Adair, Geri Berman, Nadine Terens, Samantha Hertz, Lale Teoman, Hayden Anderson, Savino (from Onyx Sound Lab in Manchester, CT), David OBrien, Ra-ey Saleh, Nathan Brand, Rebecca Clare, Anthony Toy, Mark Wheeler, Mandy Chapman, Jenny Oshea, Jen Longhurst, Anita Bezjak, Geoff Fitzpatrick, John Luscombe, Debbie Gottschalk, Eugenie Vink, Sucheta Sachdev, Sara Kozak, Kevin Bennett, Jane Latman, and Henry Schleiff.

As you can see, it takes an army to make a television show.

I also need to extend my deepest gratitude to the families of my Dark Minds road crew, as well as my own, for allowing us to take the time we need on the road to shoot Dark Minds . Its a lot of time away from home and I realize the sacrifice all of you make on my behalf, especially the children: India, Ivo and Apriland, of course, our spouses, Bates and Regina.

Cara at Inspirationsthanks.

Lastly, my publisher, Laurie Parkin, and the entire team at Kensington Publishing Corp., all of whom continue to believe in me and make great things possible. I want to extend a big, huge thanks to all of you. Likewise, I need to thank Kensington CEO Steve Zacharius, editorial director Audrey LeFehr, and Karen Auerbach, publicity director. My longtime editor, Michaela Hamilton, has been an instrumental part of my career for well over a decade now, and also a great friend. Weve done nearly twenty books together and Michaelas passion for what I do continues to grow with each book. I am indebted and thankful, not to mention amazed by, Michaelas desire to see me succeed. There is a ton of work that goes on behind the scenes of each book, and I want to point out to the Kensington team that I realize how hard you all work on my behalfand Im very grateful for that.

Also By M. William Phelps

Perfect Poison
Lethal Guardian
Every Move You Make
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
Murder in the Heartland
Because You Loved Me
If Looks Could Kill
Ill Be Watching You
Deadly Secrets
Cruel Death
Death Trap
Kill For Me
Failures of the Presidents (coauthor)
Nathan Hale: The Life and Death of Americas First Spy
The Devils Rooming House: The True Story of Americas
Deadliest Female Serial Killer
The Devils Right Hand: The Tragic Story
of the Colt Family Curse
Love Her to Death
Too Young to Kill
Never See Them Again
The Dead Soul: A Thriller (available as e-book only)
Murder, New England
Jane Doe No More
Kiss of the She-Devil

EPILOGUE

D URING JENS SENTENCING HEARING , she made an observation (which I covered in the narrative, but becomes a statement that deserves further scrutiny here): Well, first, we wouldwe would getwe would do drugs to get inside that state of mind. And then after that, we would just sit there and read each others minds. We would just talk to each other without saying a word, you know, verbally. And itsits kind of, like, you knowyou and someone say something at the same time. You know, yalls minds are thinking alike.

One has to wonder, was Jen under this Wiccan influence when she purportedly heard Bobbi tell her that Bob Dow needed to die in order for them to be together? Did she actually believe later, after becoming sober while in prison, that Bobbi could control her mind? Or was this just another lie in a long list to cover those of which she told all along?

At another point during court proceedings, Jen made this claim: I felt like I was afraid of losing her [Bobbi].

Thats an important piece of information in the scope of this case.

Jen was referring to how she felt near the time of the murder. Remember, Kathy caught Bobbi in bed with another chick shortly before and told Jen about it. Jen said she didnt believe it. And so here was Bobbianother lover whom Jen felt slipping away from her. We know how Jen felt about her past loves and losses because she wrote about it in her journal. We also know from that journal that Jen could not hold down relationships. Losing a lover was traumatic to Jenalways. Loss was something she began to comprehend and, truthfully, expect as far back as when Kathy started going to prison. Loss was something Jen sensed coming. But with Bobbi, Jen was obsessed. Theres clear evidence of that obsession. She had never been obsessed with a lover before this. And then later, talking about this moment in her life, Jen admitted what?

I felt like I was afraid of losing her.

To me, that statement was such a vital piece of this puzzle.