No Regrets

“[Rule] conveys the emotional truth of the Green River case.”

—Los Angeles Times

“Riveting. . . . Rule infuses her case study with a personally felt sense of urgency.”

—People

“Perhaps Rule’s finest work . . . holds the reader in a firm grip.”

—Statesman Journal
(Salem, OR)

“Rule gives full, heartbreaking emotional weight to what America’s most notorious serial killer truly wrought. A must for the author’s legions of fans.”

—Booklist

“A convincing portrait of a meticulous criminal mind.”

—The Washington Post

“Rule knows a good drama when she finds one....A real-life soap opera.”

—Publishers Weekly

“Fascinating and strange.... The sheer weight of [Ann Rule’s] investigative technique places her at the forefront of true-crime writers.”
—Booklist

“Affecting, tense, and smart true-crime....A case study of the classic American con man crossed with the more exotic strains of the sociopath.”

—Washington Post Book World

“Ann Rule has outdone herself.”

—The Orlando Sentinel
(FL)

“Absolutely riveting.... Rule excels at painting psychologically perceptive portraits.”

—Booklist

“Truly creepy....This portrait of an evil prince needs no embellishment.”

—People

“[Rule] might have created her masterpiece.”

—The Plain Dealer
(Cleveland)

“Even crime buffs who followed the case closely [will] gain new insights.”

—The Orlando Sentinel
(FL)

“[Rule] tell[s] the sad story with authority, flair, and pace.”

—The Washington Post

“A must-read story of the ’90s American dream turned, tragically, to self-absorbed ashes.”

—People

“Impossible to put down....A tour de force.”

—Kirkus Reviews

And Other True Cases
Ann Rule’s Crime Files: Vol. 10

“Chilling cases.... A frightening, fascinating rogue’s gallery of mercenary murderers.”

—Mystery Guild

And Other True Cases
Ann Rule’s Crime Files: Vol. 9

“A haunting collection...about love and obsession turned deadly. . . . As compelling as a good novel.”

—Publishers Weekly

And Other True Cases
Ann Rule’s Crime Files: Vol. 8

“Spine-tingling.... Rule’s portrait of Dr. Anthony Pignataro, a diabolical cosmetic surgeon, could win a place in any insomniac’s heart.”

—Barnesandnoble.com

And Other True Cases
Ann Rule’s Crime Files: Vol. 7

“Fascinating, unsettling tales....Among the very small group of top-notch true-crime writers, Rule just may be the best of the bunch.”

—Booklist

Books by Ann Rule

Green River, Running Red

Heart Full of Lies

Every Breath You Take

...And Never Let Her Go

Bitter Harvest

Dead by Sunset

Everything She Ever Wanted

If You Really Loved Me

The Stranger Beside Me

Possession

Small Sacrifices

Ann Rule’s Crime Files:

Vol. 11: No Regrets and Other True Cases

Vol. 10: Worth More Dead and Other True Cases

Vol. 9: Kiss Me, Kill Me and Other True Cases

Vol. 8: Last Dance, Last Chance and Other True Cases

Vol. 7: Empty Promises and Other True Cases

Vol. 6: A Rage to Kill and Other True Cases

Vol. 5: The End of the Dream and Other True Cases

Vol. 4: In the Name of Love and Other True Cases

Vol. 3: A Fever in the Heart and Other True Cases

Vol. 2: You Belong to Me and Other True Cases

Vol. 1: A Rose for Her Grave and Other True Cases

Without Pity: Ann Rule’s Most Dangerous Killers

The I-5 Killer

The Want-Ad Killer

Lust Killer

An
Original
Publication of POCKET BOOKS

A Pocket Star Book published by POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020 www.SimonandSchuster.com

Copyright © 2006 by Ann Rule

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Pocket Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

ISBN: 1-4165-3127-0
ISBN: 9780-7-4344-875-8
eISBN: 978-1-4165-3127-2

Visit us on the World Wide Web: http://www.SimonSays.com

POCKET STAR BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

To the Puget Sound Pilots’ Association, which has

provided safe passage through Northwest waterways

for ships, their passengers, and their crews since 1935.

They take care of their own—never more so than in their

long search for the old man who was a pilot on the

Sound for more than forty years. He guided hundreds

of ships safely into port; when he himself was lost, the

Puget Sound pilots were the first to sound the alarm.

Readers and other writers often ask me how and where I research the details for my true-crime books. I must admit that I start each book with the sure knowledge that I will never discover enough to reveal all the facets of the cases I choose. But I have learned to plunge in, semisecure that I will find the public records I need, and that those who were involved in the investigation and prosecution of suspects and witnesses will talk with me. I go to the places where the often-shocking events took place, take photographs (the blurriest photos in the picture section are almost always mine), and talk to the people who lived through the cases.

In the end—at least so far—I find I do have a book, after all. And I sincerely thank those who have shared their memories with me, memories that many would choose not to access again. So many people went out of their way to help me in this book. I hope they know how much their input has meant to me!

Six different cases make up
No Regrets.
The names that follow begin with “The Sea Captain” and continue in the order of the half dozen cases.

Thank you to: San Juan County Deputy Sheriff (retired) Ray Clever, Barbara Clever, San Juan County Deputy Sheriff (retired) Joe Caputo, San Juan County Prosecuting Attorney (Criminal) Charlie Silverman, Washington State
Supreme Court Judge Greg Canova, Dr. Robert Keppel, Superior Court Clerks Mary Jean Cahail, Connie Burns, and Karen King, San Juan Historical Society, Jan Fleming, Kris DayVincent, authors Al Cummings, John Saul, Michael Sack, Gordon Keith, Captain Richard McCurdy, President, Puget Sound Pilots’ Association, Blood Pattern Expert Rod Englert, juror number one, Lisa Boyd, Frances Bacon, the
San Juan Journal,
the
Seattle Weekly,
the
Seattle Times,
the
Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

“It (Ain’t) Hard Out There for the Pimps.” During my days as a Seattle police officer, I worked beside the Crimes Against Persons Unit’s detectives. They relived this remarkable investigation for me: Joyce Johnson, Noreen Skagen, Beryl Thompson, Pat Lamphere, John Nordlund, Larry Gordon, and Danny Melton. As an author, I rode shotgun with the Seattle Fire Department’s Medic One paramedics for forty-eight hours. I learned how they can make the difference between life and death—as they did in this case!

“The Runaway and the Soldier.” Thanks to the Bellevue Police Department, this case that began with scattered human remains was solved. The investigators went over the case with me: Chief of Police Don Van Blaricom and Detectives Roy Gleason, Gary Trent, Marv Skeen, and Patrol Officer Bob Littlejohn.

“The Tragic Ending of a Bank Robber’s Fantasy.” The Seattle Police Department’s Homicide Unit worked around the clock to find a killer who was escaping to paradise. My gratitude to George Marberg, Al Gerdes, Gary Fowler, Nat Crawford, John Gray, Bob Holter, Al “Beans” Lima, Jerry Yates, John Nordlund, Mike Tando, John Boatman, and Don Cameron.

“A Very Bad Christmas.” This story comes from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office in Portland, Oregon.
Detective Orlando “Blackie” Yazzolino of the Homicide Division related it to me, and Robert Pinnick and Bob Zion of the Scientific Investigation Unit told me about how they preserved the physical evidence that helped to identify both the victims and the killer.

“To Save Their Souls.” My appreciation goes to Detective Archie Pittman of the Pasco Police Department for his trial testimony, and to the late Dorothy Allison of Nutley, New Jersey, whose psychic visions were stunningly accurate.

“...Or We’ll Kill You.” My appreciation goes to “Kari,” who had the courage to tell me the story of her terrifying brush with death as the victim of a kidnapping and sexual attack.

In this, the eleventh edition of my Crime Files, I continue my fortunate association with the team that helps me get the words from my computer into a real live book: my publisher, who believes in me, Louise Burke; my editor Mitchell Ivers, who edits so gently and diplomatically, but effectively, that my writer’s pride emerges unscathed; Josh Martino, perhaps the most efficient and dependable editorial assistant in publishing; Felice Javit, the patient attorney who “has my back” on legal issues; my publicist Melissa Gramstad; production editor Stephen Llano; and art director Lisa Litwack.

I depend on Gerry Brittingham Hay, my “first reader,” who grabs my manuscript while it is still smoking from the printer, reads it immediately, and tells me unflinchingly whether it holds her interest—or not. She has packed hundreds of pages to take on her vacations, to the beauty parlor, and to read by flashlight. Thanks, Gerry!