Body Parts by Caitlin Rother

 

Now updated with shocking details about the identity of Wayne Adam Ford’s first victim – revealed 25 years after her death – the brand new edition of a true crime classic from New York Times bestselling author Caitlin Rother delves into the disturbing mind and brutal crimes of the Humboldt County serial killer now on Death Row.

“I hurt some people.”



With these words, a tearful man hinted at a deadly crime, leading investigators to uncover a horrifying saga of abuse, tragedy, and serial murder . . .



When Wayne Adam Ford walked into the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office in November 1998 with a woman's body part in his jacket pocket, the 36-year-old truck driver wasn’t a suspect in any crime. After a lengthy investigation spanning four California counties and a sensational trial, he was convicted of the torture and murder of four women. His first victim, whom he dismembered, would remain unidentified for 25 years.

While serving honorably in the Marine Corps, Ford had learned life-saving techniques that gave him structure and purpose. But a severe head injury worsened pre-existing emotional problems, rendering him unable to suppress his dark sexual impulses. Knowing he would kill again, he enlisted his brother’s help to turn himself in.

Award-winning investigative journalist Caitlin Rother drew on previously sealed testimony and interviewed key players in the case, including Ford's brother and father, to write this intimate and psychologically resonant narrative. Extensively updated with the inside details of how Ford’s first victim was recently identified through DNA testing and forensic genealogy, this classic true crime story continues to haunt us.

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About The Author

 

New York Times bestselling author Caitlin Rother has written or co-authored 15 books, the latest of which will be released in June 2025.

Rother is thrilled to announce she has accepted a two-book deal with Thomas & Mercer/Amazon for a new crime series of novels featuring surfing homicide detective Ken Goode and investigative reporter Katrina Chopin, who investigate murders in La Jolla, CA, while navigating ethical lines that force them to work independently and a powerful sexual attraction that draws them together. (T&M/January 2026)

Rother's latest title is DEATH ON OCEAN BOULEVARD: Inside the Coronado Mansion Case, about the mysterious death of Rebecca Zahau at the Spreckels Mansion in Coronado, which was deemed a suicide by authorities, but as a murder by a civil jury and the Zahau family. The book has been optioned for TV/film by Untitled Entertainment for a TV series, with Rother as executive producer. (Citadel Press/2021)

Rother's next book is a significantly updated edition of BODY PARTS, the true story of Wayne Adam Ford, a serial killer who killed four troubled women, then did the rare deed of turning himself in before he could kill again. This new edition will include 10,000 words of new material about the recent identification of his first victim, Kerry Anne Cummings, through forensic genetic genealogy. Ford dismembered Kerry after murdering her in 1987, rendering her unidentified for 25 years. Today, her family has closure and Kerry Anne Cummings has her name back. (Citadel Press/February 2025)

Also new next year will be DOWN TO THE BONE: A Missing Family's Murder and the Elusive Quest for Justice, a deep investigative look at the McStay family murders that will reveal new and exclusive details about the case. After the family mysteriously vanished from their house in Fallbrook, CA, in February 2010, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department investigated their disappearance as a missing persons case, ultimately dropping the search after deciding the family had voluntarily gone to Mexico. When their remains were found in the desert nearly four years later, their deaths became a homicide, investigated by authorities in San Bernardino County. Charles "Chase" Merritt, one of two business associates of Joseph McStay, was arrested a year later, and was sentenced to death in 2020. Merritt, his defense attorneys and family, and others who believe the investigations and trial were flawed due to confirmation bias, claim he was wrongly convicted. (Citadel/June 2025)

The extensively revised and updated edition of DEAD RECKONING (WildBlue Press/2019) contains 30 pages of fresh material since the original 2011 release. This is the authoritative book on the murders of Tom and Jackie Hawks, who were tied to the anchor of their yacht and thrown overboard--alive, as well as the slaying of Jon Jarvi, all by transgender killer Skylar Deleon. Deleon, who has legally changed her name and gender to female, is housed on death row in San Quentin, a men's prison.

In 2018, Rother released HUNTING CHARLES MANSON (HarperCollins/Nelson Books), a hardcover co-authored with Lis Wiehl, which came out in trade paperback in June 2019. Also available in audio.

Also in 2013, Rother released her mini-memoir, titled, SECRETS, LIES, AND SHOELACES: A story of hardship and healing, which chronicles her relationship and marriage, which ended in her husband's suicide.

Her other titles are LOVE GONE WRONG (Kindle), THEN NO ONE CAN HAVE HER, I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU, NAKED ADDICTION, LOST GIRLS, POISONED LOVE, DEADLY DEVOTION, BODY PARTS, TWISTED TRIANGLE, and MY LIFE, DELETED.

LOVE GONE WRONG is an e-book collection of 10 true crime stories from South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, also available as Kindle shorts by the state where the murders occurred: A COMPLICATED WOMAN (South Carolina), DEAD ON DELIVERY (Georgia) and KILL HIM SOME MORE (Florida).

THEN NO ONE CAN HAVE HER (Kensington/Pinnacle, 2015), is a story of blood money, sex addiction, manipulation and murder in a small mountain town in Arizona, and a roller coaster ride to justice. This complex legal tale involves a deep love gone wrong between Carol Kennedy--a peaceful, loving mother of two, artist and therapist--and her "soulmate" ex-husband Steve DeMocker, an investment broker. DeMocker's family believes he was wrongly convicted for Carol's murder, which occurred just 35 days after their divorce was finalized. His appeal also has been rejected.

Rother's debut crime novel, NAKED ADDICTION (WildBlue Press, 2014), unveils a lethal confluence of sex, drugs and the murder of young-beauty school entrepreneurs that oozes into the wealthy beach community of La Jolla. Undercover narcotics detective Ken Goode confronts his own demons as he investigates these homicides, which are complicated by a drug ring, an escort service, a seductive witness, and fears that his missing sister could be the next murder victim. UPDATE: An audio book of this title was just released in 2015.

I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU is the true story behind the cold case murder of multimillionaire entrepreneur Bill McLaughlin in Newport Beach, Calif., by his femme fatale fiancee, Nanette Johnston Packard, and her NFL-linebacker lover, Eric Naposki. (Kensington, 2014)

Rother's most controversial true crime book is LOST GIRLS, a behind-the-scenes account of the rape and murder of San Diego area teenagers Chelsea King and Amber Dubois by sexual predator John Gardner (Kensington, 2012).

Her New York Times bestseller, MY LIFE, DELETED, is the inspirational memoir of former NFL player Scott Bolzan, who rebuilds his life after suffering a brain injury and losing his entire long-term memory. She co-authored the book with Scott and his wife Joan. (HarperOne, 2011)

The updated POISONED LOVE (Kensington, 2011) adds 20 pages of new developments in the Kristin Rossum case, in which the beautiful San Diego toxicologist was convicted of poisoning her husband with powerful narcotics she stole from her lab at the county Medical Examiner's Office, then staging a suicide scene by sprinkling red rose petals over her husband's body.

Rother regularly appears as a TV crime analyst and speaker. She also takes on a limited number of clients as a writing/research/promotions coach and consultant. Before quitting the news biz to write books full-time, Rother worked for 19 years as an investigative reporter for daily newspapers, covering issues ranging from addiction, suicide, mental illness and murder to politics and corruption at City Hall and in Congress. Rother was a Pulitzer-nominated staff writer for The San Diego Union-Tribune, and also has been published in Cosmopolitan, the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, The Daily Beast and Huffington Post. Her more than 250 international TV, radio and podcast appearances include 20/20, Australia's "World News," "People Magazine Investigates," "Crime Watch Daily," "Nancy Grace," the "Jay Thomas Show," "On the Record" with Greta Van Susteren, "Women Who Kill" on E!, "Snapped," and many other shows on Investigation Discovery, HLN, Netflix, Reelz, Oxygen, C-SPAN, and various PBS affiliates.

Rother earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from University of California Berkeley and her master's in journalism from Northwestern University. Please visit her website at caitlinrother dot com. 

 

My Review

 

What an incredible job the author does of bringing all the facts of this case to us.
We begin with getting to know the mind of a serial killer, what makes Wayne Adam Ford tick?
There are extensive interviews with the people whom know this man, or had the misfortune to make is acquaintance.
We now have identification of the woman he brutalize, twenty five years after she was dismembered, through modern science, we know the name and family, sadly she is not missing anymore.
After all the facts, trial, deliberation, and then the verdict. There is much discussion about the death penalty, the man walks into the police department and turns himself in. He doesn't want to hurt anyone else, and the police at that time had no idea what they were dealing with.
This story is a reprint of a 2009 edition, with big updates, and listing the name of the victim. There is also updates as to the prison, and what Governor Newsom has done.
This is a page turner, filled with information, and outcomes!
I received this book through the author, and was not required to give a positive review.