Slaying in South St. Louis - Vicki Berger Erwin and Bryan Erwin
Book Blurb from Arcadia Publishing:
On a crisp December day in 1963, Nancy Zanone left her young son and daughter playing in the backyard while she went inside to check the laundry. She never came back. A troubled teen prowling for unlocked doors along Chippewa in South St. Louis surprised her in the kitchen and stabbed her to death. Despite Joeseph Arbeiter's confession and hard evidence, he was freed on a technicality. In response, Zanone's family fought to change how juvenile murderers are tried in the state of Missouri. Local authors Vicki Berger Erwin and Bryan Erwin investigate the senseless tragedy and the family's quest for justice.
My thoughts:
I discovered this book at the local library and picked it up because it was true crime and true crime that happened locally. The book focused on the killer and his background and emphasized that the teen had been in trouble frequently. The story was heartbreaking to read knowing there was no justice for the victim and her family. The teen wasn't rehabilitated to prevent future criminal inclinations. In fact the criminal went on to kill again and when finally imprisoned he died months later in prison due to natural causes.
A quick internet search returns results detailing an individual who has a long list of crimes to his name that ranges from petty crimes to murder. One has to wonder whether charges at 15 for the murder of Zanone could have brought about a different outcome in life for Arbreiter. The murder of Zanone may have been the first, but it was not the last. Unfortunately it took two additional murders before he would be imprisoned.
Details regarding the Zanone case can be found here:
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