MEDIA CENTER

Media Relations Contact:

Larry Edwards larry[at]larryedwards[dot]com (858) 292-9232

News Releases

• Mystery of Seattle Couple’s Deadly Sailing Cruise Solved? — Son Reveals Untold Story in 35-year-old Cold Case
• San Diego Man's Untold Story in 35-year-old Cold Case Involving Parents' Deaths Aboard Sailboat — Mystery of Seattle Couple’s Deadly Sailing Cruise Solved?
• New Book From Wigeon Publishing — Dare I Call It Murder? — Author reveals previously undisclosed facts in 35-year-old murder investigation; reflects on impact of violent loss and traumatic grief

One Sheet

• Download PDF: Dare I Call It Murder? One Sheet

Story Themes / Topics

• Memoir — dealing with violent Loss, traumatic grief, complicated bereavement and criminal investigation
• Mystery solved? — new evidence revealed in 35-year-old cold case
• Psychology — violent loss, traumatic grief, complicated bereavement
• PTSD / post-traumatic stress disorder
• News media — sensationalized and inaccurate coverage of tragic event further traumatizes family members
• Sailing, cruising — not always a trip to paradise
• Law enforcement, criminal justice
• Blended families — divorce, stepparents, stepchildren
• Human interest — author confronts crippling emotions
• Publishing — legal risks, roadblocks
  
  Download a more detailed overview of themes / topics related to this book.

Book Description / Author Bio

• Download the book description and author bio

Cover Images

• Download: Front Cover
• Download: Back Cover (hardback)
• Download: Back Cover (paperback)

Photos

• Larry Edwards - head shot
• Larry Edwards, at helm of Spellbound, 1977
• Loren & Jody Edwards, bon voyage, 1977
• Loren & Jody Edwards, bon voyage, cropped, 1977
• Loren & Jody Edwards, cutting bon voyage cake, 1977
• Spellbound, Puget Sound, 1976

Press Kit

• Download: Press Kit (ZIP file, 11.4 MB) includes news releases, photos, one sheet, cover images, selection of news clips

News — 2013 to present

• San Diego Union-Tribune—front-page feature story: Mysterious deaths, lingering sorrow (September 19, 2013)
• La Jolla Light—feature story: Author delves into parents' mysterious deaths to help others cope with violent loss at La Jolla event (September 18, 2013)
• Issaquah Press—feature column: Memoir hopes to set record straight after 35 years (September 3, 2013)
• 48 North Sailing Magazine: Dare I Call It Murder? (September 2013)
• Kirkus Reviews: Dare I Call It Murder? ". . . chilling . . . palpable . . . powerful . . ." (August 20, 2013)
• Islands Business—Book Review: Spellbound Mystery: The Untold Story (August 14, 2013)
• Seattle PI—Book Review: 'Dare I Call It Murder?' by Larry M. Edwards (August 11, 2013)
• Seattle PI - Book Review: 8/11/13 - 'Dare I Call It Murder?' by Larry M. Edwards (August 11, 2013)
• Radio New Zealand—interview: 8/6/13 - Radio New Zealand: Memoir unmasks new evidence in 36 year old mystery (August 8, 2013)       Podcast (abbreviated)
• Mystery Crime Blog: Dare I Call It Murder? (August 7, 2013)
• Kirkland Reporter: "Author reveals details in Kirkland parents' 1978 death aboard their boat" - Raechel Dawson - 1 (July 26, 2013)

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News Headlines — 1978-1980

Note: The news stories from 1978-1980 contained many errors. The headlines are portrayed here to illustrate the type and extent of the news coverage, NOT to provide details about the deaths or the FBI investigation. For accurate details, refer to the book, Dare I Call It Murder? — A Memoir of Violent Loss, particularly chapters 8-9, 23, 27-28 and 32.

• Feb. 26, 1978 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer - "Life Dream Ends With Death at Sea"
• 2/26/78 - Seattle Times - "Kirkland Couple Die Aboard Yacht" - A-2
• 2/26/78 - Seattle Times - "Kirkland Couple Reported Dead in South Pacific" - Kuo/Whitely - A-24
• 2/26/78 - Seattle Times - "Familiar Sight: Big Boat Assembled at Marina" - Peyton Whitely - A-24
• 2/27/78 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer - "Life Dream Ends with Death at Sea" - UPI, P-I Staff - A-2
• 2/28/78 - La Depeche du Tahiti (French language) - "La Tragedie du 'Spellbound'" - staff - 1
• Feb. 28, 1978 - Seattle Times - "Confusion Clouds Deaths on Yacht" - Peyton Whitely - A-1
• 2/28/78 - Tahiti Bulletin - "Police Still Probing Double Death Aboard Yacht" - Al Prince - 14
• 3/1/78 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer - "2 Deaths: A Mystery in Tahiti" - Dan Coughlin - A-1
• 3/1/78 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer - "2 Deaths: A Mystery in Tahiti" (cont'd) - A-16
• 3/1/78 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer - "The Best Marriage I've Ever Seen" - John Anderson - A-16
• 3/1/78 - Daily Journal American - "Kirkland Pair Reported Buried at Sea" - Kathy Kucera - 1
• 3/1/78 - Seattle Times - "2 Survivors of Yacht Tragedy Due in Seattle" - Peyton Whitely - A-1
• 3/2/78 - The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, Aus.) - "Bizarre yacht deaths puzzle deepens" - 11
• 3/2/78 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer - "FBI's Tahiti Probe/Tahiti Death Riddle" - Dan Coughlin - A-1, 16
• 3/2/78 - Seattle Times - "Two Return Home: Survivors Voted for Sea Burial" - Peyton Whitely - A-1
• 3/2/78 - Seattle Times - "No Evidence of Foul in South Pacific Tragedy, Says FBI" - Peyton Whitely - C-2
• 3/2/78 - Journal American - "Daughter, Friend of Kirkland Pair Back from Tahiti" - Kathy Kucera - 1
• 3/3/78 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer - "Nightmare Cruise They Don't Want to Talk About" - Dan Coughlin - A-3
• 3/3/78 - Journal American - "2 women to be questioned today" - Kathy Kucera
• 3/4/78 - Seattle Times - "Sea Tragedy: Deaths Interrupted Yacht's Urgent Mission" - Peyton Whitely - A-1
• 1978/3/4, 5, 6 - "FBI Handling Probe of Sailing Deaths" / "Officials Quiz Son in Deaths on Yacht" - Associated Press
• 3/6/78 - Seattle Times - "Yacht Was Bringing Family Home: Father's Death Follows South Seas Tragedy" - Peyton Whitely - A-14
• 3/9/78 - Seattle Times - "Boating: Tragic Tale of Spellbound" - Peyton Whitely
• 3/10/78 - San Diego Log - "Mysterious Sea Deaths Probed"
• 3/12/78 - Seattle Times - "Investigation Incomplete: FBI Mum on Results of Probe into Yacht Deaths" - Associated Press
• 3/17/78 - Le Depeche de Tahiti - "Spellbound: Les interrogatories se poursuivent" - staff - 1
• 3/17/78 - Le Journal de Tahiti - "Spellbound: la fin du voyage tragique" - staff - 1
• 3/17/78 - Les Nouvelles (Tahiti) - "Le Spellbound dans le port" - staff - 1,5
• 3/17/78 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer - "Ill-fated Yacht Sails to Tahiti"
• 3/18/78 - Journal American - "Deaths Still Being Probed: Spellbound now in Tahiti"
• 3/18/78 - Tahiti Bulletin - "Spellbound Mysteries Continue"
• 3/30/78 - Journal American - "Loren and Jody Edwards Memorial"
• 4/2/78 - Seattle Times - "Hundreds memorialize tragedy victims" - Peyton Whitely
• 4/8/78 - Seattle Times - "Grand Jury Here Probes Tahiti Death" - Peyton Whitely
• 4/9/78 - San Diego Union - "Mystery Shrouds Deaths at Sea" - B-18
• 4/9/78 - San Diego Union - "Aboard Little Revenge: Voyagers Log High Prices, Winds" - Tal & Lee Sturdivant - B-18
• 4/30/78 - Seattle Times - "Exclusive: Son Tells of Spellbound Tragedies" - Elouise Schumacher - A-1
• 4/30/78 - Seattle Times - "Spellbound Tragedy . . . While Son Lives, Waits on Ketch in Tahiti" - Peyton Whitely, Elouise Schumacher - A-23
• 8/2/78 - Seattle Times - "Spellbound Sailing for San Diego" - E-9
• 10/31/80 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer - "Murder Alleged in Deaths on Yacht" - Jack Hopkins - A-1
• 10/31/80 - Seattle Times - "Son Accuses Brother of Killing Parents" - Peyton Whitely - A-1, 3
• 12/20/80 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer - "Gary Edwards Forgoes Fight Over Spellbound Inheritance"

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