Unholy Matrimony by John Dillmann

A New Orleans True Crime Procedural of Patricia Giesick, Insurance Scams, and Murder-for-Profit

In May 1974, newlywed Patricia Giesick was struck and killed by a speeding automobile along Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans in what initially appeared to be a hit-and-run accident. Rookie New Orleans homicide detective John Dillmann noticed physical discrepancies at the scene and launched an independent investigation into Patricia's husband, James Ellis.

Dillmann unraveled a insurance fraud plot orchestrated by Ellis and a bogus minister, Almine "Doc" Wayne Cox, who had taken out $300,000 in life insurance policies on Patricia prior to the wedding. The narrative documents the undercover stakeouts, paper trail forensics, and 1975 trial that convicted both conspirators of murder.

Why You’ll Love This Book

John Dillmann provides a first-person police procedural narrative of 1970s New Orleans homicide detective work. Packed with investigative tradecraft and trial strategy, this classic true crime memoir appeals to fans of Joseph Wambaugh, David Simon, and Ann Rule.