Continuing with my true crime reading adventure for 2023, my latest book was about the Betsy Faria murder. This happened back in 2011 and the story is so fantastical that it’s been featured on Dateline six times, there was a podcast that aired in 2019 and a limited TV series March 2022 starring Renee Zellweger and Josh Duhamel, among others.

On December 27, 2011, Russ Faria arrived home after game night with friends to find his wife dead, her body bloody, a knife sticking out of her neck. She had been stabbed 55 times. Russ called 911 and told them that he’d come home to find his wife’s body and that she had committed suicide. Betsy was terminally ill and undergoing chemo treatments and had battled depression and threatened suicide in the past.

Every single thing that Russ said or did after making that 911 call was under a microscope. He was questioned for 48 hours and never once changed his story. Yet, the police were convinced he killed her. However, Russ had a solid alibi, supporting evidence and witnesses which all proved he could not have killed her. Despite all that, he was still charged with her murder.

Russ’s defense team could tell pretty quickly he did not kill his wife but they were met with every roadblock possible. The judge rejected every motion they presented but allowed practically every motion from the prosecution. During the course of the investigation and trial, Joel Schwartz, the defense attorney, became convinced Betsy’s friend, Pamela Hupp, is the one who killed Betsy. Yet, Pam was never a suspect.

This book was written with Joel Schwartz contributing as an author. It’s an insider look into this case and delves into the prosecutorial misconduct and favoritism by the judge as well as the incompetence and lies from the police investigating the murder. Russ spent 3 years in jail for a murder he did not commit while his defense team was trying to get another trial for him. Finally, his conviction was overturned and a new trial was scheduled which would include new key evidence. He was found not guilty and Pam Hupp is now in prison awaiting trial for another murder.

Russ now spends time giving back and paying forward by working on behalf of the wrongly imprisoned via the Innocence Project: https://innocenceproject.org. ( )

This puts together the murder of Betsy Faria from her death to today.

I was appalled by how the investigation against her husband, Russ, went. He was railroaded. My question is why did the cops and prosecutors hate him? He came across as honest. He answered their questions. He had alibis. He was on surveillance cameras along the route he told them he took. Yet they were cynical and unbelieving of what he said. The forensic evidence did not convict him. Why did they persecute him? Why did they not look at Betsy's "friend" Pam Hupp? Her motive was exactly like his, but the cops accepted what Pam said even with her discrepancies. They never questioned her.

I was glad that Russ had good attorneys who stayed with him throughout his case, his imprisonment, and his second trial. I loved that Mr. Schwartz went after the prosecuting attorney and the cops and put a case together for a lawsuit showing their prejudice and ineptness. I was so glad that they took it as far as they could. I also was happy that Mike Wood, an attorney in the prosecutor's office, came back years later to run against her. She was incompetent and biased against Russ Faria. All these defense attorneys went to the full extent of the law and proved their cases.

This was so interesting to watch Russ finally get justice. I hope Betsy also gets justice when everything is finished (I could not find that the trial has yet been held.) ( )

After leaving his weekly game night, Russell returns home to find his wife Betsy in a pool of blood. His only thought was that his terminally ill wife must have committed suicide. Running to the kitchen, he calls 911 and waits for help. When police arrive, it is clear that Betsy had been murdered - she was stabbed over 25 times and a knife was embedded in her neck. Russell, in shock, was taken to the police station where he endured hours and hours of questioning. Simultaneously, the police were interviewing friends, family and neighbors. Pamela Hupp, the last one who had seen Betsy alive, pointed the finger at Russ. Without critically looking at Pam, who days before had become the beneficiary of Betsy's life insurance policy, they took everything she said at face value. What ensued was a horrible miscarriage of justice, as a grieving Russell was subjected to two trials, media scrutiny, and years behind bars.
Wow, this poor guy. Not only did he find his wife dead, but he had to deal with one-sided cops, fanatic prosecutors, and years and years in jail. It's hard to say a tragedy was fascinating, but this book was hard to put down. I just had to know how everything ended and whether or not Russ was vindicated. The author did a fabulous job telling his story. Overall, highly recommended. ( )

I remember watching an episode of Dateline some years ago that focused on this unusual story. At the time it struck me as bizarre, but there are so many true crime stories that go beyond belief, and I added this one to the list. Last month I rewatched the Dateline episode, reigniting my interest in the case, and immediately watched Peacock’s newest show, The Thing About Pam starring Renee Zellweger, taking my fascination to a whole new level.

After watching this peculiar show I started reading Bone Deep and I don’t know if it’s because of watching the miniseries or what, but I found this novel dry. It has a very elementary, matter-of-fact feel that made reading a struggle for me. I got bogged down in the details that I already knew and I found myself skimming more than reading, which is never a good sign. Though this is a bizarre case that is truly stranger than fiction, the details truly defying logic, it wasn’t enough to keep me interested.

The book is very heavy on the trial, which is to be expected given who one of the authors is, but I also felt quite a bit of bias, which was also a turn off. If you know nothing of the Betsy Faria/Pam Hupp case then I could see Bone Deep being a rich resource for you but if you’re like me, and well versed in this case, I think you find yourself bored.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from Kensington Books through NetGalley. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own. ( )

Bone Deep is perfect for anyone that loves true crime. It's not told from people's memories. It is told and based on transcripts and audio or videos so everything that you read is based on facts. It was shocking to see what happens when the justice system fails. It's sad that the innocent are the ones that pay. This was a fast read for me. I was able to finish it in two settings. Overall entertaining and intriguing read!

Thank you Silver Dagger Book Tours and Charles Bosworth Jr for sharing this book with me!

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