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You are here: Home / Book Reviews / Murder in Suburbia

Murder in Suburbia

April 3, 2014 By Alice

Cover: Murder in SuburbiaMurder in Suburbia by Emily Webb is as the subtitle suggests really disturbing. We all feel safe in our neck of the woods. Webb shows us some cases from Australia’s dark heart. Be prepared to see your burb differently after you are done reading.

Webb discusses 28 chilling cases. Two highlights here below:

If only Craig Ellis had come home to pick up his cigarettes instead of buying a new pack, he might have seen who stalked and murdered his mother Nanette Ellis.

From the Age: “Police are offering a $500,000 reward for information about the murder of Melbourne woman Nanette Ellis 30 years ago. 

In the days leading up to her death, Ms Ellis’ car was the subject of several rock-throwing attacks on her way to and from work and was also subject to a series of vandalism attacks in her driveway, where paint was tipped over the car, the tyres slashed and the radio aerial and number plates were removed.

The incidents were investigated by local police, however no suspects were identified and no clear link was  established between the incidents and her death.”

Anyone with information about Ms Ellis’s death is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppers.com.au

Another disturbing case concerns the murder of a gorgeous eight year old child.

Sofia
Sofia, uploaded by Mimi at findagrave.com

Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia-Shu was in a crowded mall accompanied by many family members. On one moment she was alone for a few minutes when she went to the restrooms. That was all the time Dante Arthurs needed to grab, rape and kill her her.

“In his attempts to restrain Rodriguez-Urrutia-Shu after she had been dragged into the toilet cubicle, her limbs were contorted so severely that both her legs were broken and her left arm was dislocated as Arthurs removed her clothing.

Rodriguez-Urrutia-Shu’s throat was also severely compressed and her larynx was crushed as Arthurs attempted to muffle her cries. The cause of death was given to be a direct result of strangulation.  

The assault on Rodriguez-Urrutia-Shu only lasted a few minutes, but the ferocity of the attack on the 8 year old was described as “the worst of its type”.”

Western Australian Attorney-General Christian Porter made sure Arthurs is one of three Western Australians to have their papers marked “never to be released.”

What I missed in Webb’s book was a quick single page overview of when each case took place, a head shot of the victim with each story, and footnotes that referenced the materials Webb used. I’d love to read the newspaper articles and books she used for some of these cases.

After reading Webb’s book, you will wonder about your burb. Happy reading!

I received a free copy of this book through the author in exchange for an honest review.

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Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Australia, Book Reviews, Emily Webb, Nanette Ellis, Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia-Shu

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Author Notes

On my website, I write about old, unsolved cases. Most are from the pre-DNA era and need renewed media attention. I only do research and leave active investigation of these cases to the professionals.

My posts are about homicides, missing and unidentified people, wrongful convictions, and forensics as related to these cases.

On book reviews: I only review select works of true crime, crime fiction, and historical fiction/mysteries. The stories have to fit my website's theme and research. It remains my prerogative to not review a book. Please check the FAQ page for more!

My database has hundreds of cases listed by the victim’s last name. You will find a brief description there as well. The database is free to the public.

All writing suggestions for cases that come in by email are added to my to-do list in the order in which they were received. Please be patient. My to-do list is very long but no case gets dropped and I will get back in touch.

If you have any questions about my website please check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, the about page, and the tabs in both menu bars. If you still cannot find the answer there, please contact me.

Thank you,

Alice de Sturler

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If you use my work, please add a link back. Let your readers know where you found your information. I do the same for you. Thank you!

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Copyright: Please add a link back if you use my work. Let your readers know where you found your information. I do the same for you. If you need help with this, just contact me. Thank you, Alice de Sturler

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