Dear Reader:

 

Some crime cases continue to haunt us long after the jury has returned its verdict. Violent in the extreme, the David Parker Ray case is one of the most shocking of all.

 

Beside New Mexico’s Elephant Butte Lake stood a windowless trailer that Ray called “the Toy Box.” The homemade torture chamber was lavishly equipped with whips, chains, pulleys, surgical blades—and a camcorder, set up for making “snuff” videos.

 

On March 22, 1999, a desperate victim escaped from the Toy Box, clad only in a slave collar and padlocked chains. Another brave survivor came forward to describe her ordeal. And soon authorities uncovered horrifying evidence of an orgy of bloodshed that may have taken more than sixty lives.

 

Yet, the David Parker Ray story did not end with his trial, conviction, and sentencing—or with his death in prison. As recently as 2012, new evidence pointed to additional victims.

 

Sadly, author Jim Fielder did not live to update the story to which he devoted so many years of research and writing. Having had the privilege of getting to know Jim while we prepared his book for publication, I knew he would want his saga of crime and justice to reach a new audience through an updated edition.

 

Fortunately, veteran crime writer Sheila Johnson was able to step in on Jim’s behalf. Her new update will fascinate all who have followed the Ray story over the years—and anyone, too, who is interested in the good and evil in human nature.