Three Boys Missing: The Tragedy that Exposed the Pedophilia Underworld

James A. Jack

Jan 2006 · HPH Publishing

About this ebook

On October 16, 1955, Robert Peterson and Anton and John Schuessler left home to see a Disney movie. Two days later their bodies were found in a forest preserve. This true crime story, written by one of the original detectives on the case, details the police investigation of this triple child murder that spanned 40 years. Never presented before, this firsthand account honestly discusses the successes and failures of the various law enforcement agencies involved with the investigation; describes the intense media attention and public reaction to the crime; and openly addresses the pain and loss experienced by the parents of all three boys. Though heartbreaking, the knowledge the story imparts is important as a historical reference as well as a statement about our shortcomings as a society.

Ratings and reviews

I was an army brat living in Fort Sheridan, IL and was 3 years old at the time this horrific crime occurred. I had no knowledge of it at the time. I happened upon this book while researching another crime story online. There was an advertisement for this book and once I saw the 3 boy's innocent faces and read a short synopsis of the crime, I immediately ordered it on the spot via e-books. I was initially drawn to the book by the horror inflicted against these 3 innocents, but the writer's portrayal of the events drew me even deeper into the story, investigation and subsequent trials. I could not put it down and ended up reading it in one sitting! James A. Jack is an excellent writer who mapped out the details with such finesse that I was captivated with each paragraph. Brilliant! My hope was that the crime would have been solved more expeditiously and the perpetrator would have been rotting in jail for decades, but you can't fault the police and investigators who led such a historic manhunt as thoroughly as was possible at the time without DNA and today's technology. It was gut wrenching to learn how the boys suffered and how their parents agonized upon their deaths, even to the point of the Schuessler boy's parents dying before the killer was found and punished. Such a tragedy for so many involved. This was a wonderful piece of literature from a poignant part of history which will haunt me for a long time to come......

But, I wanted to know about how the police came to suspect Hansen. The story jumps from the 50s to the 90s, and a lot of back story on how Hansen came to be on trial was left out. I would have liked to know more about Det Jacks involvement in the investigation into Hansen, if he was involved. Or, to hear his thoughts about that investigation and the officers involved. Det Jacks is a good storyteller, and I could imagine the events and people he describes as if I am watching a film. The last chapters concerning the trial read like someone else wrote them entirely.

This book, written by one of the first detectives on the case, reads like a novel. It holds your attention from the beginning. The murder of three young boys at the hands of a pedophile who didn't want to be caught shows how easily innocent children can find themselves in situations they can't control, often with tragic consequences. Thank you, Detective Jack, for sharing this story with us.