Book & Bottle Horrific Homicides

During his thirty-seven years on the bench in Suffolk County, Supreme Court Justice Thomas M. Stark, while presiding over more than 250 criminal jury trials, developed a reputation as a tough but fair-minded jurist with a deep knowledge of criminal law. In Horrific Homicides: A Judge Looks Back at the Amityville Horror Murders and Other Infamous Long Island Crimes, Judge Stark shares the stories of four trials that mesmerized Long Islanders in the 1970s and 1980s, chief among them the shocking murders of the DeFeo family in Amityville. Also the author of Riverhead: The Halcyon Years, 1861–1919, Judge Stark died in 2014, having nearly completed the manuscript for Horrific Homicides. His daughters, Elizabeth Stark Dugan and Ellen Stark, who grew up hearing stories of their father’s trials at the dinner table, completed the book based on trial notes, court filings, and news reports. At this event, they will discuss the infamous crimes, the making of the book, and the enduring legacy of these events on the history of Suffolk County.

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS: Elizabeth Stark Dugan has written and edited articles for a variety of publications, including Psychology Today, Health, and Science 80. Ellen Stark, a former deputy editor at Money magazine, is a freelance writer and editor specializing in business and finance.