Washed in the Blood

Shelly gets it right. I was Betty's best friend at Odessa High School in 1961--the one she planned to room with at Indiana University. Shelly captures her vivacious, funny, manipulative and melodramatic personality. Yes, Betty slept around. She traded sex for attention and the brief illusion that guys cared about her. And if she had lived, she would have been a flower child in the 60's, run off to Haight-Ashbury with Bob Dylan or taken off her clothes in "Hair" on Broadway, and we'd be bragging about "knowing her when"! There WAS a booster club around Mack--his "supporters", who turned Mack into their personal misunderstod celebrity. Shelly did a fine job presenting the enigma that was Mack Herring. To this day no one knows WHY Mack did it. My relationship with Enid Woodward was different from Betty's. Ms. Woodward was wonderful to me--one of the few encouraging, positive people after the murder. She gave me hope. Shelly didn't get it wrong for Betty, but in my opinion, she was also victim who was caught up in the whirlwind. Those of us who lived through this experience were never the same after. For a little while Shelly brought the Betty I knew back to life. The book captured those days in chilling detail and confirmed my experiences and conclusions about the murder. Thanks Shelly, for doing such a great job. Sorry you've taken so much heat for speaking out, but for what it's worth, I appreciate it. You got it right. Gayle Guffey Ross

Shelton Williams has written a personal account of the "Kiss and Kill" murder case and life Odessa, Texas in 1962. In a book that's hard to put down, Shelly opens his soul, as not many have the courage to do, to tell the story of the murder of his 17-year-old cousin. He asked the questions never asked, why was she murdered, did she want to die and why was her killer set free? It is a sensitive and telling piece on growing up in Odessa and how this famed murder case made some fortunes and shaped the lives of others, including his own.

A disturbing, sad, quirky, true tale- mainly biographical that pulls you in and holds you to the end. Set mainly in working class West Texas in the late 60's, it tells the story of a dysfunctional family struggling with demons of their own making and with those thrust on them by religiosity, the environment and the times. To be different from the norm meant heart-breaking ostracism and isolation. For Shelly's cousin, it meant her mysterious death at 17. A West Texas '60's story but more than that it is a story about universal questions and truths. Compact, understated, minimalist writing style with strong underlying warm feeling tones

Washed In The Blood is a must read not only for West Texans, but for all who seek to understand the fascinating life and death of Elizabeth J. Williams. This is the first book I've read in years that I couldn't put down until I reached the last page. Regardless of what you already know about the "Kiss and Kill Murder", Washed In The Blood will thrill and excite you as you as the author takes you inside the personal life and death of a beautiful girl who's life ended too soon.

This is a fascinating story that vividly paints the picture of growing up in the 1950's West Texas. Shelton Williams sensitively tells the tale of his cousin's dramatic life. If you are a fan of Ann Rule or Larry McMurtry, this would definitely be worth your time.