Los Angeles, CA—A series of Radio Show Videos of Vonda Pelto, Ph.D., on three different shows, reveals a number of aspects of her experience dealing with serial killers at LA Men's Central Jail. Each show reveals what it was like working so close to men like Freeway Killer Bill Bonin, Hillside Stranglers Kenneth Bianchi and Angela Buono, Sunset Strip Slayer Douglas Clark and others.
Decades later Pelto ended up writing two books—the first one, Without Remorse, covered the full three years at the jail and the second, Without Redemption, is the most detailed historical biography of notorious Freeway Killer Bill Bonin ever written.
Through the use of Bonin's jailhouse diaries/murder confession stories, and thousands of pages of official investigative documents, Without Redemption carefully tracks psychological evolution of Bill Bonin from innocent child to sexual predator to unfeeling serial killer. The book solves two 40-year-old murders and identifies how one day during the murder spree, on March 24, 1980 when four key participants crossed paths, dramatically changed everything to follow.
Without Redemption in Kindle on Sale for 99 Cents Till March 31, 2023
Watch a Radio Show Video of Vonda Pelto on the Gary Nolan Show at http://bit.ly/41yfUWc
Watch a Radio Show Video of Vonda Pelto on James Lowe Radio Show at http://bit.ly/3IRx3BE
Watch Radio Show Video of Vonda Pelto on Thunderstruck Radio at https://bit.ly/3EGzK85
Here are interesting reviews of Without Redemption:
All the Makings of Compelling Serial Killer Movie or Mini-Series
Without Redemption sets itself apart from other serial killer bios with the sheer volume of factual detail, one which reads like historical biographies of famous leaders. Freeway Killer Bill Bonin's whole life is laid out and this allows the authors to carefully track his 30-year journey/descent into murderous depravity. I have worked on a number of productions about serial killers and murderers, and this book has all the elements for a compelling movie, mini-series or docudrama.
First, you have Bonin's detailed diaries/written confessions which give an inside view of everything; Second, the co-author, Vonda Pelto, Ph.D., having ersatz counseling/confession sessions with three of the six Freeway Killers in jail; Third, reams of documentary evidence about Bonin's childhood, war service, years in mental hospitals and prisons followed by the months leading up to the murder spree. Next are Bonin's carefully written stories of the 22 killings all over Southern California, the journalists reporting on his activities and the detectives chasing him.
Then, after his arrest the story really gets juicy, and complex, as everyone jumps in the pool together to hash out the penultimate act. Surprises await around every corner as cases are getting built, deals negotiated and more suspects pursued. Part and parcel are scenes of political backstabbing, deception, lying and coverups, which is followed by Bonin's huge trial and the final curtain in this tragic drama.
Generous use of newspaper stories fills in the gaps and the whole book moves rapidly forward without too much lollygagging. 'Without Redemption' is as close to a complete serial killer historical biography that one might find.
M.E.
Co-Author Vonda Pelto is Actually a Player in This Serial Killer Bio
My surprise in this book was how the co-author, Clinical Psychologist Vonda Pelto, Ph.D., actually participated in the story told about the life of Freeway Killer Bill Bonin—she dealt with Bonin and two of his accomplices while working at Los Angeles Central Jail. Pelto had numerous sessions with all three, and other horrible serial killers, and had to listen to their ghastly stories, told in some ways to see her reactions and in other ways to relive their crimes. Her disgust is evident, but she hides it during discussions with Bonin, Miley and Munro, where they all talked about murders in detail.
Aside from that Without Redemption is interesting because it is the story of one person's slow march to becoming an unfeeling monster. It was scary how the killing took over his life, kind of like Gollum in 'Lord of the Rings,' it simply swallowed him up.
The authors really packed in the factual stories of Bonin's life, from birth all the way through months and months of day-to-day events after his arrest, when the system was gearing up and he was trying to make a deal to avoid the death penalty. This part of the book is when very public events are analyzed from inside and outside, and where big surprises pop up.
A thoroughly fascinating and engaging read.
D.R.
They really tell the full story of a serial killer, from beginning to the end!
Serial killer biographers often lack access to many important documents, but that can't be said of Without Redemption, which reveals for the first time how and why someone got away with double murder! In fact, the Freeway Killer Bill Bonin is the one who covered for his accomplice. One also learns that Bonin was in police custody on numerous occasions during the murder rampage.
It's obvious the authors must have had boxes and boxes of material to write from—Bonin's childhood, adult years spent in mental hospitals and prisons, well before Bill Bonin started killing, are ably reconstructed in amazing detail. You can sense the disaster to come as story slowly unfolds.
Then the killing starts and Bonin's own written words and many different interviews, with homicide detectives and the co-author Vonda Pelto, Ph.D., give the reader a front row seat in the mind of the man who murdered 22 teenage boys, with five accomplices, in a short period of time. Taking place in 1979-80 in Los Angeles, the book paints of picture of how Bonin's actions created a firestorm among police, the public and the media.
Part three is a fascinating look at what happened after Bonin's arrest and how detectives rolled up the other killers and built their case against Bonin and his friends. It was a complicated ten-months, but the authors recreate it in fascinating detail, which includes using Bonin's jailhouse diaries and see how he was manipulating events while also being unable to control his fate.
A historical biography worthy of that term.
B.B.
Watch the Without Redemption Book Trailer at http://bit.ly/3Y7gebu
- The most detailed bio of serial killer Bill Bonin ever written using previously hidden documents.
- How childhood abuse & Vietnam War service helped create what followed.
- How Bonin manipulated California judicial, mental health & prison systems for nine years before the killings.
- Interviews of Bonin, Miley & Munro with Vonda Pelto, Ph.D. before, during & after his Los Angeles trial.
- Bonin's jailhouse writings offer new perspective on his brutality, methods, thoughts and personality.
- How & Why Bonin covered for accomplice Eric Wijnaendts, who helped him with two murders.
- How & Why March 24, 1980 is a key date in the Bill Bonin story.
Without Redemption: Creation & Deeds of Freeway Killer Bill Bonin, His Five Accomplices & How One Escaped Justice, Paperback ISBN: 979-8841931249, Hard Cover ISBN: 979-8844477775. For more info go to www.WithoutRedemption.com and purchase copies at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Media Contact: For interviews or to request review copies contact Flotsam PR at 213-534-7292 or writerb@pm.me.
About the Authors: Vonda Pelto, Ph.D., author of Without Remorse and co-author of Without Redemption, was born and raised in the small town of Needles, California, in the barren desert. Brought up in a strict Southern Baptist household, her sheltered childhood and family life meant Vonda was in for a rude awakening when she was hired for a unique job. After the unexpected January 1981 jailhouse suicide of Freeway Killer Vernon Butts, the Los Angeles County Mental Health & Sheriff's Departments needed a new strategy to prevent this from happening with any other high-profile inmates awaiting or standing trial.
Michael B. Butler, author of A World Flight Over Russia, is a professional photographer who has worked extensively in book, travel and corporate PR. His assignments documenting the 50th Anniversaries of Pearl Harbor and D-Day, flying around the world across Russia on the World Flight in July 1992, documenting a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land with 700 Christians in 2013 and multiple PR junkets to Ireland and Tahiti added ample materials to his media library.