The 1965 Texas Coed Murders - True Crime by Alan Burton Paperback

Book Synopsis

A Baffling and Brutal Case

Sunday, July 18, 1965, started out like any other hot summer day in Texas. Shirley Ann Stark and Susan Rigsby, Chi Omega sorority sisters at the University of Texas at Austin, left their Dallas homes early and drove together in Shirley's Corvair to Austin. Little did they know the fate that awaited them later that afternoon as they visited the apartment of a friend and fellow UT student. The following day, the women were reported missing. A twelve-day nationwide search ensued, ending with the discovery of their bodies in a north Austin field. As one Associated Press reporter would later write, "The story held all the elements of a classic murder case: Campus beauties, youth, mystery, terror, and social standing.'' Author Alan Burton revisits the forgotten, gruesome, and tragic double homicide that shook the Lone Star State.

About the Author

Throughout his professional writing career, Alan Burton has been honored by the Associated Press, Texas School Public Relations Association, and Oklahoma College Public Relations Association. His resume includes forty years of experience in the media/communications field, and in 2023, he retired as special assistant to the president/director of university communications at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Prior to that, Burton was director of community relations for the Sherman, (Texas) Independent School District. A 1979 graduate of Texas Tech University, Burton's most recent book, Fatal Exam - Solving Lubbock's Greatest Murder Mystery, was published in 2023. Burton's book, Squib-Kick It to a Fat Guy...and 699 more memorable quotes from the Playbook of Coach Mike Leach, released in 2016, was an Amazon best-seller in multiple categories. This is the Sherman native's 10th book, and second venture into true crime. Other book topics include Texas sports, music, radio, and history.