Devil in the Basement

Book excerpt: “The most bizarre set of tragic events ever to occur…” – Fairmont Times “Gritty… Fascinating.” – Robert Markowitz, New York Times essayist “Alone and bitter, [the killer] fabricated a horrible revenge—on the world and himself.” – The West Virginian “Charlotte Laws is a tsunami.” – Snatch Magazine Devil in the Basement reveals the shocking truth about my family. I learned about the murders, bombings, and devil worship when I visited my ancestors’ hometown of Fairmont, West Virginia. As a former private eye, I investigated what had happened and even ventured into the eerie basement where the satanic rituals had occurred. The story begins in 1928 when thousands of Ku Klux Klan members march through this sleepy town. My great uncle Jal’s passions were ignited that day, as were those of my grandfather Tucker, who changed his Italian name to “sound white” with hopes of escaping poverty and racism, and of becoming a U.S. Senator. Meanwhile, my great-grandmother set up a criminal enterprise in the back barn, and my great aunt was hauled off to an insane asylum before becoming the mistress of a Detroit mobster. But this story is not just about my family. It is also about their creepy neighbor Ernie, who had a ghoulish, life-sized doll. He abused his wives and dabbled in his favorite pastime: evil. He liked evil. He was creative when it came to evil. He was all about evil. Devil in the Basement is a story of love and horror, racism and hope, of Christian piety and satanic ritual. It is a book that shines a light on one of the most ghastly real life incidents in West Virginia history. It is a story you will never forget.