I lived in Ohio, only a few hours from Cleveland, when Anthony Sowell was arrested. Even though he was a serial killer (and an Ohioan at that), I don't remember him receiving much attention on the news. I remember one blurb about bodies being found in a Cleveland house, and then another about him being arrested, and that was it.

The author delves into why this was, in a way. Stating that because Sowell (much like the Green River killer, although Ridgway still got more press than Sowell, probably because of the time span of the killings) murdered "nobody's women," women who weren't valued by the system, he was able to stay under the radar for at least two years.

Many of the women weren't even reported missing by their families (most of whom had had unsavory dealings with the police department before and didn't trust them). Nearly all of Sowell's victims had long rap sheets, mostly involving drugs, prostitution, and robbery or receiving/selling stolen goods. Even when neighbors complained of a horrible stench arising from the area, it was blamed on a meat factory instead of being investigated. And when a woman accused Sowell of beating and raping her, she was dismissed as not credible (mostly due to her drug addiction), and Sowell was free to keep killing. In fact, the police were completely unaware that a serial killer was operating in the area, in spite of several missing women, until Sowell's house was searched on a rape charge. It was only then that the bodies were discovered.

It's a very sad case to read about. ( )