Stalemate

Most true-crime stories include a trial and a verdict. That's not the case with John Philpin's Stalemate.

There's a crime--many of them, in fact: the disappearances of several young girls in California, including Amber Schwartz, Michaela Garecht, and Nikki Campbell.

There's a suspect: Tim Bindner, who has taken a strong interest in the disappearances of these (and other) girls.

There's circumstantial evidence: (1) Bindner made frequent visits to the cemetery where kidnap victim Angela Bugay is buried (interestingly, another man was arrested and convicted of Angela Bugay's murder); trained police dogs later tracked the scents from two of the missing girls to the cemetery. (2) Bindner inserted himself into the case by conducting searches for the girls and by contacting the parents. (3) A witness claims to have seen Bindner shoving a young girl into his car the same day one of the girls disappeared.

There are more things that seem suspicious, but there isn't enough evidence to charge Bindner. Stalemate is a fascinating account of the investigation. It includes interviews with Bindner as well as with the primary investigating officer and the mother of one of the victims.

Did Bindner have anything to do with the disappearances? He hasn't been convicted, but many of the things I read suggest his involvement. Tim Bindner remains a suspect.

Stalemate: 4 out of 5.

Alyssa