About
William D. LaRue is an award-winning journalist and former reporter and television critic for The Post-Standard in Syracuse, New York. He recently retired as an online producer for newspaper websites owned by Advance Local. A native of Potsdam, New York, he received a bachelor's degree in English from State University College at Potsdam and a master's degree in communications from Syracuse University. His published books include 2015's "CANDY: True Tales of a 1st Cavalry Soldier in the Korean War and Occupied Japan," co-written with his father, Kenneth J. LaRue; and 2018's "Captain Puckett: Sea Stories of a Former Panama Canal Pilot," co-written with Kenneth P. Puckett. William, a father of two, lives in a suburb of Syracuse with his wife, Kathleen.
Featured Work
The Long Shadow of Katy's Killer: Parole Hearings and Other Updates to 'A Stranger Killed Katy‘
In this sequel to his 2021 true-crime book A STRANGER KILLED KATY, author William D. LaRue puts a spotlight on stunning developments surrounding the brutal 1986 murder of Clarkson University sophomore Katherine “Katy” Hawelka. While Katy’s family continues their tireless fight to keep convicted killer Brian M.McCarthy behind bars, McCarthy attempts to rewrite history, portraying his heinous crime as a tragic accident.
LaRue draws on New York parole board transcripts, prison records, interviews, and newly uncovered psychological evaluations to expose McCarthy’s campaign to win freedom. The story builds to a dramatic 2023 parole hearing, where McCarthy’s manipulations collide with a board determined to uncover the truth.
THE LONG SHADOW OF KATY’S KILLER is a sobering account of an inmate's enduring quest for parole, and a family’s unyielding determination to honor their daughter’s memory. LaRue’s masterful storytelling will leave readers riveted—and inspired by a case that proves that, sometimes, justice prevails.
Other Works
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A Stranger Killed Katy: The True Story of Katherine Hawelka, Her Murder on a New York Campus, and How Her Family Fought Back
2021
