In the heart of Indianapolis in the mid 1960s, through a twist of fate and fortune, a pretty young girl came to live with a 37-year-old mother and her seven children. What began as a temporary childcare arrangement between Sylvia Likens’ parents and Gertrude Baniszewski turned into a crime that would haunt cops, prosecutors, and a community for decades to come.

Evil Does Exist
Former journalist John Dean will tell your audience about the events that made the Baniszewski’s 3850 East New York Street home truly a House Of Evil including:

• Sylvia’s murder and the appalling message carved into her skin.

• Horrific acts committed by some of the Baniszewski children.

• What police investigators found in the house.

• Why visitors (even the victim’s own sister) failed to help.

• The dreadful details of the letter Baniszewski handed over to police after Sylvia’s death.

CREDENTIALS: As a “beat reporter” for the Indianapolis Star in the 1960s, John Dean covered the case from the grand jury to Gertrude Baniszewski’s trial. Dean used his intimate knowledge of the case and the subsequent proceedings to write his book, HOUSE OF EVIL. His articles have published in Rolling Stone, Esquire, and the Chicago Journalism Review.
AVAILABILITY: New York, NY, nationwide by arrangement and via telephone
CONTACT: Ryann Gastwirth, (646) 307-5547 (NY); Ryann.Gastwirth@stmartins.com