Dark ambition : the shocking crime of Dellen Millard & Mark Smich / Ann Brocklehurst.
"A gripping true-crime account of a young Canadian aviation heir charged with three murders--Tim Bosma, ex-girlfriend Laura Babcock, and his own father, Wayne Millard--in what appears to be thrill-seeking serial kills. Tim Bosma of Hamilton, Ontario, was a successful businessman and happily married young father until he put his truck up for sale online, went for a test drive with two strangers, and never returned. His disappearance and the murder investigation that followed played out on social media and in the headlines over several weeks in spring 2013. His heartbroken family made futile pleas for his return. Weeks later, two men were arrested for Bosma's murder, a petty criminal with the Dickensian name of Mark Smich, and Dellen Millard, the good-looking heir of an aviation millionaire. Disturbingly, there appeared to be no motive for the gruesome killing of Bosma, whose charred remains were found on Millard's farm. It seemed to be a cold-blooded "thrill kill" carried out by what some would deem a psychopath, and his sidekick. But there was even more to the grisly story. The investigation of Bosma's death would eventually lead to the discovery of two other murders: the pair would be charged with the murder of Laura Babcock, Millard's former girlfriend, who disappeared in 2012, and Millard alone would be charged with the murder of his own father, Wayne Millard. Wayne Millard's death previously had been ruled a suicide. Ann Brocklehurst, a Toronto journalist and private investigator, has been fascinated by the Millard case and had a front row seat at the Hamilton murder trial. She provides a compelling look at how detectives, lawyers, and journalists work, as well as the contributions made by the newest participants in the world of crime--online sleuths. Her book asks the question: what makes someone who seemingly has everything--money, a supportive family, mobility, social position--turn to evil deeds? And why do some murders fascinate millions while others go unnoticed?"-- Provided by publisher.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780670070145 (hardcover)
- Physical Description: xxii, 378 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm
- Publisher: Toronto : Viking, 2016.
Content descriptions
General Note: | Includes index. |
Search for related items by subject
Subject: | Millard, Dellen. Smich, Mark. Murderers > Ontario > Case studies. Murder > Ontario > Case studies. Murder > Investigation > Ontario > Case studies. |
Available copies
- 1 of 1 copy available at Tsuga Consortium.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 1 total copy.
Show Only Available Copies
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stroud Branch | 364.152309713 Bro | 31681010034965 | NONFIC | Available | - |
- Penguin Putnam
Shortlisted for the 2017 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize, Nonfiction Category
Longlisted for the 2018 Frank Hegyi Award for Emerging Authors
Tim Bosma was a happy young father with a promising future when he listed his pickup truck for sale online, went for a test drive with two strangers, and never returned. The story of the Hamilton man&;s strange disappearance in May 2013 captured headlines across the country and took over social media, resonating with everyone who had ever taken a test drive or bought and sold goods online. 
     When Dellen Millard and Mark Smich were eventually arrested and charged with Bosma&;s murder, the mystery only deepened. Millard was the wealthy heir to an aviation business. Smich was his ne&;er-do-well best friend from a middle-class family. There was no obvious reason why the pair had made it their deadly mission to steal a truck, murder its owner, and incinerate the body. Tim Bosma was their randomly chosen &;thrill kill&; target.
     Veteran journalist and private investigator Ann Brocklehurst had a front-row seat at Millard&;s and Smich&;s 2016 trial, where many of the questions about their shocking crime were finally answered. Others still linger, waiting to be further explained at two more murder trials set for 2017. Both Millard and Smich have been charged with the first-degree murder of Laura Babcock, who disappeared in summer 2012. And Millard alone faces murder charges in the death of his father, which previously has been ruled a suicide.
     Compelling and suspenseful, Dark Ambition chronicles an unfathomable crime and its chilling perpetrators.