Seeking input for a new edition of 'The Michigan Murders'

Years before Ted Bundy began his killing spree, John Norman Collins terrorized two university towns, assaulting and killing young women. When he was finally caught by his uncle, the "Co-Ed Killer" had inflicted harm in many forms.

Photo: John Norman Collins today. Via Michigan Offender Tracking Information System

Those who hail from around Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, Michigan, still recall this time of terror. These murders affected people deeply. As one remarked to me, "Several bodies of the victims were dumped within several miles of my childhood home. It made my father crazy and paranoid, and other people I talk to who were in Ann Arbor -- or in places where the murdered women grew up -- during that period have vivid recollections about the murders, investigation, trial, and conviction of John Norman Collins."

Collins once appeared on a local TV show, Kelly and Company. Some involved in the trial also spoke. The video can be seen on Youtube.

The University of Michigan Press is about to issue a new edition of the seminal book about the case. It is The Michigan Murders by Edward Keyes, which is on many "best of true crime" lists.

The new edition will be replete with commentary from Michigan true crime author Mardi Link, whose books and website I know and admire. She will address the police work that went into capturing Collins and what detectives might do differently today.

The new edition will also feature a prologue that I will write about the social impact of the murders themselves. It will include stories of how the murders affected and changed people. If you remember Collins and have a story for the book, please share it, by email if you like.

Comments

[Cheryl]

Just Googled and read a little bit about Collins. Very scary stuff. Thank God they caught him and he will never be paroled.

[Kevin M. Sullivan]

Laura--

Congrats on writing the prologue for the new edition. When will it be released?

[M K Murray]

Wow. I was 21 in Ann Arbor when he started his reign of terror. And I mean terror. I wasn't his "type," but I, like every other woman I knew, walked in fear. I vividly remember the sudden panic attack I had when I was home alone, in my insecure apartment, when I heard about one of his murders. And I remember walking with a group one night when a student ran up, in tears, and begged us to walk with her to her dorm, since a car was following her. Fear colored everything.

[laura]

Thank you MKM for your memory of that time.... It does send chills.

Kevin, I think the new edition is going to come out next year. The author is deceased but I understand his family approved the new edition.

[Mrserialkiller]

I watched the youtube recording and realistically although he comes across as intelligent, he doesnt really offer anything that suggests that an injustice has been done. He questions the legitimacy of some of the 'eyewitness accounts'. But if i remember correctly it was hair analysis which was the crucial link between Collins and the murders - Mart

[James Marsden]

I read the stories about Collins. However, the real story came during the case of Jane Mixer, who was murdered in Michigan in 1969. She was also thought to be a Collins victim. However, another man's DNA was found on Mixer, and he was convicted of her killing. During the story on Mixer, however, I grew to have some doubts about Collins' guilt. Mind you, I do not have all of the facts, so I will withhold judgment regarding his case. However, someone should make sure this guy did these crimes. If he did, he is right where he belongs. If he didn't, a horrific injustice has been perpetrated against him, and the real killer of many beautiful young women more than 40 years ago has gotten away with murder for nearly half a century.

Does anyone have any info on Collins, i.e., local sources, or evidence in his case?

[jason riddle]

Retrokimmer.com has just post some information on the John Norman Collins story on youtube.com as well

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I read "Michigan Murders" about 25 years ago. I was about 10 years old at the time, but my sister was about 19 and dating. Everybody in my family was pretty jittery every time she left the house. A good book by standard. chilling.

[Georgia Weathers]

Read Michigan Murders when it first came out, and it is still in my library. I re-read it every few years; don't know why, but it can still give me the creeps. What puzzles me is little has been written about the "why" and there are indications in MM that he had a rotten and confused relationship with her murder. Some of what was frightening was how he went back to the scene of the crimes and the scene where the cops are staked out to catch him. They see a figure running in the distance where a body had been found, but they were not able to get to him.

[Suz]

To James Marsden-
I did some extensive research on Collins on the Internet-I have no doubt he is guilty and is where he belongs. He is charming and likeable, but he gives me cold chills.

[Fiz]

Will they be using the real names of the victims this time?

[Ray]

Does anyone know were you can see and view photos of the victims???
Is there any photos of the victims online??

[Brenda]

I'd like to know when the new book comes out. I went on a blind date with John back in 1968. I also knew one of the victims. The owner of the wig shop, Joan, who testified in the case was a friend of mine as well.

[Suzi]

Brenda- The new edition of the Michigan Murders came out in September. While I think this book is mostly true, I also think it is somewhat fictionalized. There is another book, Catching Serial Killers by Earl James, that is very interesting-it gives more clues into WHY? What was your impression of John Collins when you went on that blind date? John and I share the same birthday of June 17, but 7 years apart-so I am quite interested in him.

[Nancy]

I grew up in the area. A friend of my sister's went out with him one time. Luckily, I guess she wasnt his type. She did not like his motorcycle, I remember that. Everyone in southeast Michigan was freaked out. I had the book, and lost it in a move. It is so expensive on Amazon. Anyone know where I can find it, or the undated version?

[Lisa]

These murders affected my life very deeply. I remember the rainy day I came home from school and laid on the kitchen floor and read about the body of 13 yr. old Dawn Basom being found. Suddenly, not only was he killing young women, he was killing girls my age, and my fear turned to terror. To this day I can remember the exact feeling I had as I read the paper that day. I don't think any young woman in Michigan during this time wasn't scarred by these killings. I remember one of the victims being found while I was at Girl Scout Camp, and it put us in such a panic the leaders confiscated all our radios. This was real day to day fear, on a scale I doubt would be possible today.