Into the Water: An Astonishing True Story of Abduction, Murder, and the Nice Guy Next Door (St. Martin's True Crime Classics)

This true crime account by Diane Fanning examines the case of Richard Marc Evonitz, a man whose public persona masked a hidden criminal life. Evonitz was respected in his South Carolina community—a former Navy serviceman known for his intelligence and charm. However, he was responsible for a series of crimes against teenage girls involving kidnapping, rape, and murder. The investigation accelerated when a young victim escaped while still in handcuffs and reported her experience to authorities. Her account provided the breakthrough investigators needed in their multi-state manhunt for the serial killer. The case culminated in a final act of violence that shocked both law enforcement and the media.