Judge pens book about the murderer in his hometown, 'A Monster in Mount Pleasant'

On October 29, 1978, the city of Mount Pleasant was rocked by the murder of mother and daughter Clementine and Karol Beavers in their home. The case had gone cold until a third woman, Susan Wheelock, was killed in her place of work, six months later. CJ Williams, an Iowa federal judge, was Karol's classmate, a coworker of Susan's and he knew the convicted killer. These murders influenced Williams to seek a career in criminal justice, and his book delves into the multilayered story of these murders that rocked his hometown and changed the course of his life. (This episode was originally produced in October 2025.)

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Judge pens book about the murderer in his hometown, 'A Monster in Mount Pleasant' is an episode from River to River by Iowa Public Radio.

This episode is 47:56 long.

This episode was published on May 5, 2026.

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