Chapter 2 | Ride or Die

In the Putnam Sheriff's case file on the murder of Josette Wright, you'll find page after page of the cops' handwritten scribbles.

Some of those scribbles concern Anthony and Andy.

But what isn't in there is a clear story of their personal and criminal backgrounds.

If there was one, it might sound something like this.

Beginning a decade prior, when the boys' lives took a hard turn.

Anthony and Andy had been each other's ride or die since they were of grade school age.

I met Andy around 10, maybe 11.

We're family, like now.

Oh, they're family, all right.

When Anthony was eight, he stumbled in on his father having sex.

Anthony was confused.

For one thing, the woman in question wasn't his mom.

His mom was in the hospital recovering from surgery.

For another, the woman was a lot younger than Anthony's mom and his dad.

I heard 17, but 18 at best.

I was coming out of my room, and then they were on the couch.

I didn't understand what I was looking at.

That young woman was Donna Krivak, Andy's older sister.

Anthony's dad ended up marrying Donna Krivak.

Meanwhile, Anthony and his mom moved to family shelters, where they survived on public assistance for several years.

Anthony's only consolation was meeting Donna's kid brother, Andy.

He winds up translating into my step-uncle.

The two boys became fast friends.

Um, you know, he was crazy.

You know, if it's that defined, he'd do it.