Survived by One: The Life and Mind of a Family Mass Murderer

“Dr. Hanlon has done a masterful job presenting the case of Tom Odle, a male adolescent who was sentenced to death after killing his parents and three younger siblings. This fascinating work covers Tom’s childhood history, the legal proceedings, and perspectives of the mental health professionals who examined the youth after the killings. It also beautifully weaves in changes in the death penalty in Illinois that resulted in Odle’s sentence being commuted to life. Most important, this book presents Odle’s reflections two decades after the crime. The breadth of this work and its careful presentation virtually ensure that it will become a classic in the field of familicide.”–Kathleen M. Heide, professor of criminology, University of South Florida, and author of Understanding Parricide: When Sons and Daughters Kill Parents

“Survived by One is a profound experience. While demonstrating the moral courage of Governor George Ryan and the wisdom of Governor Pat Quinn, this book makes two critical points Americans need to learn: no matter how battered, reviled, or deeply buried, the divine spark of the human spirit can never be completely extinguished and there is always a reason for human behavior.”–Mike Farrell, president of Death Penalty Focus, author of Just Call Me Mike: A Journey to Actor and Activist and Of Mule and Man

Dr. Robert Hanlon is a clinical neuropsychologist with a specialization in the psychological assessment of violent criminal offenders. An associate professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Clinical Neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, he has evaluated hundreds of murder defendants and death row inmates.

Thomas V. Odle is an inmate at the Dixon Correctional Center, Illinois Department of Corrections, serving a life sentence for murder.