I can’t believe it, but is has been
20 years since my first true-crime book, Family Affairs, was published by
Pocket Book/Simon & Schuster. The book details the killing and subsequent
trials of one of the most high-profile criminal cases in the history of Johnson
County, Ks.
The book, released nationally in
May 1992, explores the murder of 13-year-old Christian Hobson. The teenager,
from Overland Park, Ks., was killed by his 17-year-old stepbrother, James
Crumm, and Crumm’s friend, Paul Sorrentino, also 17.
The Crumm and Sorrentino, who
attended Shawnee Mission South High School at the time of the murder, drove
Christian to an isolated location near Hillsdale Lake in Miami County where he
was forced to dig his own grave in the middle of the night before being shot
and killed.
The teenagers were following the
instructions of Crumm’s mother, Sueanne Hobson, who masterminded the killing
because she simply didn’t like Chris.
The murdered boy’s father, Ed Hobson,
initially divorced Sueanne shortly after the killing, but remarried her before
her trial. He subsequently divorced her again while she was in prison, but again
remarried her a few years later while still in prison. He remains married to
her today.
During the case, Hobson adamantly
defended his wife’s innocence and often wore a T-shirt to the Johnson County
Courthouse that said: They promised me justice. I promise them
revenge.
He emotionally testified on her behalf at her trial.
Sueanne, who is now 68 years old,
was released from prison in February 2011 after serving 31 years for the
killing. She is living in her childhood home in Prairie Village with Ed.
At the time of her release, several
residents in the quiet residential nieghborhood voiced their disapproval. Not only were
some residents upset that Sueanne was being released from prison, they were
also upset that she and Ed were moving back into the family home.
Sueanne had been denied for parole
eight times before finally being released. Ed repeatedly begged for her release during several of those parole hearings.
Sueanne was not at the scene of the
crime and repeatedly denied her involvement in the killing. However, a
Johnson County jury convicted her of first-degree murder and conspiracy to
commit murder, despite Ed Hobson’s testimony that she was innocent of any
involvement in the killing of his son.
Ironically, the two boys who actually
committed the killing were released from prison several years ago. Crumm was
released in January 1999. Sorrentino was released in April 2000. The two men
now live out of state.
Crumm was convicted of first-degree
murder. Sorrentino entered into a plea agreement of aiding and abetting
first-degree murder in exchange for his testimony at Sueanne’s trial. Jimmy
also agreed to testify against his mother at her trial.
Both teenagers faced prison terms
of 15-years-to-life in prison. However, under Kansas sentencing guidelines at
the time of the killing, their life sentences also included the possibility that
they could be paroled after serving only seven and one-half years.
Both boys were passed over several
times before being granted parole, but served substantially less time than
Sueanne. Kansas parole board officials said Crumm and Sorrentino, despite being
the actual killers, were released earlier than Sueanne because they both
admitted their guilt in the killing of Chris.
Sueanne repeatedly refused to admit
her involvement in the killings, which led the parole board to deny her
probation eight times.
In the 1990s
Kansas changed its sentencing guidelines, abolishing the right for parole in
life sentences after serving only seven and one-half years. The Kansas
Legislature enacted more stringent parole guidelines that ensure
substantially longer prison sentences for those convicted of murder.
Since her
release, Sueanne and Ed have refused to publicly discuss the case or their
lives together. Her daughter, Suzanne, who was 13 years old at the time of the
killing and testified at her mother’s trial, has also refused comment.
For
information on how to purchase a copy of my book, contact me at bookman527@aol.com/. The cost is $15 and it includes shipping and
handling.