The Forsaken has just been featured in the media — and it hasn’t even been published yet! This moment marks an exciting milestone for our team.

On September 20, 2025, team member Flo Trapani hosted what she called a “pre-launch book gathering” for The Forsaken at her home in Simi Valley. Flo has become, in every sense, our unofficial public relations director. Deeply involved in the community, she talks about The Forsaken everywhere she goes — and people are truly intrigued. She promotes this book even more passionately than her own, The Oath. Flo’s energy, commitment, and heart make her a vital part of our team, and I’m so grateful for her.

Our author, Alicia Doyle, also joined the gathering. Her incredible writing brings all my thoughts and feelings to life, along with Rhonda and Donnie themselves, so readers truly feel like they know them. She is thorough and careful—diligently reviewing endless documents and spending hours conducting interviews—which turns into storytelling that really honors and humanizes the heart of the story. I’m genuinely amazed by her talent and dedication.

Without Alicia’s amazing gift and endless commitment, this book wouldn’t have been possible. I am so thankful God brought her into my life and this journey.

Along with all her hard work, Alicia also reached out to The Simi Valley Acorn. Reporter Michele Willer-Allred came to the event to interview and take photos, then wrote a thoughtful and powerful article about the book and its story.

Unfortunately, I was unable to make the trip to Simi Valley, so I appeared by Zoom. I was able to interact and answer questions from the people who attended the gathering and was also interviewed by Michele from The Acorn.

Adding to the excitement, retired Simi Valley Police Detective Bob Klamser also attended. Many of you know him from my blog as “OI.” Bob was the original investigator into Rhonda and Donnie’s murders in 1978, and his participation in The Forsaken project means the world to me. He has been my primary source of insight since 2017, and my late mother greatly respected him — she always praised his dedication and compassion. Without Bob’s guidance, I don’t know how I would have endured the years spent searching for truth and closure.

Having Bob officially join the Forsaken team also fulfills a long-standing goal of mine: to help restore his reputation after years of unfair criticism. Since the 1990s, XCV has worked hard to tarnish Bob’s good name, and following RDK’s release in 2017, much of the media unfairly labeled the original 1978 investigation as flawed. In reality, Bob was one of several investigators — and their findings were correct from the start. Modern DNA analysis hasn’t contradicted the original case; instead, it has only confirmed what the 1978 team already knew.

You can read The Simi Valley Acorn article here:
https://www.simivalleyacorn.com/articles/a-murder-a-pardon-and-a-city-still-searching-for-answers/

As of today, October 19, 2025, we are projecting a January 2026 release for The Forsaken. Alicia has just completed her final interview — with the retired Simi Valley Chief of Police who reopened Rhonda and Donnie’s case. He spoke candidly and respectfully, offering an open and honest perspective. His willingness to participate was gracious, especially since both XCV and RDK never responded to her interview requests.

It’s important to note that these interviews were never meant to catch anyone in untruths. Our mission with The Forsaken is simply to present both sides and allow readers to draw their own conclusions. My only goal has always been to tell the truth. The reinvestigation of Rhonda and Donnie’s case, in my opinion, was incomplete — largely because essential physical evidence, like the bloody towel found in RDK’s apartment, was destroyed decades ago and could not be retested. Many of the recovered reports were partial, and a significant portion of the files came from XCV, who obtained them from RDK’s parents’ lawyer in 1979. That source alone makes the record inherently biased.

Now that Alicia’s interviews are finished, she can complete the final chapter. Next steps include proofreading the manuscript, organizing the many photographs, and having my attorney conduct a legal review. Once the publisher receives everything, the production timeline is expected to take four to six weeks — with the holiday season adding a slight delay. That’s why we’ve set our sights on a January 2026 publication date.

This project has always been about more than a book — it’s about truth, remembrance, and justice. I’m beyond grateful that soon, readers will finally come to know Rhonda and Donnie as real people — not just victims — and understand the depth of loss and love that has shaped every step of this journey.