It was the murder that stunned even the most hardened New Yorkers. On May 23, 1997, affable realtor Michael McMorrow was strolling home through Central Park when he met up with two fresh-faced teens. The kids stabbed the 44-year-old thirty-four times, disemboweled him, and then threw his body into the lake. Overnight the brutal killing made spoiled rich girl Daphne Abdela and her working-class boyfriend Christopher Vasquez the most famous and reviled fifteen-year-olds in Manhattan.

The case fueled headlines from day one through the explosive trial. Both teens were found guilty of first-degree manslaughter and got ten years—but they served only six. In the civil suit against Vasquez and multimillionaire Abdela, McMorrow’s family received just $60,000. The public was furious and the family was stunned. Featuring exclusive interviews with McMorrow’s family, this is the definitive account of an appalling crime that arouses controversy even as it continues to horrify.