Better Off Dead

The true story of the love triangle murder of Robert Limon—from the New York Times bestselling author of Missing . . . and Presumed Dead.

In Better off Dead, Michael Fleeman strips away the pleasant veneer of the Silver Lakes neighborhood in California’s high desert to tell a shocking story about a headline-grabbing crime.

A conversation with handsome young firefighter Jonathan Hearn leads Sabrina Limon, a vivacious blond mother of two, into a steamy affair that has them hooking up once and twice a week at her home, his home, and out in hidden spots in the vast Mojave.

To the outside world, Sabrina and her husband Robert, a hard-working railroad mechanic, seemed matched by their love of family, friends and good times.But the partying had gotten out of control for Sabrina. There was boozing and wife-swapping and group sex. Once a turn-on, it now left Sabrina feeling debased, dehumanized, spiritually adrift. Robert won’t talk about it, consumed by his work, boat, truck and porn. Until one hot August night, Robert is found dead of two gunshots in a pool of blood.

False leads send police into dead ends until a tip arrives from a most unexpected place. For Sabrina, it’s a stunning betrayal that hurtles the case back to a perfect little place in the desert. With informants, undercover cops and wiretaps, investigators discover a romance fueled by lies and dangerous fantasies—ultimately leading to a devious murder plot . . .