We are thrilled to welcome Judge Gary Oxenhandler to Skylark on Thursday, July 10, to discuss his book, The Life of a Murder. It’s the true story of a senseless murder and a dogged cop’s 35-year pursuit of the killer, all told by the judge who tried the case - and it’s totally gripping.
But don’t take our word for it. Here’s what another Skylark favorite, Jake Adelstein, had to say about it: “What’s remarkable about this book is how Oxenhandler balances the clinical precision of a legal mind with the narrative drive of a storyteller. He doesn’t just recount the facts; he breathes life into them, turning a decades-old case into a living, breathing tale of tragedy, mystery, and, ultimately, accountability.”
Gary Oxenhandler, born in St. Louis, Missouri, began law school in 1968 at the University of Missouri–Columbia; he was drafted and served in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1970, and upon his honorable discharge, Gary returned to law school and obtained his Juris Doctor Degree in 1973. For twenty-nine years, Gary practiced law with his 4th-grade buddy, Marvin Tofle. He was later joined by every lawyer’s dream partner, his son, Josh. A major contributor to this book was Gary’s wife, Janet; she was instrumental in shaping the narrative, and without her energy, the project would have forever remained a “work in progress.” In 2002, Governor Bob Holden appointed Gary as a 13th Circuit Judge. While on the bench, Gary served as a Presiding Judge and the chief judicial officer for some 210,000 citizens and conducted well over 200 jury trials, running the gamut from the most serious felonies to catastrophic personal injury cases. Judge Oxenhandler presided over the trial of Johnny Wright, accused of Becky Doisy’s murder. The American Civil Liberties Union of Mid-Missouri named Judge Oxenhandler the 1987 Civil Libertarian of the Year. The University of Missouri presented Gary with the 1998 Human Rights Diversity Enhancement Award. The Missouri Supreme Court awarded Oxenhandler the 2015 Judicial Excellence Award, annually given to one Circuit Judge.
