True Crime Spotlight: New Book Sheds Light on Brown’s Chicken Massacre
The true crime genre has exploded in recent years, with books, podcasts, and documentaries diving deep into the darkest corners of real-life horror. Chicago, no stranger to chilling tales—think John Wayne Gacy, Stacy Peterson, Jeffrey Dahmer—has long been a backdrop for infamous crimes. But in many of these cases, it’s the killers who dominate the narrative, not the victims or the heroes who fought for justice.
That changes with Something Big: The True Story of the Brown’s Chicken Massacre, a gripping new book from Post Hill Press (distributed by Simon & Schuster), hitting shelves on Tuesday, July 1. Author Patrick Wohl revisits one of Chicagoland’s most horrifying and under-told cases, offering new insight into the brutal murders that rocked the northwest suburb of Palatine.
On January 8, 1993, seven people—the restaurant’s owners and five employees—were found murdered, their bodies hidden in a walk-in freezer at the Brown’s Chicken & Pasta location. The case went cold for nearly a decade, despite the efforts of a multi-agency task force that pursued thousands of leads.
The break finally came in 2002 when the ex-girlfriend of James Degorski stepped forward, implicating both him and Juan Luna in the crime. DNA evidence from a chicken wing—preserved for years—ultimately linked Luna to the scene. Both men were convicted and are now serving life sentences.
Wohl not only recounts the investigation and convictions, but also gives voice to the victims and the law enforcement officers who refused to give up.
To celebrate the release, Wohl will appear at two local book signings:
Tuesday, July 1 at 6 PM – Barnes & Noble, Old Orchard Mall, Skokie
Saturday, July 5 at 3 PM – Barbara’s Bookstore, Lombard
The Skokie event will include a conversation with Chicago communications expert Charlie Vinopal.
More about Wohl and his work can be found at PatrickWohl.com
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