Shirlee Joyce Book is the ex-wife of Kenneth Bianchi, a popular American serial killer in the late 70s. He was convicted in 1979 and is currently serving prison time.
Personal Life
Shirlee Joyce Book is infamous for finding love in a convicted murderer and rapist. Shirlee was a die-hard true crime enthusiast. Her active following of true crime news and articles contributed to her actively writing letters to convicts and pursuing them.
Family Life
Shirlee Joyce Book was married to Kenneth Bianchi. They were longtime penpals who got married in 1989, while Bianchi was still in prison. She divorced him in 1993. She has a son from her previous marriage. Further details about which are unknown.
Kenneth Bianchi
Kenneth Bianchi was born on May 22, 1951. His mother was a 17-year-old sex worker who gave him up for adoption. Later that year, in August he was adopted by Nicholas Bianchi and Frances Scioliono Bianchi. He grew up being a troubled child and was diagnosed with passive-aggressive personality disorder. Before his marriage to Joyce, he was married to his high school sweetheart. However, both separated ways after a while. By the year 1976, he was engaging in petty crimes like theft. It was only in 1977, that he resorted to vomiting violent crimes like sexual assault, kidnapping, and murder. Before his arrest in 1979, he had killed 10 women. Bianchi is infamously known as ‘the Hillside Strangler’ as his modus operandi was to strangle his victims and dump their bodies on the hillside.
Relationship with Kenneth Bianchi
Her obsession with true crime led her to write letters to convicts and become pen pals with them. It was this way that she met Kenneth Bianchi. Before pursuing Bianchi, she had eyes for the then-raved-about serial killer Ted Bundy. To her dismay, this didn’t work out and she quickly moved on to Kenneth Bianchi.
Kenneth Bianchi was a popular serial killer in America. He is infamous for committing heinous crimes against women. He was found guilty of having committed homicide and sexual assault. Bianchi still remains in prison to this day. His recent appeals for parole were denied and is further allowed to apply in 2025.
Shirlee first saw Kenneth on a TV program and instantly found a liking for him. She would write often to him and the two built a bong over two years through letters, phone calls, and tapes. In the year, 1989, Kenneth proposed to her through a post. The two of them got married that very year in a 15-minute ceremony in the prison chapel at Washington State Penitentiary, The ceremony was attended by close family and two other convicts.
She was dressed in a white dress with a small veil and Bianch in a tux. The mothers of the two served as witnesses to the marriage. She claimed that she had truly found a good man. Shirlee later, moved from Louisiana to Washington to be closer to the prison and visit Bianchi often.
She long awaited her then-husband’s release from prison. The long-distance marriage lasted for four years. After which, Shirlee divorced him in 1993 on learning that he would not be released any time soon and that he was entertaining female fans through letters.
Fun Fact
According to reports, it is said that Shirlee and Kenneth met for the first time ever on the day of their marriage.
Conclusion
Hybristophilia is a word that best fits Shirlee Joyce Book. Her constant desire to pursue convicts proves the statement Love is truly blind.