Ghost — The Rick Watkinson Story
A True Life Crime Story
For most teenagers, rebellion is a rite of passage. You fight with your parents over curfews and music. You push limits. You sneak out. You test the boundaries of independence and eventually, grudgingly, you find your way back.
But what happens when that rebellion is fueled by extreme betrayal, years of abuse, spiritual brainwashing, and a final fit of explosive rage?
In the case of sixteen-year-old Rick Watkinson, it meant one fateful night in Alaska that would alter the course of his life forever.
“I died inside at that moment. I remember telling myself: I am dead inside. I am a ghost. A sudden switch flipped, and I literally felt an empty coolness inside my soul that brought comfort through absence. Thus, Ghost was born.” — Rick Watkinson
Rick was a typical American kid — adventurous, bright, idolizing his pilot father and thriving on their shared love of flying and the open road. Then his father filed for divorce and walked out the door, and something inside ten-year-old Rick Watkinson broke beyond repair. With his mother unable to offer comfort beyond fervent prayer and a deepening obsession with spiritual warfare, Rick turned to the streets for belonging. He found it — among the criminals, the angry, and the lost. He found his voice. He found his confidence. He found Ghost.
By the time he was sixteen, Rick had been sent to live with his father and stepmother in Alaska. He did not want to go. Things did not go well. And one November night, unable to withstand the physical and psychological abuse any longer, Rick snapped.
Ghost: The Rick Watkinson Story is a true crime narrative that asks the questions most of us would rather not sit with. Who is this man? What causes a person to cross the boundaries of humanity? Can these events be traced purely to upbringing and environment, or do some people have an inherent propensity for violence? Is rehabilitation even possible? Is redemption?
Watkinson’s compelling true story — and his subsequent trial and controversial sentencing — raise serious questions about society, the treatment of children, and the reach of the American justice system.
Stripped down to its core, this is the story of a boy who just wanted to be loved. A boy who just wanted to belong. A boy who turned off every feeling he had in order to survive — and the devastating consequences of what happens when that works.
What Readers Are Saying
“It completely draws you in. I’m not a huge reader, however your writing could make me one. Congrats — awesome!” — W. Kampers
“I totally loved it. It was engaging, I could mentally picture everything that was going on, and could honestly feel the gut-wrenching pain Rick must have been feeling. Your introduction was great, driving home the theory of — do not judge until you know the whole story.” — D. Leach
“Trish Faber will capture your attention in Chapter 1 of Ghost. It is compelling and written so well — real and harsh, yet heartbreaking at the same time. Trish invites you to feel, or not feel, what was running through Rick’s head at the time of the tragedy. The writing and intensity will intrigue you. I wanted to know who Ghost was.” — J. Abbot
“What I found awesome is how realistically you captured the mindset of Rick. He is not completely one way or the other. Yes, he committed horrible acts — but he is not without remorse. He is also shocked by what he did and fluctuates between that and feeling justified. I look forward to reading more to get a better understanding of the circumstances that worked so against Rick and his family. Well done.” — S. Reynolds
“What a powerful book. Trish has allowed her readers to walk with Rick through the incomprehensible act of murder, immersing them into his emotional pain leading up to the act and the subsequent realization of what his action meant for himself and those few souls that he loved. As the book progresses, Trish reveals the many layers of trauma and betrayal that led a child to this destiny. Such a good job, and such wonderful writing. I couldn’t put it down.” — C. Grieve
Sneak Peeks
Sneak Peek #1 — Rick in his own words
“I died inside at that moment. I remember telling myself: ‘I am dead inside…I am a ghost.’
A sudden switch flipped, and I literally felt an empty coolness inside my soul that brought comfort through absence. It didn’t take long over the next year to die inside completely and train myself not to feel. I just stayed focused on the pain and hatred from that day, and reminded myself every time that something happened that I should have feelings for — that I couldn’t.
Soon, I didn’t even have to think about it. It became completely natural for me to stay shut off and not feel anything about anything. I knew I hated my father for leaving and betraying us. I hated God for letting it happen. I hated the world for being so cruel. I knew the hate was there but I couldn’t feel it. All that was left was an utter apathy for everything in life.
Thus, Ghost was born.”
Sneak Peek #2
Grabbing both his lock blades and Leatherman tool, the boy stuffed a handful of ammunition in his coat pocket before running back upstairs to the entryway. He didn’t look at the carnage. He didn’t feel their pain. He couldn’t. He had nothing left. He was empty — a shell of a person, shattered and spent, just like the used shells that now littered the house he had once called home.
The blast of frigid Alaskan air choked his lungs as he flew out the front door and tore down the driveway, his steel-toe boots crunching the hard-packed snow. He hadn’t even thought to grab his gloves or a beanie, and the thin winter jacket was no match for the plummeting November night. It didn’t matter. He couldn’t feel the cold anyway.
There had never been a plan, despite what people would say. The day just happened. The pent-up anger, hurt, and betrayal exploded — more than his sixteen-year-old mind and heart could take, or even comprehend. He was in full survival mode, operating purely on instinct and adrenaline, his mind detached, his emotions locked in a windowless box.
He had no idea where he was going or how he was going to get there. He just knew he had to keep moving and stay off the roads.
Sneak Peek #3
Not long after Rick’s tenth birthday, the family made the move to the small town of McMinnville, Oregon. With the bustle of the move and the pre-occupation with his new environment, the kid was in his glory — completely happy and carefree, unaware of the trouble brewing, and completely unprepared for the emotional explosion lurking in the shadows.
“Daddy’s home!”
Bob shut the front door and brushed past his oldest son.
“Can I speak to you boys in your room?”
Both boys took a seat on the hardwood floor while Bob took a seat on Ricky’s bed. Although still day, the beaming sun against the partially closed yellowish blinds cast an eerie orange glow throughout the room, an almost rusty blood-red — as if the sky outside was on fire.
“I’m leaving your mom. We’re getting a divorce. I won’t be living at home anymore.”
Ricky didn’t understand. What did he mean he wouldn’t be living there anymore? He had to live there — he was their dad. That’s how families worked. Ricky looked to his mother for reassurance but she was a white sheet, the wall barely supporting her defeated frame.
“But you can’t leave!”
“Mom and I aren’t getting along, Ricky. I’m leaving.”
He rose from the bed and walked toward the front door. Little Ricky was a blur. Was this really happening? Was his father — the person he loved and cherished most in the world — actually leaving?
“NO! DADDY NO! YOU CAN’T LEAVE! PLEASE DON’T LEAVE! DADDY WE NEED YOU!”
He clung to his father’s leg, tears uncontrollable, the high-pitched fervour of his cries wounding the air. Bob dug his hands into the little boy’s shoulders and pushed him away.
“This is best for everybody.”
Without another word or even a glance at his quivering son, Bob walked out the front door and out of their lives.
In that moment, in that house, something in Rick Watkinson broke. And it would be a very long time before anyone — including Rick — understood just how completely.