'Fatal Exam' book explores Lubbock's 'greatest murder mystery'
The first book exploring what is perhaps the most notorious murder to shock the Lubbock and Texas Tech communities is out to mark the 56th anniversary of the killing after decades in the making.
In "Fatal Exam: Solving Lubbock's Greatest Murder Mystery," authors Chuck Lanehart and Alan Burton explore the brutal killing of Texas Tech custodian Sarah Alice Morgan by student Benjamin Lach on Dec. 4, 1967 in Tech's Science Building. Both Lanehart and Burton later attended Tech, where they developed their research and journalism skills and experienced the lingering impact the killing still has.
The killing, subsequent investigation and trial captivated the Texas Tech and Lubbock communities for years. "Fatal Exam" explores the murder and its aftermath in great detail, citing research from Avalanche-Journal archives and a host of other interviews and resources compiled by Burton and Lanehart.
Lanehart, a Lubbock attorney and accomplished author, is known by Avalanche-Journal readers for his regular contributions to the Caprock Chronicles history feature series, which included an article on the Lach case. Burton is also an accomplished author who recently retired as a special assistant to the president and director of university communications at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
Lanehart said he had long been captivated by the story - from its violent nature to the ghost stories that are still shared today. The killing in a third-floor science lab - as evening classes were being conducted on the second floor - came the day before Texas Tech's beloved Carol of Lights Christmas lighting tradition. It cast a shadow on the celebration, and the storied murder still comes up in discussions around the annual event.
"There's the gruesome aspect of the actual murder," Lanehart said. "Sarah Morgan, who was just a very innocent person, happened to stumble upon this guy, who was so violent and even tried to use a bone saw and nearly decapitated her.
"And people think the place is haunted now," Lanehart added. "And then another aspect is comparing the joyfulness of Carol of Lights and this gruesome murder. And then there's the murder mystery part of it, how it's solved - and how he kind of got away with it."
Lanehart noted that Lach, though found guilty of the killing, only served 15 years of his 40-year sentence before he was released. Lach is still alive, Lanehart said, and was last known to live in New England.
Burton began researching the Lach murder case in 2003, visiting Lubbock Avalanche-Journal archives and exploring other resources during regular visits to see family in the Hub City.
"I think it's just a story with so many twists and turns - you can't make this stuff up," Burton said. "In doing the research, I kept stumbling on things where I just shook my head and I really just wanted to tell this story."
It was a project he continued, off-and-on, over the next two decades.
He began collaborating with Lanehart on the book after the Lubbock attorney's story on the murder case was featured in the A-J's weekly Caprock Chronicles series in 2018.
Lanehart recalled helping fill out details, including aspects about the personalities and key players in the case.
"I brought in some institutional knowledge and nuance to help finish out the book project that Burton had started," Lanehart said. "I think I knew just about everyone who was involved in the case at one time ... some of the police officers were titans of law enforcement in our area, and the A-J reporters were so important in covering the case and even in helping solve it."
The book was published this fall by Texas Tech University Press and was recently promoted in a book signing featuring both offers Saturday at Lubbock's Barnes & Noble in the South Plains Mall. Along with the store, the book is also available through Amazon.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: 'Fatal Exam' book explores Lubbock's 'greatest murder mystery'
