---
product_id: 65272383
title: "Death of an Altar Boy: The Unsolved Murder of Danny Croteau and the Culture of Abuse in the Catholic Church"
brand: "e.j. fleming"
price: "$60.78"
currency: USD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/65272383-death-of-an-altar-boy-the-unsolved-murder-of-danny
store_origin: US
region: United States of America
---

# Death of an Altar Boy: The Unsolved Murder of Danny Croteau and the Culture of Abuse in the Catholic Church

**Brand:** e.j. fleming
**Price:** $60.78
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Death of an Altar Boy: The Unsolved Murder of Danny Croteau and the Culture of Abuse in the Catholic Church by e.j. fleming
- **How much does it cost?** $60.78 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/65272383-death-of-an-altar-boy-the-unsolved-murder-of-danny)

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## Description

Death of an Altar Boy: The Unsolved Murder of Danny Croteau and the Culture of Abuse in the Catholic Church

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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    EXCELLENT READ - SHOCKING NEW MATERIAL!
  

*by B***N on Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2018*

(Kindle version) If you're unfamiliar with this case, it involves the 1972 brutal murder of a 13-year-old altar boy in Massachusetts. The case remains unsolved, but the primary suspect was and still is a Catholic priest, defrocked decades later for abuse, who still lives in the state.With ties to the Western Massachusetts area, I have followed periodic new leads over the years, including restarted investigations hoping to finally nail the killer...all to no avail. I thought I knew all there was to know, but this book is extremely comprehensive and covers new material, and it will open minds to the possibility of new and/or additional suspects.Due to the profession of both the primary and many potential suspects, it is also an exhaustive history of abuse by clergy in the region, and it names names (some of which I had not previously heard). It also covers political players at the time and their inbred relationship with a then very powerful Diocese of Springfield.Gets a little repetitive in some areas, but overall excellent read. Highly recommended. (Note: The most appropriate category for this book is True Crime.)

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    What a read!
  

*by F***S on Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2024*

I had heard about the murder of Danny but did not know the back story. Wow. Makes me hesitant of the catholic religion. It was areal eye opener.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Finally An Answer
  

*by G***I on Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2024*

This is a tale of child abuse, corruption, obfuscation and coverups. I grew up in the Springfield area and attended diocesan schools, so I am familiar with most of the clergy and places in the story. When I first read this book a few years ago, I was outraged and devastated by the horrific abuse perpetrated by several priests of the Springfield diocese and the bungling and manipulation of evidence by law enforcement and the D.A.'s office. The parents and family of the victim suffered greatly over many years while Danny's murder went unsolved. It took the diocese way too long to defrock Lavigne, even after his conviction for abusing two (only two!) boys.The book itself seems to have been hastily written and suffers from a lack of good editing. For anyone not familiar with the area, the diocese, and the local political machine, it may be difficult to keep track of all the characters and facts. Even for me it was initially confusing and so I have read and re-read the book several times. It is also a very dark tale that is emotionally exhausting.The book ends before a resolution of the murder. in 2021, D.A. Gulluni powered through and was about to have Lavigne arrested for murder, only to have the hospitalized priest die the night before. Online there are snippets of Lavigne's interviews with the investigator. They are chilling. Noteworthy also are the effects of the coverup: a diocese losing millions of dollars in real estate in order to pay victims, the closing of nearly half its churches, a shrinking of the number of "faithful", and the naming of two of its bishops as abusers.

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*Product available on Desertcart United States of America*
*Store origin: US*
*Last updated: 2026-03-05*