Rancho Mirage: An American Tragedy of Manners, Madness and Murder

Description

The crime: murder of a wealthy businessman at exclusive Rancho Mirage, near Palm Springs, California. The suspect: his beautiful wife, a single mother and highly paid international call girl who met the deceased when he was 68. The arrangement between them: she would fulfill his unusual sexual demands-become his sexual slave-he would give her a secure lifestyle. She was described as a sociopath and possible multiple personality who may have crossed over into psychosis. Did she do it? Was she a victim of rape? This reprint brings the odd story up-to-date with a number of twists and turns. Andrea Sand was convicted of the murder and is serving 26 years to life. While in prison she married a Reno postal worker. Her husband has kept her case before the public and has even set up a website. The prosecutor and D.A. also had life-changes that are included in this new edition. This is one of the strangest true-crime stories ever written: a story of murder, reported rape, abduction and multiple personalities. It contains all of the ingredients of a chilling page-turner. Saroytan writes non-fiction as compelling as a great novel. Readers won't stop until the last page.

Reviews

Rating: 2 / 5
Date: 2005-05-22
Summary: "Isn't the full story. Seems biased, too."

There's more to the story than what is in the book. Rick Jackson (first reviewer) *was* Andrea's husband through 8 years of her imprisonment in California. He is listed in the back of the most recent edition of the book. He sounds very well-meaning, but he married her because he felt she was easily manipulated, gorgeous, and had been a "soft porn" star. He divorced her very suddenly in 2000, at a time when she needed him most, and continues to date women prisoners only and lead them on, similar to what happened to Andrea. Believe it or not, there are passive-aggressive men who date and marry women prisoners as a lifetime lifestyle. Often they have an underlying misogynistic anger toward their mothers and women in general. Female prisoners are vulnerable, easy prey to be emotionally manipulated by men on the outside who promise everything and deliver nothing. This may not contribute much to Andrea's true crime story, but it pretty much describes eight years of her life in prison. She has been denied parole many times and is still hoping to get out at the age of 64. The D.A. involved is determined to keep her in prison and they treat her like she is some kind of a serial killer. I think that this book by Aram Saroyan certainly has not helped things. Andrea has been a victim her entire life but is rehabiliated now. This book may be the impetus for Andrea to have to die in prison.

Rating: 2 / 5
Date: 1997-03-10
Summary: "Very pooly written, does not show the human side of Andrea"

My name is Rick Jackson. If you read the acknowledgements, you'll see me listed as a contributor. I am currently married to Andrea (Sand) Mims, who continutes to serve a life sentence after being falsely convicted of 1st degree murder. The Andrea depicted in "Rancho Mirage" is not the Andrea I know and love. Saroyan painted a very negative picture of her based on transcripts, police reports, and interviews with prosecution witnesses. A history of Andrea's life and a little investigation would have revealed a very different story. I would like to write a follow-up book, tentatively to be titled "Rape of an Angel." I would welcome the assistance of any writer able to help in this project