Alleen Rowe

The story of how Alleen Rowe was murdered will never be forgotten. At the age of 15, she disappeared from her home in Tucson, Arizona. Her mother, Norma Rowe, reported her daughter missing only for the police to say she more than likely ran away. In reality, Alleen Rowe was led from her house to the middle of the desert by three people and killed by being repeatedly struck in the head with a rock. The murders buried her body in the sand and left it hidden in the arid terrain for years. The news of Alleen Rowe’s murder sparked the inspiration for several different types of writers to permanently write down her story for future generations to hear.
Prestigious news magazines took great interest in spreading the bone-chilling story. Journalists and the judge who tried the case wrote articles that were inserted into Time Life Magazine. The articles in Time Life Magazine gave an accurate reporting of what happened to the Arizona teenager. A timeline of the demise of Alleen Rowe and two other female adolescents is told. Background information that led up to the crimes is made public to let readers aware of the killers’ motivations. The judge who tried the case was able to focus more on the man who was put on trial and give more information on the man and what happened to him during the trial.
Carol Oates was also inspired to base her fiction story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” on Alleen Rowe. Her short story focuses on the eeriness of the murders’ personas and Alleen Rowe’s habits as a high school girl. The basic story is the same, however, minor details are slightly changed around. Carol Oates’ story was turned into the movie “Smooth Talk” to let audiences get a visual of how strange her killer was.
Even the legendary singer and songwriter Bob Dylan felt the need to write something that memorialized the murder. People around the world listen to his famous music. Bob Dylan sang about how her life had come to an end and she had to unwillingly let go. He sings the sad tale of a girl dying who had her whole life in front of her.
The murder case inspired writers from prestigious news magazines, to fiction writer Carol Oates, to even song artist Bob Dylan. No matter what style the story is written down in, the basic information is accurately relayed with evolving details. Each style gives a different point of view to the murders. The writers’ works collaborate together to have one thing accomplished: Alleen Rowe’s story will never be forgotten.