Mystery, Millions & Murder in New Jersey Book Reivew

Mystery, Millions & Murder in New Jersey: The Tragic Kidnapping of Exxon’s Sidney Reso

By John E. O’Rourke

The History Press (2019)

I recently read Mystery, Millions & Murder in New Jersey, and loved it.  The story of how Sidney Reso, a New Orleans native, who worked his way up the Exxon ladder to a high-level management position only to be kidnapped and murdered, is told in electrifying fashion by author John O’Rourke.  Reso’s last days in a wooden box with no food or water and boiling in the heat were horrifying.  The fact that the kidnappers didn’t care shows their lack of humanity and all-consuming greed.

I highly recommend this work.  The following online interview with Mr. O'Rourke will help introduce the author to my blog readers.

Describe your experiences in law enforcement.  What made you want to become a cop?

The only thing I can remember is wanting to be a cop.  As a young boy I used to watch the TV show “Adam 12” and that was it for me.  Then, my next-door neighbor Ed Roll was like a big brother to me as he was 6 years older.  Ed wanted to be a New Jersey State Trooper.  From there on my goal was to become a trooper.

I graduated the academy in June of 1985.  I began my patrol up in Sussex County, NJ, where troopers are responsible for most of the towns.  I believe there were 12 towns we patrolled when I was there. When you graduate, new troopers are given a couch to teach while on the job.  My couch happened to be my next-door neighbor Ed Roll, who became a trooper 7 years prior.

In my 26- year career I policed in rural and urban settings and did some highway work as well. Moreover, I did some undercover work but very little.  Most of my time was in uniform.

In my many years in law enforcement I have conducted numerous investigations. I like to say I have investigated anything from motor vehicle accidents to murder. Through those years my investigations led to nearly a thousand of arrests and the incarceration of approximately 300 criminals.

What made you decide to write about the Reso kidnapping and murder?

After I retired from the state police, I began doing security consulting work and training.  The Sidney Reso incident is a good case study in situational awareness and the methodology of kidnappers.  After studying the case I realized this would be a great true crime book.  I did some research and found out a book had never been written about the investigation.  Although having been covered on Discovery ID, and American Justice TV shows, nothing had been written about the crime.

That being said, I set out on my research and interviewed FBI agents, local law enforcement officers and people that knew the kidnappers.

This was truly an “innocence vs. evil” case.  Can you briefly describe the three main characters: Sid Reso, Arthur Seale, and Jackie Seale?

It’s interesting you put it that way. It is a story of innocence vs. evil. Sidney Reso was the International President of Exxon and a power broker in the energy field.  However, through my research, I have come to know the man himself.  He was a nice guy who lived a modest life despite his wealth and position.  He had a wonderful wife and five children.  He and his wife Patricia attended church regularity and helped at food shelters from time to time.  They were warm loving people.

Arthur and Jackie Seale on the other hand were cold-callous people. They were filled with greed and envy.  Whereas Sidney Reso was a man who believed in hard work and perseverance to provide for his family, Art Seale was lazy and unambitious.  His wife Jackie got fired from just about every job she had because of talking too much and lack of a work ethic. Art was an ex-cop from Hillside, NJ who, besides his lack of ambition had anger issues.  He left the force due to an on the job injury.

The case was a logistical nightmare for the FBI and local law enforcement agencies.  To their credit, they kept at it until it was solved.  Do you believe Art and Jackie Seale would have been caught had they not attempted to collect the ransom one last time?

The case was the largest the FBI had at the time of its occurrence. During the 57- day duration of the investigation the FBI had a profile on the suspects. That profile was dead on.  However, if Art and Jackie Seale just walked away from the crime odds are they would have never been caught.  DNA analysis was not what it is today and without that there just wasn’t enough evidence to pin the crime on them through investigative means.

Are you working on a new book?  If so, can you give readers a hint?

It so happens I am finalizing the narrative of my next book. The book is a fiction story about a Private Eye working in the city of Hoboken on a political corruption case.  I am presently seeking a literary agent to represent me with this endeavor.

Also, I have began researching true crime cases in the hopes of identifying a story I feel is worthy of writing about.  It needs to be a case that is interesting and hasn’t been written about before.