Delia D'Ambra

His sons, Tim and Bob, consider him a hero in their eyes.

And according to Francis Hardy's reporting for the Daily Mail, they've taken up the mantle of his efforts to continue pursuing justice for Julie.

At the time of John's death, he had another book about the case still in the manuscript stage, and the brothers told the Daily Mail they still intend to publish it.

There's also a proposed documentary and drama series in the works.

I tried to reach out to Tim and Bob for this episode, but due to us being in different countries on different continents, I didn't hear back.

So Bob, Tim, if you're listening, I'd love to hear from you.

You can reach out directly to the show through the Park Predators Instagram, at parkpredators.

From everything I've read about John Ward, he went farther than most people are able or willing to go to fight for their murdered child.

But that work wasn't easy on him as a person.

At one point, he told The Guardian's Helen Carter, "...there is no sense of pleasure in finding out who murdered my daughter.

It has been grisly, unpleasant, and nasty work.

From day one, my sole objective has been to catch the bastard who has done this."

I don't think about whether Julie would have been pleased with me or say it is for her memory.

That's all Mickey Mouse stuff.

End quote.

In 1998, Julie's mom, Jan, wrote in a book titled Julie Ward, Gentle Nature, about how devastating the entire ordeal was on her family and how their pain never went away.

She penned in part, quote,

You've got to know why and how and who and where.

And you think when you know all that, you will understand and accept it.

But I will never in a million years understand how anybody could kill Julie.