Shasta Groene publishes a book detailing her survival after a notorious Idaho killing spree.

BOISE, Idaho — Nearly two decades after her rescue from one of Idaho’s most infamous killing sprees, Shasta Groene released a book about her story last week, sharing her survival story, which she says “was only beginning.”

Out of the Woods, a book by true crime writer Gregg Olsen, dives into Groene’s story following the 2005 murders of her family members and her kidnapping and sexual assault, “from the beginning to the very end.” Groene and Olsen are holding a book signing event in Boise on Sunday.

“For so long, people told me my truth was too much—too hard to hear, too painful to face,” she wrote in a social media post. “But I lived it. I survived it. And now, I’m finally telling it. OUT OF THE WOODS isn’t just my story—it’s about survival, about the flaws in our system, and about how we find the strength to overcome even the darkest moments.”

The release of her book comes 20 years after she endured the brutal murders of her family by serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan. 


In May 2005, Shasta was 8 years old when her mother, stepfather and one of her brothers were killed. She and her other brother, Dylan, were kidnapped and tortured in Lolo National Forest in Montana before Dylan was murdered before her very eyes.

Shasta was held captive and sexually assaulted for weeks before being spotted with the killer, Duncan, at a restaurant in Coeur d’Alene and rescued in July 2005. Duncan was later sentenced to death and died in federal prison in 2021.

In a 2015 interview with KTVB, Groene spoke about her struggles with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse that began when she was 12.

“When I was 14, that was my first time ever doing meth, and for four years after that, it was meth,” she said at the time. “Pretty much anything I could get my hands on that made me feel like a different person I would do.”

By 2015, she had been clean for two years and was expecting her first child. She also told KTVB she wanted to write a book to inspire other survivors.

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Now, with the publication of “Out of the Woods,” Groene says she’s ready to confront not just her personal trauma, but also to share her lessons. 

“Trauma never truly goes away,” she said. “No matter how much time passes, it stays with survivors every single day. Some days are easier, some are harder. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: It’s OK to not be OK. And it’s OK to ask for help.”

Groene plans to support the book’s release with media appearances in the coming months. She expressed hope that sharing her complete story would help other survivors.

“This is bigger than just a book,” she said. “It’s my truth. It’s my survival. And I hope it helps others find their own strength, too.”

To watch KTVB’s full sit-down interview with Groene, visit our story here.Â