True crime aficionados will have a local event to attend next month, when the first ever Fargo Crime-Con debuts at the Fargo Ramada.
Tony Tilton is chairman of Fargo Crime-Con, a non-profit event sponsored by ValleyCon and Moorhead Community Access Media. He says the event will bring together speakers, guests, and vendors of all kinds around the popular true crime genre, which has exploded in recent years.
Tilton says careful consideration is being taken to not sensationalize or glorify criminals nor the crimes they commit - but he says the widespread interest surrounding true crime provides a broad backdrop and opportunity to hear from local and regional voices on the topic.
"We're working with some people who are FBI, the local PDs, and the Indigenous Women's groups that are working about Missing Indigenous Women. And also, we're working with the Wetterling Foundation, that someone from that group will be coming. We're hoping for Patty, but we haven't heard yet - she is on a book tour right now. But they said someone will definitely be there from that group. There's a couple other groups we're working on and trying to nail someone down for that."
Tilton says guests may also hear from journalists, podcasters, independent investigators and even psychics and paranormal experts.
Tilton says the true crime genre seems to attract a lot of women – but by and large, many people are beginning to realize that violent crimes can take place anywhere, even in their own back yards.
"You have to realize, this stuff happens everywhere in the world - and the more infamous things that have happened - like the Ed Gein case - that was rural Wisconsin. It could have just as easily been rural Minnesota or rural North Dakota. And it's one of those issues where we have to have our eyes open to it. Not everybody's next door neighbor is going to be someone like that, but obviously the interest is there. And people have an idea about it, and are starting to see more happen."
Fargo Crime-Con will take place February 10th and 11th at the Fargo Ramada. Tickets go on sale January 14th, and can be found on the ValleyCon website, at www.valleycon.com/crimecon; or they can also be purchased at the door.