Loving wife to Patton Oswalt and devoted mother to Alice Oswalt

Michelle McNamara loved writing. Best known as a crime writer, she turned her passion into a unique, smart, and valuable resource for underexposed cold cases. Her affection for writing was contagious and inspired many writers, and people who care about writing, to pursue their creative outlets. Michelle graduated from the University of Notre Dame and received a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing from the University of Minnesota, where she delighted in helping young writers pursue their craft. Her interest in researching unsolved criminal cases sparked her to launch the website True Crime Diary. One case in particular, “The Golden State Killer” — a term she coined — resulted in a hugely successful article for LA Magazine that she was turning into a book for Harper Collins.

826LA encourages young writers to explore their creativity and improve their writing skills, and helps teachers get their classes excited about writing. A donation to 826LA in Michelle’s honor helps push forward her creative legacy. On behalf of Michelle, Patton, and Alice, we thank you for your donation.

Click below to make a donation to 826LA in Michelle’s name.

Photo by Robyn Von Swank