The Jolly Roger Social Club: A True Story of a Killer in Paradise

The true story of a series of bold killings which took place in a shadowy American expat community in Panama—a tale of greed, political history, and murder

In the remote Bocas del Toro, Panama, William Dathan Holbert, a.k.a. “Wild Bill,” is awaiting trial for the murder of five fellow American expatriots. Holbert’s first victims were the Brown family, who lived on a remote island in the area’s Darklands. There, Holbert turned their home into the “Jolly Roger Social Club,” using drink- and drug-fueled parties to get to know other expats. The club’s tagline was “Over 90 percent of our members survive.” Those odds were not in his victims’ favor.

The Jolly Roger Social Club is not just about what Holbert did or the complex financial and real estate motives behind the killings; it is about why Bocas del Toro turned out to be his perfect hunting ground, and why the community tolerated—even accepted him—for a time.

Told through the fascinating history of the country of Panama, a paradise with sinister ties to the political and economic interests of the United States, journalist Nick Foster brings this uniquely bizarre place to life. He sheds light on a community where many live under assumed names, desperate to leave their old lives behind—and sometimes people just disappear.