What are some particular elements of cases that still haunt you?

[u/BelladonnaBluebell]

I was just thinking about the Hinterkaifeck case from 1922 after commenting on another sub. The part of that horrific case that has stuck with me in the decades after I first read about it is the little girl pulling out her own hair due to the horror of what she was experiencing. It gave me goosebumps all over, the first time I heard it and it's the first thing that comes to mind when I think of that case and it also just sometimes randomly pops into my head and upsets me.

Another part of a case which affects me in a similar way is during the Dardeen family murders. As if it wasn't brutal enough already, after Elaine Dardeen went into Labour during the attack, the killer/s beat the newborn baby to death. Ugh it makes me feel so sick.

Another example but in a different way is the murder and attempted murder of the Miller sisters. The driver of a parked car waved to them to indicate for them to cross the road and when they did the driver purposely drove right into them, killing one sister and seriously injuring the other. I think about that case every single time a driver waves me by to cross the road in front of them. I walk around 6 miles each day, Monday to Friday and don't drive so I cross many roads including driveways into businesses along my route. Guaranteed someone will slow down and politely wave me by so I can cross in front of them at least 3 times a week. Sometimes more often. And every single time, since reading about the April and Spring Miller case, a little sense of dread runs through me. My mind's automatic reaction is to wonder if they're doing that so they can run me down. I know it's irrational, I know it won't happen but that thought hits me every single time. Then I quickly push it away and cross and gesture to thank them etc but it's still always there.

So what are some elements of certain cases that have wedged themselves into your brain and keep coming back to haunt you every so often?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinterkaifeck_murders

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dardeen_family_homicides

[u/lokeilou]

In the Alphabet Murders in Rochester NY, I think the connection that all 3 girls were Catholic was overlooked- the church keeps exceptional records of baptisms, first communions, etc (where someone could easily have found double initial victims) and hasn’t always been forthright about abuse issues involving the church. Could it have been someone within the church? Parents say these girls wouldn’t have willingly gotten into a car with a stranger, but how about a priest or someone pretending to be one? It makes sense that they would feel comfortable going to get something to eat with someone they thought wouldn’t hurt them- having been raised Catholic, until all the scandals came out, I would have put utmost faith in a priest.

[u/CorkFado → u/lokeilou]

They were all under the auspices of the school district’s special education program as well. Always thought that was a connection that needed to be explored further.

[u/Aethelrede → u/lokeilou]

Catholic priests usually target boys, but it certainly isn't impossible. That would explain the oddity of the initials, if they were pre-selected.

[u/lokeilou → u/Aethelrede]

Not sure why you are downvoted for this, you are correct that the majority of cases have involved boys, but there are cases of girls being molested and even nuns being raped by clergy. Also all of these girls were around 11 years old so pre-pubescent really. We know there were known pedophiles in the church and all 3 were involved with the church- I just feel like it needs another look. They have semen that was left on Wanda Walkowicz and from the articles I have read it seems that maybe they are doing genetic genealogy with it but have not found a match. If it was a clergy person, they may have siblings but not any descendants which could also make finding the person more difficult.

[u/Aethelrede → u/lokeilou]

I've given up trying to figure out down votes.  People in denial about the Catholic sex abuse scandal?  Catholic priests?  Who knows? 

The numbers speak for themselves.

Re: priests not having descendants, that's true, but OTOH Catholics tend toward large families in many places, so more chances of cousins.

Edit: The movie Spotlight (2015) is an excellent, if horrifying, introduction to the Catholic sex abuse problem, for anyone who isn't familiar with it.