Theory Assignment
1 /2 0/2 017 M urd ero us C hild re n: A ly ssa B usta m ante ( 1 5) B ru ta lly M urd ere d a 9 Y earO ld G ir l | O wlc atio n h ttp s://o w lc atio n.c om /s ocia l s cie nces/M urd ero usC hild re nA ly ssaB usta m ante 1 /1 0 M urd ero u s C hild re n : A ly ssa B usta m an te ( 1 5 ) B ru ta lly M urd ere d a 9 Y ea rO ld G ir l U pdate d o n M ay 2 3, 2 016 E liz a b eth O lt e n w as b eate n , s tr a n gle d , a n d h ad h er t h ro at s lit b y A ly ssa B usta m an te 9 Y ear O ld E liz a beth O lt e n. | S ourc e H er H obby W as M urd er A nto nia M onacelli m ore 1 /2 0/2 017 M urd ero us C hild re n: A ly ssa B usta m ante ( 1 5) B ru ta lly M urd ere d a 9 Y earO ld G ir l | O wlc atio n h ttp s://o w lc atio n.c om /s ocia l s cie nces/M urd ero usC hild re nA ly ssaB usta m ante 2 /1 0 T he fa ce o f a c o ld b lo oded k ille r: 1 5 y e ar o ld A ly ssa B usta m ante . 1 /2 0/2 017 M urd ero us C hild re n: A ly ssa B usta m ante ( 1 5) B ru ta lly M urd ere d a 9 Y earO ld G ir l | O wlc atio n h ttp s://o w lc atio n.c om /s ocia l s cie nces/M urd ero usC hild re nA ly ssaB usta m ante 3 /1 0 T he h elp le ss v ic tim : 9 y e ar o ld E liz a beth O lt e n. | S ourc e P re p arin g F or M urd er W hen m ost te enagers h ave a F rid ay o ff s c h ool, th ey s le ep in , m ayb e g et to geth er w it h fr ie nds, o r b um a ro und th e h ouse in p aja m as a ll d ay. W hen 1 5y e aro ld A ly ssa B usta m ante o f M is so uri h ad a F rid ay o ff fr o m s ch ool, s h e s p ent th e d ay d ig gin g tw o h ole s in th e g ro und to b e u se d a s g ra ve s.
T hen s h e w ait e d.
A ly ssa w ent o n w it h lif e a s u su al, s h e w ent to s ch ool, s h e h ung o ut w it h fr ie nds; a ll th e w hile ju st w ait in g fo r th e p erfe ct o pportu nit y to m urd er. T hat o pportu nit y c a m e ju st 4 d ays la te r, o n O cto ber 2 1st, 2 009 in th e e ve nin g, w hen h er n eig hbour, 9 y e aro ld E liz a beth O lt e n w as w alk in g h om e fr o m h er fr ie nd's h ouse .
E liz a beth w as la st s e en a t 6 :1 5pm , w hen s h e le ft h er fr ie nds h ouse to g o h om e, h er h ouse w as o nly a fe w h ouse s d ow n. E liz a beth w as n eve r s e en a liv e a gain . W hen s h e h adn't r e tu rn ed h om e, t h e fa m ily fr a ntic a lly b egan lo okin g fo r h er, a nd c a lle d p olic e to r e port h er m is sin g a ro und 7 pm . H er 1 /2 0/2 017 M urd ero us C hild re n: A ly ssa B usta m ante ( 1 5) B ru ta lly M urd ere d a 9 Y earO ld G ir l | O wlc atio n h ttp s://o w lc atio n.c om /s ocia l s cie nces/M urd ero usC hild re nA ly ssaB usta m ante 4 /1 0 f a m ily , k n ow in g s h e w as a fr a id o f th e d ark , a nd w ould n ot h ave w andere d o ff a lo ne, g re w i n cre asin gly w orrie d. T hey k n ew th at E liz a beth w ould n ot s ta y o ut a fte r d ark a lo ne w illin gly , a nd t h ey k n ew th ey n eeded to fin d h er. W hat th ey d id n't k n ow w as th at it w as a lr e ady to o la te . H ow C ould a 1 5Y earO ld G ir l B e a C old B lo oded M urd ere r?
C old B lo oded M urd ere r: A ly ssa 's m ugsh ot. 1 /2 0/2 017 M urd ero us C hild re n: A ly ssa B usta m ante ( 1 5) B ru ta lly M urd ere d a 9 Y earO ld G ir l | O wlc atio n h ttp s://o w lc atio n.c om /s ocia l s cie nces/M urd ero usC hild re nA ly ssaB usta m ante 5 /1 0 A ly ssa w ould e ve ntu ally s h ow h er d ark e r s id e, b ut w ere w arn in g s ig ns ig nore d? | S ourc e W hat H ap pen ed & W hy? " I W an te d T o K now W hat It F elt L ik e T o K ill S om eo ne" A ly ssa , s e ein g th at s h e fin ally h ad th e o pportu nit y to k ill, to ok it . S he g ra bbed E liz a beth O lt e n, b eat h er, s tr a ngle d h er, a nd fin ally , s h e s ta bbed h er a nd s lit h er th ro at. S he th en d um ped h er b ody in to o ne o f th e g ra ve s s h e h ad d ug th e w eek b efo re in a n earb y w ooded a re a.
P olic e s e arc h ed v ig ila ntly fo r th e lit tle g ir l, in clu din g th e a re a w here h er b ody w ould e ve ntu ally b e f o und, b ut th ey fo und n o tr a ce o f h er. T hey p in ged E liz a beth 's c e llp hone, a nd th ough it s h ow ed th e l o ca tio n a s b ein g th e w oods w here h er b ody la y, th e p olic e s e arc h ed th e a re a w it h out lo ca tin g h er, o r h er c e ll p hone.
I n th e e nd, a fte r a le tte r le d p olic e to A ly ssa , s h e c o nfe sse d. I t w as A ly ssa h ers e lf w ho le d p olic e to t h e g ra ve w here th e b ody o f th e b ru ta lly s la in g ir l la y. W hy?
T he w hy in th is c a se is r e ally s im ple , y e t r e ally c o m plic a te d. T he s im ple e xp la natio n g iv e n b y A ly ssa h ers e lf w as th at s h e w ante d to k n ow w hat it fe lt lik e to k ill s o m eone. T he p sych olo gic a l im plic a tio ns 1 /2 0/2 017 M urd ero us C hild re n: A ly ssa B usta m ante ( 1 5) B ru ta lly M urd ere d a 9 Y earO ld G ir l | O wlc atio n h ttp s://o w lc atio n.c om /s ocia l s cie nces/M urd ero usC hild re nA ly ssaB usta m ante 6 /1 0 o f th at s ta te m ent a re o bvio us; n orm al, m enta lly s ta ble p eople , e ve n if th ey h ave e ve r w ondere d t h at q uestio n th em se lv e s, d o n ot g o a nd a ctu ally c o m mit a m urd er in o rd er to fin d o ut. W hat m ade A ly ssa ta ke d ecid e to a ctu ally s a tis fy h er c u rio sit y ? T hat a nsw er is a lit tle m ore c o m plic a te d. A s u su al, it w as a c a se o f h in dsig ht. T here w ere c lu es a nd w arn in g s ig ns th at s o m eth in g w as n ot r ig ht w it h A ly ssa . A ly ssa h ad s h ow n s ig ns o f p sych olo gic a l p ro ble m s in th e p ast. S he h ad a tte m pte d s u ic id e n um ero us tim es, a nd s h e w as o n m edic a tio n fo r d epre ssio n. S he h ad b een g iv e n b oth in patie nt a nd o utp atie nt p sych ia tr ic c a re a fte r h er la st s u ic id e a tte m pt. S he w as a " c u tte r"; s o m eone w ho g enera lly d eals w it h e m otio nal p ain b y c u ttin g a nd in flic tin g p hysic a l p ain o n t h em se lv e s, o r s e lf m utila tin g. H er b est fr ie nd, w hen in te rv ie w ed, c la im s A ly ssa h ad o nce to ld h er t h at s h e w ondere d w hat it w ould b e lik e to k ill s o m eone. ( S ee r ig ht fo r v id eo c lip o f h er in te rv ie w ). S he h ad m any o nlin e a cco unts , b ut it w as n ote d o n h er Y o uTu be a cco unt in p artic u la r th at s h e l is te d h er h obbie s a s " k illin g p eople " a nd " c u ttin g". H er Y o uTu be a cco unt a ls o h ad w hat p olic e c o nsid ere d s o m e d is tu rb in g 'h om e m ovie s', in clu din g o ne w here s h e u rg es h er b ro th ers to to uch a n e le ctr if ie d c a ttle fe nce , a fte r d oin g s o h ers e lf . B efo re th e c lip in vo lv in g h er b ro th ers , A ly ssa w rit e s " th is is w here it g ets g ood; th is is w here m y b ro th ers g et h urt" . ( S ee r ig ht fo r v id eo c lip ). I n a ddit io n, n eit h er o f A ly ssa 's p are nts w ere a ro und, a nd A ly ssa w as in th e c a re o f h er g ra ndpare nts . A ly ssa w as b orn to a te enage m oth er, w ho h as a c rim in al r e co rd fo r p etty c rim es, d ru g p osse ssio n, a n a D UI. A ly ssa 's fa th er is in p ris o n s e rv in g a 1 0y e ar s e nte nce fo r a ssa ult . A ly ssa w as d escrib ed a s v io le nt, d epre sse d, a nd a ngry . N one o f th ese th in gs a re a n e xcu se fo r m urd er, b ut w e a s a s o cie ty h ave to q uestio n w heth er s o m eth in g s h ould h ave b een d one fo r A ly ssa b efo re th is h appened. I f s o m eone h ad s te pped in , c o uld w e h ave p re ve nte d th is v ic io us m urd er fr o m o ccu rrin g?
P olic e h ave s p ecu la te d th at th e r e aso n th at A ly ssa h ad d ug n ot o ne, b ut tw o g ra ve s, w as b eca use s h e h ad p la nned to m urd er h er tw o y o unger b ro th ers , b ut h ad in ste ad g ra bbed th e o pportu nit y to k ill E liz a beth w hen it p re se nte d it s e lf . T hey fe el th e Y o uTu be v id eo b acks u p th is th eory ; s h e c le arly t o ok d elig ht in in flic tin g p ain o n h er b ro th ers . W hile th ere h as b een n o c o rro bora tio n b y A ly ssa o f t h is a lle gatio n, th e q uestio n o f w hy th ere w ere tw o g ra ve s d ug is a n in te re stin g o ne, th at w e m ig ht n eve r k n ow th e a nsw er to . D id A ly ssa h ave d if f e re nt ta rg ets in m in d f o r h er c rim es? W ould s h e h ave k ille d a gain , if s h e h ad n ot b een c a ught th e fir s t tim e?
H er f ir s t h earin g... 1 /2 0/2 017 M urd ero us C hild re n: A ly ssa B usta m ante ( 1 5) B ru ta lly M urd ere d a 9 Y earO ld G ir l | O wlc atio n h ttp s://o w lc atio n.c om /s ocia l s cie nces/M urd ero usC hild re nA ly ssaB usta m ante 7 /1 0 A ly ssa B usta m ante a rriv in g in c o urt fo r h er h earin g. 1 /2 0/2 017 M urd ero us C hild re n: A ly ssa B usta m ante ( 1 5) B ru ta lly M urd ere d a 9 Y earO ld G ir l | O wlc atio n h ttp s://o w lc atio n.c om /s ocia l s cie nces/M urd ero usC hild re nA ly ssaB usta m ante 8 /1 0 A ly ssa B usta m ante in th e c o urtro om , w here s h e in it ia lly p le d " N ot G uilt y ".
T he T ria l, V erd ic t & S en te n cin g A ly ssa w as a rre ste d, a nd c h arg ed w it h fir s t d egre e m urd er in th e d eath o f E liz a beth O lt e n. S he a ppeare d in c o urt o n N ove m ber 1 7th , 2 009, w here th e ju dge r u le d th at s h e s h ould b e tr ie d a s a n a dult . D esp it e h er c o nfe ssio n to th e c rim e, a s w ell a s h avin g le d th e p olic e to E liz a beth 's b ody, s h e h as e nte re d a p le a o f " N ot G uilt y ". S he is b ein g h eld w it h out b ond. W hile in c u sto dy, it h as b een r e porte d th at A ly ssa h as tr ie d to h arm h ers e lf b y c u ttin g h ers e lf w it h h er o w n fin gern ails . I t is s a id s h e h as b een e xh ib it in g s ig ns o f a nxie ty a nd s e ve re d epre ssio n in j a il, a nd h as b een u nder s u ic id e w atc h . D ue to a m otio n file d b y h er la w ye r, s h e h as b een r e m anded to a p sych ia tr ic in stit u tio n to u nderg o e va lu atio n, a nd r e ce iv e im media te p sych ia tr ic t r e atm ent.
A tr ia l s ta rt d ate o f M ay 1 6th , 2 011 h as b ee n s e t fo r A ly ssa B usta m ante . T here , s h e w ill s ta nd tr ia l c h arg ed a s a n a dult w it h fir s t d egre e m urd er fo r th e h orrif ic s la yin g o f h er y o ung n eig hbour, 9 y e aro ld E liz a beth O lt e n. 1 /2 0/2 017 M urd ero us C hild re n: A ly ssa B usta m ante ( 1 5) B ru ta lly M urd ere d a 9 Y earO ld G ir l | O wlc atio n h ttp s://o w lc atio n.c om /s ocia l s cie nces/M urd ero usC hild re nA ly ssaB usta m ante 9 /1 0 A ly ssa F in ally F aces t h e C onseq uen ces...
A ly ssa n ow fa ce s lif e in p ris o n. | S ourc e U PD ATE : F eb ru ary 8 th , 2 012 A fte r p re vio us is su es th at d ela ye d th e tr ia l o f A ly ssa B usta m ante , s h e w as fin ally s e t to fa ce th e m urd er c h arg es, w it h a tr ia l d ue to s ta rt in J a nuary 3 0th , 2 012. In ste ad, A ly ssa p le aded g uilt y to t h e c h arg e o f 2 nd d egre e m urd er a nd a rm ed c rim in al a ctio n.
T here w as a n a udib le g asp h eard in th e c o urtr o om w hen th e n ow 1 8y e aro ld A ly ssa a dm it te d to t a kin g a k n if e to th ro at o f E liz a beth O lt e n a nd s lit tin g it , th en s tr a nglin g h er w it h h er b are h ands a fte rw ard . H er d efe nse te am tr ie d to o ff e r a n um ber o f e xcu se s fo r w hat c a use A ly ssa to p erfo rm t h is h orrid , h auntin g a ct, in clu din g th e fa ct th at s h e w as o n th e a nti d epre ssa nt " P ro za c" a s b ein g a c o ntr ib uto r, w hic h s h e h ad b egun ta kin g in 2 007 a fte r a s u ic id e a tte m pt, a nd h ad s ta rte d a n i n cre ase d d osa ge ju st tw o w eeks p rio r to E liz a beth 's m urd er. T hey r e co unte d a fa m ily h is to ry o f d ru g a buse , s u ic id e a tte m pts , a nd m enta l d is o rd ers , a nd s a id th at h er m oth er h ad a bandoned h er a nd h er fa th er w as in p ris o n, to tr y to e xp la in th e m enta l s ta te A ly ssa w as in w hen s h e b ru ta lly m urd ere d E liz a beth O lt e n. 1 /2 0/2 017 M urd ero us C hild re n: A ly ssa B usta m ante ( 1 5) B ru ta lly M urd ere d a 9 Y earO ld G ir l | O wlc atio n h ttp s://o w lc atio n.c om /s ocia l s cie nces/M urd ero usC hild re nA ly ssaB usta m ante 1 0/1 0 P sych olo gis ts fo r th e d efe nse d escrib ed A ly ssa a s " p sych olo gic a lly d am aged" a nd " s e ve re ly e m otio nally d is tu rb ed". T hey te stif ie d th at s h e s u ff e rs fr o m M ajo r D epre ssio n, a nd a ls o d is p la ys s ym pto m s o f B ord erlin e P ers o nalit y D is o rd er, w hic h is c h ara cte riz e d b y fe elin gs o f e m ptin ess, i n sta bilit y o f m oods, in appro pria te d is p la ys o f a nger, a nd p oor im puls e c o ntr o l. T hough th e d eta ils o f A ly ssa 's m enta l s ta bilit y w ere q uit e d is tu rb in g s h e h ad p re vio us s u ic id e a tte m pts , a h is to ry o f s e lf h arm in clu din g o ve r 3 00 c u ts o n h er b ody, a s w ell a s s e lf in flic te d c ig are tte b urn m ark s th e m ost d is tu rb in g, a nd th e m ost d am nin g e vid ence p re se nte d w as a jo urn al e ntr y th at A ly ssa m ade in h er d ia ry a fte r th e m urd er. S he w ro te : " I s tr a ngle d th em a nd s lit th eir th ro at a nd s ta bbed th em n ow t h ey'r e d ead. I d on't k n ow h ow to fe el a tm . It w as a hm azin g. A s s o on a s y o u g et o ve r th e ' o hm yg aw d I c a n't d o th is ' fe elin g, it 's p re tty e njo ya ble . I'm k in da n erv o us a nd s h aky th ough r ig ht n ow . K ay, I g otta g o to c h urc h n ow ...lo l. " A fte r d ays o f v e ry e m otio nal te stim ony in th e c o urt, A ly ssa b ro ke d ow n a nd c rie d fo r th e fir s t tim e in o ve r 2 y e ars o f c o urt p ro ce edin gs, w hile th e p ro se cu tio n w as m akin g a n im passio ned p le a fo r th e j u dge to g iv e h er a lif e s e nte nce . A ly ssa , w ho h ad b een s ta rin g a t th e flo or im passiv e ly w hile th e p ro se cu tio n r e co unte d h er c rim e, b ro ke d ow n w hen g ra ndpare nts g ot u pse t a nd s to rm ed o ut o f th e c o urtr o om . A ly ssa 's g ra ndpare nts w ere n ot th e o nly o nes to h ave a n e m otio nal b re akd ow n; a fte r t h e ju dge's a nnounce m ent th at h e w ould h and d ow n a s e nte nce th e n ext d ay, th e g ra ndm oth er o f t h e v ic tim , E liz a beth O lt e n, y e lle d o ut " I th in k A ly ssa s h ould g et o ut o f ja il th e s a m e d ay E liz a beth g ets o ut o f th e g ra ve !" .
O n F ebru ary 8 th , 2 012, A ly ssa B usta m ante g ave a fin al s ta te m ent b efo re th e ju dge h anded d ow n h er s e nte nce ; " If I c o uld g iv e m y lif e to b rin g h er b ack, I w ould ", A ly ssa a ddre sse d th e c o urt, w hile f a m ily m em bers o f h er v ic tim , 9 y e aro ld E liz a beth O lt e n, w ept, " I ju st w ant to s a y I'm s o rry fo r w hat h appened. I 'm s o s o rry ". S he w as th en s e nte nce d to lif e im pris o nm ent, w it h th e p ossib ilit y o f p aro le .
Y o u M ig ht B e In te re ste d In ...
O th er a rtic le s in m y " M urd ero us C hild re n " s e rie s; 1 2 Y e ar O ld C ris tia n F ern andez K ille d H is 2 Y e ar O ld B ro th er & S exu ally A buse d A noth er S ib lin g 1 0 Y e ar O ld J o se ph M cV a y S hot & K ille d H is M oth er A fte r A n A rg um ent O ve r C hore s 1 2 Y e ar O ld J a sm in e R ic h ard so n M urd ere d H er P are nts & 8 Y e ar O ld B ro th er 1 1 Y e ar O ld S eria l K ille r M ary B ell 1 4 Y e ar O ld C odey P ose y M urd ere d H is F ath er, S te pm oth er & S te psis te r 1 4 Y e ar O ld J o sh P hillip s M urd ere d H is 8 Y e arO ld N eig hbour A nd H id H er U nder H is B ed F or a W eek 1 2 Y e ar O ld L io nel T a te K ille d a 6 Y e arO ld G ir l O r a rtic le s in m y " P are nts W ho K ill " s e rie s; E la in e C am pio ne D ro w ned H er T w o D aug hte rs A le xa ndra T o bia s K ille d H er B aby W hen H is C ry in g In te rru pte d H er F ace book G am e O r " U nsolv ed M urd ers " ; 3 3 Y e ar O ld A le xa ndra F la nagan's R em ain s F ound in T w o A re as ( B arrie , O nta rio , 2 007 )