So awful.

...if these young women were sexually assaulted then the survivor's name should no longer be published, unless she is ok with it. Until then they must cease publishing her name, even though everyone already knows her name. I'm sure she is thinking the same thing, everyone already knows who I am so what's the point now? Still, that's policy almost universally, so her name should be withheld until she says it's ok to publish or broadcast her name.

which sounds like both are deceased.

But she's been left with lifelong disabilities.

(excerpt)
Birdwatchers found Olgin, 19, and Chapa, 18, the morning after the attack in the deep grass below a bluff Violent Andrews Park. Olgin, shot in the neck, was already dead. Chapa tried to crawl away for help despite taking a bullet to the head. She was so horribly disfigured by the blast her brother later identified her by her feet and hands.

The shooting left her paralyzed on the left side of her body and unable to speak. In the days after the attack, she communicated with investigators through sign language, using her right hand to describe her attacker.

Chapa, who has regained some of her abilities through two years of physical therapy, hugged Chief Giles on Friday at the news conference announcing the arrest of Strickland and his wife.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/man-busted-fatal-shooting-texas-lesbians-article-1.1839421#ixzz35TTxmHBG

This is absolutely unfathomable to me...

Texas and Florida. Two states Bushes ran.

This guy murdered his own daughter and her lover because they were gay and ditched their bodies next to a dumpster.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/dad-killed-daughter-lesbian-lover-gay-mom-article-1.1722103

.

I had no hope of this crime being solved.

of the public" isn't the problem here. He would have done the dastardly deeds to those two girls anyway but using some other means to accomplish what he set out to do. The problem, IMHO, is that this hideous monster actually unleashed his hatred. This is a growing problem that needs to be addressed.

The gun was what enabled Strickland to detain both girls in the first place. No other weapon would have the power to prevent multiple able-bodied individuals from being held captive.

... and wish that most of the guns in this country would disappear, like you I really don't like to see this thread turned into a gun issue. This is about homophobia and the threat it poses to LGBTs in real life.

to us the "growing problem that needs to be addressed". He unleashed his hatred. How would you control that? And how would you control that with semi-automatic weapons being readily available?

keep it alive through media, religious organizations and political circles help people such as this idiot use it to fodder their demented distain for their targeted victims. Tell me how me owning weapons and (how) my carry permit causes others to break the laws. I never said I have the answers. Thankfully, in this country, we are allowed to voice our opinions and we all know that opinions are like poop-shoots .... everyone has them.

if the perpetrators of these crimes were not shown in the media. Giving them the glory of publishing their pictures (even posthumously) is something they crave. I'd like to see more tax money spent on mental health funding. Reagan really cut that and it was a mistake imo.

On guns specifically, I'd like to see the semi-automatics off the streets - that's the only outright ban I'd push for. Would also like to see some sort of passing a competency test/license like we have w/cars. They both are items lots of folks own but can be dangerous if not operated properly. So, that is what I would suggest. No problem with traditional handguns, shotguns etc that people have for hunting and personal protection if the owners are mentally fit, can show safe operation, and then license. Just like cars. I don't think that would be too onerous to require.

an interesting article Ten Myths About Gun Control found here: http://people.duke.edu/~gnsmith/articles/myths.htm People on both sides of the fence on this issue point to "surveys and/or studies" with results that favor their own beliefs.

As far as in your post you state, "They both are items lots of folks own but can be dangerous if not operated properly." and I agree whole- heartedly.

I was very fortunate to have been born in the country to an avid hunter. I'd be willing to bet that the majority of farmers had various weapons, both long barrel as well as handguns. Those weapons were never locked up. My Dad taught my sister and I safety of weapons, to respect (something society is lacking in these days) them, how to take our weapons apart, clean and re-assemble as well as target practice. We were allowed to get our hunting permits once he felt confident that we were ready to. The teachings of my father carried through with owning my handguns.

Granted; having a firearm in the hands of a criminal creates a self assurance the future crime will be carried out successfully but I'd like to know how stricter guns laws will deter the criminal mind when there can always be a "plan B". If a firearm is not accessible, other means will be used.

I still believe a lot of people are so intent on focusing on the weapon, they steer the conversation away from the fact that this monster began his crime by making plans. His mental health is what is truly scary.

I also grew up in the country and that's probably why I look at reasonable restrictions rather than bans. Where I lived everyone had weapons (usually shotguns or rifles of some sort but also bows etc). Mostly hunting but for protection as well. We were taught to shoot bb guns when we were pretty young and we still didn't see these massacres we have today. Occasionally someone would get accidentally shot while hunting but that was about it.

Glad they got him.

for demonizing gays and creating an environment to facilitate the violent whack jobs?

killed, they say God despises us, that we attack God. How about the members of these groups stand up and accept that when they allow their clerics and Popes to speak unbridled hatred toward others, they are in fact encouraging murder?
Francis says God is at war with gays and his followers must fight. Not sure what his peeps expect to happen.

Don't understand the motivation.

in the hands of twisted, depraved and violent people who have others to carry out their demented, vicarious fantasies of control over others. Religion is a dangerous weapon in the hands of pathologically sick people leading other very pathologically sick people. In my experience, most are RW sickos on top of that. They are always whining and grousing about being called modern day NAZIS and fascists............well?

since they support "family values". Disgusting murderous hateful fuckwits.

(and was criticized for it), the Stricklands look so completely "normal" that it's almost surreal. And i wish nothing but the absolute worst for them.