Lily Burk encountered suspect near law school, sources tell The Times

A 50-year-old man arrested in connection with the slaying of 17-year-old Lily Burk encountered the girl near the Southwestern University School of Law on Wilshire Boulevard, law enforcement sources told The Times.

Burk had gone to the campus at the old Bullock's Wilshire building Friday to collect some papers for her mother, an attorney who worked there. The sources, who spoke on the condition that they not be named because the investigation was ongoing, told The Times that detectives believe the motive was robbery and that Burk appears to have been abducted from that area. 

Burk's body was found about 6 a.m. Saturday in the passenger seat of her black Volvo on the fringe of downtown Los Angeles, near Alameda and 5th streets. It was not immediately clear how the vehicle got to that location, which is several miles east of the law school. The car was parked in a lot surrounded by warehouses and lofts. Investigators said it appeared she had died from blunt force trauma and that there were signs of a struggle inside the car.

Read more about Lily Burk's slaying.

-- Richard Winton, Ari B. Bloomekatz and Andrew Blankstein

More on the Lily Burk case:

Lily Burk encountered suspect near law school, sources tell The Times

Suspect in Lily Burk's slaying has history of violent crimes, drug problems

Friends and family mourn Lily Burk

Girl, 17, found dead in downtown L.A.

Comments

[Chuck Wavy Dean]

If it is proven in a court of law that this is the man who killied Lily Burke then I hope he gets the death penalty. What a terrible crime and a tragic loss. My condolences to her family.

[Lena]

What a beautiful and radiant spirit. May she rest in peace. I pray for her family. This must be so difficult for them.

[Bonnie Russell]

A 50 year old? Oh my. That's beyond the pale. I was thinking teenager. Excuse me, all teenagers.

[NinaK]

I am truely appalled at the many murders that have been taking place in the last few months! Innocent people are dieing because of self-centered and evil so-called-humans. I simply cannot fathom taking someone's life no matter what. Then, these people claim "insanity" and/or "not guilty". The laws should be changed to where the culprits are immediately punished and the trials bypassed, especially when the identity of the killer is KNOWN! ! "Innocent until proven guilty" has become a big farce....the law KNOWS who the killer is, yet, the families of the victims must be "punished" by court appearances and further heartache with plea deals! Not to mention the great expense to the taxpayers!!

[wes]

may peace and comfort come to the victim's family. god bless this young lady on her journey.

[Matthew]

I'd love to hear someone defend how this horrible crime does not deserve death penalty consideration.

[Mark from the OC]

Very tragic indeed. However, Mom's gotta take some responsibility in choosing to let her 17-year-old girl run errands for her in an expensive car in downtown LA. I don't care how mature she was, a 17-year old girl is too naive and out of her league alone in the big city. The wild animal was probably following her and she didn't even realize it.

[jayteereal]

The sad thing is that if this guy hasn't did this before, then the only justice we'll get is him spending the rest of his life in prison even though we would love to see the death penalty in this case - My condolence to her parents

[dawn]

Matthew, the death penalty does not deter criminals. The majority of counties have now abolished the death penalty. The death penalty is a violation of fundamental rights - the right to life and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment. An eye for an eye? We're not in the Dark Ages anymore. Why should we as a society do to the criminal what we consider horrific in the first place? What this man did was disgusting; to put him to death is simply mirroring what he did and condoning the violence.

[Shawn]

Marc, I think your totally wrong. Expensive car? It was a old volvo...She might have been very mature, and going to run some errands is NOT a big deal. This guy should not be on the street, he actually should be DEAD. Who would think a girl would get abducted in daylight on Wilshire. Come on man, don't blame the mom...blame the freakin guy.

[Opa2]

So some one says the mother must take some of the blame? Believe me my friend, she is already doing so and will blame herself for the rest of her life.

[Bob]

What an awful tragedy, but wow, these comments are awful.

How is innocent until proven guilty a farce? And death penalty? Come on that does not bring the girl back. What is wrong with a civilized society logically investigating the crime, finding the suspected perpetrator, presenting evidence that persuades a jury of the accused that the suspect committed the crime and then removing that person from society by placing the person in incarceration for the rest of his/her life?

The difference between a crazed killer and a just society, is that the society must act deliberately, with prudence, fairly, and accurately. Furthermore, a civilized society is above a crazed criminal in that it does not indiscriminately punish people.

If we abort a deliberate justice system and/or kill a killer, society is no better than the killer it punished.

Let's not tarnish the law or this girl's memory by bringing or society down to the level of the killer.

[Joanne]

Mark from OC - That really isn't fair to blame the mother. The girl lived in Los Feliz, which is not too far from the law school. She's probably used to navigating around the city. Being from OC, you might think all of LA is crime-ridden. I work near the law school and walk around there all the time. It's not Irvine, but it's not as dangerous during day time as you may imagine. It's just an unfortunate turn of events that could happen in the safest part of the city. We moms have enough guilt to last us a life time without you adding to it.

[Mario]

Wow, exc. work LAPD, I wonder why murders go unsolved for years on end in minority communities, when it is obvious that investigative tactics work when they are applied. Can someone help me understand why that is?

This young lady's victimization was front and center in the papers, on line, and on the radio until the case was brought to this conclusion, a 44 year old Hispanic was hit over the head with a bottle and murdered, and had it not been for LA's Homicide report, I would have never known it.

Is there less value placed on the lives of Hispanics and Blacks in America?

[Mary Rosendale]

The comments about laying blame on the mother are shockingly cruel and insensitive.

By all accounts, this was a smart, aware young woman. No doubt she had been to her mom's office before and her mother would have made her aware of the character of the neighborhood. People are victims of senseless crimes of violence every day and the blame must lie squarely at the door of the perpetrator.

Please don't add to this family's terrible grief by standing in judgment on their parenting skills.

[Vince]

Matthew, the death penalty is the easy way out for them. You punish the mind in prison with a cell by yourself with little human contact.

[Peggy]

My heart is breaking for this young woman's family and friends. Blessed be.

[Steve]

Don't blame the mom. That's absurd. 17 is old enough to be driving into DT L.A. especially when one lives in Los Feliz. I'm sick of people who infantize everyone under 21. It's a joke. Do you remember how much freedom we had when we were 17 (those of us 35 years old and above)?

[dawn]

The death penalty is not the answer. It's a violation of fundamental rights - the right to life and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment. What this man did was horrific, but we are simply lowering ourselves to react like a medieval lynching mob and kill him in return. Most countries have abolished the death penalty- go see "The Stoning of Soraya M" if you'd like to see what killing another human in revenge is like. It is indeed tragic what happened to this girl; but the death penalty is not the solution and will not unfortunately deter criminals, as has been proven. My sympathies to the family, truly, it's just so sad.

[Rachel]

Mark in OC, I agree with you. I also grew up in Los Feliz but my mom would NEVER, EVER have let me drive over to Southwestern Law School on my own at 17. She wouldn't "let" me go down there alone now 20 years later if she has a say in it. It's not the best area for a lone female, maybe a lone person of either gender. I'm sorry this happened to Lily. She looked like a lovely girl but I hope this reminds parents and others that some areas are just not safe to be alone in.

That said, I hope that man gets the death penalty - hanging out in a bad area is no excuse for murder nor is poverty, drug addiction or anything else. I'm not advocating robbery but he could have just pushed her out of the car, she would have gotten home scared and shaken up but alive. He still got caught, thank goodness.

[Joe Black]

My sincere condolences to her family.

I do not mean to stir up anything but isn’t also tragic that similar crimes to this one; where the victims are African American or Latino do not get nearly the same media coverage.

[JJ]

The loss of innocent life is always tragic and sad. I too grieve for the family and the loss of their child.

Sadly these are everyday occurrences in "the big city". The differentiating point here is race and class. This story has "legs" because this pretty, rich, little white girl was killed on the seedy side of town.

You watch how fast LAPD moves on this one and how much ink it gets.

Classic story. Sad but true.

[MC]

As a downtown LA resident, I am especially saddened by this. No one is to blame except the criminal, for his own actions. To the mother and father, God Bless you, I pray for your comfort. I am so very sorry.

[Bob]

Mark from the O.C.,

You might want to spend some time on the other side of the Orange Curtain. The law school isn't in bad part of town. It's next door to the L.A. County of Museum of Art and half a block from the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Do really think the car made that much difference? She could have been in a Honda Civic and probably still would have been attacked.

NinaK, your remarks are the foundation of justice in places like China and South Korea. Please move there if you believe so little in the legal system here. Innocent people have been convicted and imprisoned because of wrongdoing or mistakes made by police and prosecutors. Without the rule of law in this country, there is no such thing as justice.

The prosecutor can and probably will seek the death penalty. A child was murdered during the commission of other felonies.

[Diane]

How can a 50 year-old man have such disrespect for human life? Most crimes of this type are committed by stupid young men who are flooded with rage and hormones but a 50 year-old? By his age most people are far beyond that stage and are beginning to sense their own mortality. If the motive was robbery, why did he have to kill her? It doesn't make sense but, if he did it, he knew exactly what he was doing and should pay the ultimate price.

[U Call That Journalism?!]

No picture of the suspect, or much of a description, but we got a full color pic of the victim in the arrest article.

As usual, a safe assumption is that the suspect is not a white man, which is often confirmed by the oversize, close-up photos the LA Times normally includes of suspects who are are white men. The more pale, masculine & N Euro/Protestant the larger the pic.

A good way for the Times to disprove this idea is to print his photo, as well as the paper's policy regarding photos of suspects and convicts.

[Matthew]

Mark from the OC, The law school is hardly in "downtown" L.A. It's mid-Wilshire, which while not being the safest part of the city, is very different from skid row. I'm sure the parents haven't absolved themselves from this.

[LJSmith]

Mark from the OC: You haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about. This kind of crime can happen anywhere- even in your safe little 'burb. Your notions about how the family might have somehow avoided this are callous and appalling.

[M A from LA]

I am appalled that Mark from OC or anyone would lay this at her mother's feet! I live blocks from that law library and take my daily walk by there all the time (AND I drive my expensive car there everyday)- it is no less safe than anywhere else in LA. Lily was a city smart girl (she was raised in LA, not OC). It was a numbers game and her number came up and this creep was there.

As tragic as this is, no one should be blaming her parents- they are nearly dead with grief. And they are, no doubt, blaming themselves for not keeping their child in a hermetically sealed bag.

[George Soros]

Another example of a failed a justice system where we let predators roam around in our society to pray on innocent victims.
Why wasn't this sub-human taken out of commission before? According to news reports he has a "history of assault with a deadly weapon, robbery and kidnapping" - and we let this guy lose to do his dirty deed once again? Shame on everyone, and especially our politicians, who don't believe in, and support a 'ONE strike and you're out' policy for violent offenders such as this animal. You all have blood on your hands! If he had been locked up for life, or better yet executed after his first conviction, Lily Burk would be alive today!
Now, if this creep is found guilty in a court of law once again, take him out in a public place and execute him immediately - end of story. I for one don't want to spend one red cent of my tax dollar to house and feed this vulture in a prison somewhere and take the risk that he might escape and do the same thing over again.

[working mom]

Mark from the OC - this victim's grieving family is not responsible for the fact that the entire US is overrun with career criminals, drug addicts and violent mentally ill. Broadway star Norbert Leo Butz's sister was just murdered in her own Seattle home by a maniac a judge had refused to lock up days before. Lily Burke went to a University to pick up papers, she could just as easily have been picking up a college application. When are we going to hold our justice system accountable instead of blaming grief-stricken parents for tragic events like this one.

[Amy]

"However, Mom's gotta take some responsibility in choosing to let her 17-year-old girl run errands for her in an expensive car in downtown LA."

I'm a Southwestern alum and lifelong Los Angeleno, and thus know the area and its surrounding environs well. The story says Burk went to campus to pick up some papers for her mom. The drive from Los Feliz doesn't traverse dangerous areas and the Koreatown neighborhood in which the school is located is fine. Even if she didn't have her mom's parking access card with her, there's no way the guards wouldn't let Burk park on campus. So there shouldn't have been anything unsafe about this journey.

Obviously something tragic transpired at some point, but that can happen anywhere; a friend's daughter was recently the victim of an attempted armed carjacking in front of her home in the media district of Burbank. It is unfair, not to mention cruel, to categorize this tragedy as a known risk that Burk's mother could and should have avoided.

[M A from LA]

Why did the LA Times remove my comment to OC Mark? I am appalled that anyone would "blame" the parents.

Please post my original comment. IF you allow the "blame the parents," then please accept an opposing view of that.

[Jack Sokol]

Agreed, the parents are probably playing the what if game, in their own minds right now, to the point of agony. So what is the point of twisting the knife?

Before we rush to judgement, or spout off our opinions it might be best to reflect and come up with something to say of real value.

Agreed, that Charlie Samuel should have been put down years ago as the animal that he is. The fact that he will get a trial with a public defender almost guaranteed of conviction is no doubt far better than he deserves. But what is criteria for determining that? If we just start killing folks vigilante style, we will have turned into Charlie Samuel ourselves. We are far better than that.

[mark grayton]

I agree with Mark too. I think he does not totally blame the Mom. But these issues he and others raise are just questions, because all of the facts are not in. At this point we are speculating and brainstorming.

The victim must have been somewhat street smart to do errands all over LA for1 to 2 years.

Was this one time that she did not keep a buffer between an unknown person or area? Was she briefed by the folks many times on protective measures when traveling around LA? I assume she was.

So this case is purplexing. She was very at risk as a target for the people that are on prowl all over LA, good areas and bad. Comments welcome. Sorry about typos.

[ishXdavid]

I love, love, LOVE all these moral relativists who condemn the death penalty because society is supposed to be "better" than the criminals who commit crimes against it. I wish your compassion would extend to the victims of the crimes and the families that have to live with the aftermath. There's a reason why these relativists feel compelled to inject prefaces like "my condolences to the victims..." and "while this crime is deplorable..." BUT... but what? Society is NOT perfect, and only in the minds of irrational utopia-seekers, is it expected to be. This animal committed an heinous crime on another human being, thus he should not be afforded the compassion reserved for human beings. If this animal is tried and convicted in a court of law, then he should be put to death. Even if the death penalty does not deter future capital offenses, it does prevent a convicted capital offender from committing another similar crime. Death by blunt force trauma is one of the most soulless methods to take a human life. Death does not come on the first blow, and it takes a particular depravity to continue beating the life out of a person.

Dawn and Bob... God forbid you or a loved one fall victim to a violent crime, but that will be the opportunity you have to project your morals upon society. That's your opportunity to voice your condemnation of the death penalty. I hope Miss Burk's family lobbies the DA's office to seek the penalty in this case as it is well within their rights.

[DDMAU]

Southwestern University Law School is not right by the Petersen and LACMA (neither of which are near downtown). It's in an area right next to downtown with a long history of hard drug activity and gang activity. Still I would think if this girl lived in Los Feliz she would have known the dangers of the downtown area. I really don't know the whole story but this is a crime that really could have happened anywhere.

[ishXdavid]

Sorry Jack, but the day we take a blunt object and beat the life out of a teenage girl for a few hundred dollars, is when we become Charlie Samuel ourselves. Humanely ending his life with a lethal injection is in no way equatable to his cold-hearted murdering of an innocent girl.

[Mia]

I haven't read all the comments. I just want to say as a mother, I offer my sincere condolences to the family. What a beautiful girl. What a horrible waste. I am truly sorry for your loss.

[Mo]

Maybe the LAT needs to provide a map. SW is the old Bullocks Wilshire building. It's not by LACMA and it's not downtown. But isn't that lot guarded?

[Sara Barrett]

I am a student at Southwestern, and we've all been so deeply affected by this. Her mother was our professor, and the family has long been a part of the community. We've organized a candlelight vigil tonight to help the community come together, remember this beautiful girl, and support the family, please join us tonight @ 8 pm on the SW campus.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=221291455454&ref=nf

[Mv]

I can't even begin to imagine what such a sweet innocent girl went through during the last moments of her short life. No one deserves to die like that. That pathetic excuse for a human is lucky the police got to him before I did. I begin to wonder how any person at all feel they have the power to take away a human life. Lily's life was cut too short, for all the success and joy she had ahead of her.

This monster deserves the death penalty; murder in this world needs to stop. Death penalty for homocide would show that it is unacceptable, and definately make people think twice about their actions. People like this don't deserve to live another day, for the life(s) that are taken, and for countless others they ruined.
The devil will have no mercy upon his soul.

It's hard to say that Lily is in a better place, because she brought so much happiness to this world, and joy was all around her. She did not deserve to die like this; no one does. Justice shall soon come.
R.I.P Lily, never shall anyone forget you.

[Amy]

"SW is the old Bullocks Wilshire building. It's not by LACMA and it's not downtown. But isn't that lot guarded?"

Yes, it is. Another story stated that she parked near the corner of Wilshire Place and 7th street, which would be very near the entrance to the school's parking lot. I'm surprised she didn't park in the lot, but that area is certainly not one in which I'd be concerned to park or walk, particuarly during the daytime.

[Grace]

We have a such a nice town... We collect thousand of transients who are drug and alcohol addicts. Most of them they have mental issues because of their addictions. Hey..We don't need to go to Downtown. We have them all around Santa Monica. We show them to the tourists , to prove how "democratic" we are. We have another skid row in 3rd. Street and Rose, in Venice.

Maybe Beverly Hills is another country. You don't see any of them on the streets. I am sure that if the University that Lily went it was in Beverly Hills, she would be alive today.

We have to resolve the transients problem before is too late. Lily's death it would not be in vain.

[Lisa]

Wow. Wow. Wow. I'm sorry but reading some of these comments just makes me ... speechless. It's hard to even swallow reading comments that place blame on the mother for her daughter picking up papers from a law school at 3 p.m. and being abducted and having her throat later slit. I can't respond to those comments because it would be responding to lunacy.

I will say to the parents of this beautiful, amazing young woman .. I am so so so very sorry. I know that does nothing. I know you will probably never even read this. But you are in my thoughts. The death of a child is something that is so terrible, so unimaginable -- particularly a violent death where the end will haunt you forever -- that there is truly nothing to say or do that will give comfort.

But to those that would post any kind of "blaming comments" ... please, think first. Please. I beg you. THINK.

[Mary Anna]

Mark from OC, this could have happened to a 40 year old too. It could have happened to anyone who likes to believe the best about their fellow man. He may have asked her for directions, or simply been concealed behind a car. That is not a particularly bad neighborhood. Your remarks are thoughtless and dumb. Dawn, say a prayer for the guy if you like. I used to agree with you, but some people opt out of being considered with any mercy, or care whatsoever. There are a lot better causes that deserve your care more than defending monsters. I hope he swings.

[N8i]

I have been very upset about this all day. On the brink of tears! What a Tragedy!

Shame on ANYONE that would lay blame on anyone other then the DEMON that did this! You have NO right to case BLAME! Her FAMILY has enough undeserved guilt, they don't need your pretentious Judgmental finger pointing at them!

THERE IS ONE PERSON THAT TAKE 100% of the BLAME FOR THIS.... IT is not up for debate. Especially through internet... many of the comment in here I am ashamed came from a human.

If I heard this in person... I want smack your mouths.

[lytebrite]

Please remember there is an inconsolable family, grieving friends and the sudden stop to a lovely and talented young lady. Please put yourselves into the shoes of these people before you post comments. From what I have read, she lived her life to the fullest. LA is no better or worse than any other urban environ. If the arrest proves to be true, she was the victim of a person with a heavy drug addiction and a history of violence. The take away here is to be wary, be safe and live life. God bless young Lily. Deepest sympathy for her friends and especially her parents.

[Sherie]

ishXdavid - I absolutely agree with your statements. This is a horrible crime. I just finished reading the article where they are reporting that the coroner said her throat was also slashed. This man is an animal and deserves to die. I am so sick of hearing about these monsters with no regard for human life. Whether or not the death penalty deters others is not the point. It deters this animal from ever committing a crime again. If he is dead - problem solved. I pray for her parents, her family and friends and for her. She did not deserve this. This animal had a parole violation back in april. Why was he not in prison? The system is too lenient on these thugs. Go to prison and serve all of your time. Do not let them out on parole without monitoring. It is sick. We should not be paying these enormous salaries for people such as villaraigosa and the like, we should be paying to have these people held in prison longer and paying to euthanize the ones who keep repeating their violent crimes. How many innocent people need to die

[Lauren]

Horrific crimes such as this can happen anywhere to anyone... even in the best of areas. I grew up in Laguna Hills, an affluent area of Orange County, and a classmate of mine was murdered in front of his house the summer before our senior year.
This girl was 17... just a short year away from going to college out in the real world. Running an errand for her mother in a city she grew up in sounds pretty normal.
To all the people who think he should "sit in a cell and think about what he has done" rather than be put to death: After this psycho smashed this poor girls head into her cars windshield, he took his crack pipe and a 40oz to go chill out in a park. This man has not even the slightest concept of any moral code, and at 50 years old, he never will. I don't want to waste my tax money on food and shelter for this creep.
To all the people who refer to Charlie Samuel as an "animal": Most non-human animals live by instinct and kill out of necessity for food, to defend territory, and to protect themselves and/or other members of their respective group. We humans are the only species that live by what we call "morals" and hold the ability to deeply rationalize. Lily's killer made a choice... I can only call him a monster.

[Nanny]

. First,allowing your naive child to go to volunteer work around these grunges and criiminals and narcs in needle exchange and homeless camps, breeds familiarity with dirtbags. They really despise those rich kids that drop in these dumps to work just so they can put it down "helped homeless" on a college application. Her parents would have done better to make her go get a minimum wage work at a fast food restaurant to get a dose of reality instead of the fairytale lala "do-gooder" land these people seem to live in. 10 to 1 this will not be posted because it is too honest for a LA blog. But then that is why the state is going down the dumper, just like the budget, everybody knows it is fake, is no solution to the problem, but they all pat themselves on the back for the great job.

[Bob]

I agree, these comments criticizing her family are deplorable. It was a freak accident, and nothing her parents did was in any way responsible. Again, I could not extend more personal condolences to her family and friends. Many of us support you.

ishXdavid:
I don't know what the criminal justice system has to do with compassion. Personally, I have substantial heart ache for the family's loss. But the criminal justice system is meant to be impartial, unemotional, blind, and protect individuals. This is different from provided compassion. To be sure, the justice system operates on behalf of all people, not just the victim's family. In some cases (but not here) overly punishing the accused for the sole benefit of the victim and family is unjust, and incompatible with the system's obligation to all of the people of California. It is not an oath to the victim's family, but an oath to the "People" of California. Furthermore, a witch hunt is a smear on the memory of the victim, and an emotional rather than logical approach dishonors the victim and society as a whole.

In no way does elimination of the death penalty allow further capital crimes to occur. Society is just as safe with a criminal imprisoned for life without parole as it is with an executed criminal.

I agree, that if I had the loss of a loved one in such a heinous manner, that I would instinctively want to not just murder, but torture the person. But the role of society is justice, and that is not a just result. That is why vigilanties are not spared for their vengeful reactions and why the justice system itself cannot allow emotional people to interfere with a superior system based on logic and without emotion. It must serve its function, not allow emotion to get involved. I have repeatedly asked my own family, if something like this were ever to happen to me, to push with all of their energy against the death penalty no matter how awful the circumstances. Without the emotion of the moment, I want my family to push for the logical solution. Anything otherwise, would be a smear on society and myself.

[ow]

is possible that she knew the suspect...she did work on skid row previously...the broad daylight bothers me...blunt force and slashing...signs of struggle..anyone else involved...assumption suspect broke...where beer and drug paraphernalia come from? Those cost money....no sympathy for suspect...let's just fully investigate every angle and really solved crime and prosecute any and every party involved....where's her purse? other valuables...where is credit card now? they are fencible (is that a word?)

[lee ann]

I've been following this horrific story, and absolutely cannot believe the sheer brutality of the murder. In addition, I cannot find a photo of the suspect, and I have tried. This is perplexing, as I have seen other suspects in much lower profile cases splashed all over the papers. It is very strange. My prayers go out to the family of the young woman, who held so much promise, what an utterly senseless crime, so disgusting in its randomness.

[darrell nelson]

I AM VERY SORRY THAT THIS CRIME HAPPEN TO THIS BRIGHT YOUNG GIRL,,,, AN LOOKING AT THE NEWS RECENTLY.. ARE WE GOING TO RELEASE THOU OF INMATE?

[ks]

WHAT A LOVELY GIRL... JUST LOVELY in that picture, which I'm sure doesn't live up to what she was like in real life. Only her parents know her, every curve of her face, freckle, hair, sound of voice, laughter... it is heartbreaking. Dear parents of this girl PLEASE let us know how WE as a community can help. LAWS MUST BE CHANGED, violent criminales should stay encarcerated, transients should be pick up off the streets. This is America for crying out loud, can't something be done to protect the young. A new law THE BURK LAW, should be put in place, relating to A) kidnapping, B) transient crimes & law, C) ATM robberies D, and MOST IMPORTANTLY... crimes against any child (meaning 17 and younger). She was a lovely young promising CHILD, not and adult, and her assailant, murderer should pay very harsh punishment so that they NEVER EVER has the opportunity to hurt another human being again. Your girl could be here still today if we had good laws that prosecute these horrific criminals.

I am so sorry for your loss, I don't know you, and I cried. I have an 18 year old daugher and I worry about her driving and about crazy strangers taking advantage of her. I will share this story with her, only so that she may feel a tiny bit of your pain and never forget your lovely daughter. Rest in sweet peace Lily.

[ks]

The death penalty for sure, hands down, no doubt about it. Take this scum off the streets - literally.

[ks]

Dawn - what are you talking about an eye for an eye. What the gas chamber, electric chair, injection or even hanging does NOT compare to what he put her throuh before he brutally murdered her!

[ks]

George Soros you got it right! ONE STRIKE AND YOU'RE OUT!! Come on American Justice, how many people have to be beaten, robbed, robbed or murdered! I say: YOU COMMIT MURDER - YOU DIE! period.

[ks]

Bob, you say that "Society is just as safe with a criminal imprisoned for life without parole as it is with an executed criminal" that is not realisltic! The prisons get full and they realease criminals earlyl, cut them deals... so that they can come to our communities and rob YOU, rape ME, murder my next door neighbor. THAT IS REALITY ABOUT OUR SOCIETY.

[Bob]

ks:
Criminals imprisoned for life without parole cannot be released early. It is other offenders, with lesser crimes that are released early. So someone imprisoned for life without parole, is no longer any threat to society.