Story Peeps Change Lives

Funeral For A Stranger

Written by Lisa Booth

In the past few weeks there have been local and national new reporters all over my small town asking questions.  At first when the four people went missing from our small community, the questions were "Where could they be?"  Hundreds of us formed search parties and canvassed rough undeveloped wooded areas hoping and praying to find the kidnapping victms alive.  Each day my group of 20 prayed for their safe return, but hope was growing dim after over a week of no clues.  Then the Sheriff's Dept got a tip and one of the victims was found alive bound and gagged in a mans basement and he was arrested.  Once again our hope was revived that the remaining 3 could still be found alive.  And again we took to remote wooded areas looking for anything like a piece of clothing or even a fresh pile of dirt or leaves.  It was on a Thursday when we weren't asked to go back to the woods searching.  The volunteer Policeman from a few towns away in our search group said that was probably bad news.  And it was.  The suspect had given the Sheriff's Dept the location of the victims.  The two women and male child had been dismembered, stuffed into garbage bags, and dropped into a large hollow tree.  It would later be learned they were each stabbed to death in their own home.  I didn't know them but I felt connected to them.  I ate at the restaurants they ate at, worked out at the gym they did, shopped at the Walmart they shopped.  The funerals were private, but I joined the funeral procession as it pulled away from the funeral home for one of the female victims.  I had seen her oldest son on TV after learning about his moms death.  He was so upset and clearly emotional.  Here was this 20 something guy who's mother had just been found murdered.  We turned into the cemetary and I followed everyone to the grave side sevice.  Here I was around the friends and family of this murdered woman and no one even looked at me like I didn't belong there.  There was so much crying and hugging.  I had never been to the funeral of someone who had been murdered before.  It is so heart breaking and powerful to feel the love and loss among these strangers like no other I have ever known.  The son that had been on TV was  sobbing and hugging everyone.  And then he hugged me!  He had no idea who I was yet he hugged me like he had known me for years!  His tears fell on my jacket I whispered "Things will get better" and he whispered back "I know they will."  As I walked away in the cold misty rain to my car, I too was sobbing like a child for the loss of a stranger I never met.  I somehow felt  their pain and anger that someone had taken this lovely woman away from her family and friends for no reason but to kill someone.  I can still smell her son's cologne on my jacket as I drive off back to town.  Sleep in peace sweet stranger.

Author Profile: Lisa Booth

This author has published 7 articles so far. More info about the author is coming soon.