A common reaction to tragic crimes is candlelit vigils for the victim(s). photo credit: hodgysan on flickr

So often on crime reports you hear on the news, the first thing the reporter does is paint a picture of an idyllic town or life struck by tragedy.  You hear of how the quiet neighborhood was a place where people don’t lock their doors and everyone knows their neighbors.  You hear of a teenager who never seemed troubled and was a stellar student, musician, and athlete, as well as popular with peers.  You hear of a couple who seemed “meant to be” and a family that was very close.  Yet somehow, from that you get terrible news of murders, suicides, and other violent crimes.  Interviews with neighbors, friends, and family members always yield the same reaction:

“I can’t believe it happened here!”

“I can’t believe it happened to him/her/them!”

“I can’t believe he/she would do such a thing!”

“Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.  Things seemed just fine.”

“I don’t know why/how this would/could happen (to them).”

Some very intriguing headlines out there. photo credit: Xetius on flickr

It’s amazing how many crimes are committed with people (supposedly) close to the perpatrator never having a clue.  It always comes as a shock; it always stirs up a town; it always makes the world wonder what went wrong.  And I think reporters have a field day coming up with the contrast of beautiful, near-perfect life to terrible, heart-wrenching demise.  It certainly makes for good headlines and articles.  The more gory, the more unexpected, the more unusual, weird, or crazy, the better material for them.  A convicted felon robbing another store is nothing exciting, but a serial killer who is usually suave and personable is definitely notable.  Contrasts stand out to people, but expected behavior does not.

And so it is, with another sad tale emerging in the news – a brillant young life (yes, they will often emphasize how much more a person has to live for, or how much a person had lived to make it even more depressing) lost just days before what was meant to be the happiest day of her life.  In case you haven’t followed the news lately, I’m talking about Ms. Annie Le.  When I first saw an earlier headline, I had a brief moment where I got goosebumps and prayed that it wasn’t the Annie Le I knew.  She too is a smart young lady with so much potential for her future, which is why I thought that maybe she had gone on to Yale for graduate school.  She’s certainly capable.  Though I didn’t end up actually knowing this Annie Le, it reminded me that someday, I might.  Eventually I just may see the name of a friend or colleague in the news and I certainly hope it is because they won a prestigious award, not because they had a run-in with the law or were victims of a crime.