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Jiro,
I had to look for one of her books because I couldn't remember the title. Anyway, the title is Dead By Sunset.
I remember this story well because the details of this case were so ugly that it made my hair stand on end.
I have no doubt that those who were in the investigation risked their lives to bring Brad Cunningham the killer of Cheryl Keeton to justice. If Brad had been freed from prison, Ann Rule herself would be at risk for murder. She wouldn't be the only one either. Fortunately for all involved, he has no chance of parole.
According to the book, Cheyrl Keeton was murdered in a very public place: she likely died either at a deserted gas station or close to an Oregon Freeway. Her body was found in a van on the fast lane of an Oregon freeway. Had there been a crash, it is likely the resulting fire would have burned up the evidence. The details of this case makes it clear that this was a premeditated crime of passion murder case. Cheryl Keeton was in middle of an unusually ugly divorce and custody battle because Brad was a very vengeful person who would stop at nothing to destroy Cheryl.
Then there's the case of Diane Downs. She shot 3 of her kids on a rural road. One of them died from her gunshot wounds. She then drove her car to the hospital. Police got suspicious because Diane seemed too calm for someone who had been attacked by a stranger who shot her kids. Forensic evidence did not match Diane's story. The motive for her crimes?
She was in middle of an affair with a man who did not want children so she decided that wanted to be free of them so she could continue her affair.
Her own daughter Christie Downs testified against her and Diane was convicted of her crimes in 1984.
I would consider this case a crime of passion if not exactly your typical crime of passion.
Neither of these cases involved had victims dying in a private setting. They died in a public place. There are many more cases like the above two but they are as not well known. Not all cases will have guns involved.
I have no doubt that cops, defense lawyers, prosecutors and true crime writers could cite other cases if you ask them.
A child's death (or an adult's, for that matter) is too great a price to pay to learn something as simple as not having loaded weapons around, especially with kids.
). That is also why the death penalty is relatively ineffective in dropping crime rates; particularly murder. This group of people has an extremely low recidivism rate to begin with, but also, they do not premeditate, but act in the moment without thought to the consequences. They aren't thinking about the death penalty when they kill. If they aren't thinking of it, it cannot act as a deterrent.