Especially if you were unfortunate enough to be on Facebook and Twitter when the "not guilty" verdict was announced.
But since I wrote a blog post about the incident when it made international news three years ago (on an old blog, now deleted) I felt the need to blog about the topic in its finale. Call me crazy, but I like doing things in complete circles.
Why was the world so fascinated with this case? Let's be real. Casey Anthony is an attractive 20-something year old white middle class girl from Florida. Her missing daughter was cereal commercial cute. Casey partied like a cheap version of Paris Hilton within days of her daughter's disappearance. You try to figure out why she became a media sensation.
I decided to dedicate this post to two other high-profile crime cases involving pretty white young women that riveted the world's attention in the past ten years and both have yet to be solved.
You may remember these:
Killer Cop in Chi-town
Drew Peterson was a middle-aged Chicago cop who looked like he should be out huntin' squirrels for dinner while listening to classic rock. But for some reason, this unattractive lower-middle class yokel had a smokin' hot 23-year-old wife named Stacy...who went missing in 2007.
Eye-witness accounts state Drew had been moving a large container out of his home after her disappearance. His own step-brother even attempted suicide after helping him take out the container, believing Stacy's body to have been inside. But apparently that circumstantial evidence wasn't enough to convict Drew, who laughed off the disappearance of his wife by stating she left him for another man.
In perfect horror movie fashion, just weeks before her disappearance, Stacy had confided to her pastor that Drew had killed his ex-wife and staged it as an accident. Stacy feared she was going to be next and told her pastor that if anything happened to her, fingers should be pointed at Drew.
Upon hearing this, police officers exhumed his former wife's body and a pathologist determined that his former wife's death was indeed a homicide after all. Drew was arrested for the murder, but never convicted because of lack of evidence.
(Drew's latest girlfriend)
In the past four years, Drew has been dating a bevvy of beautiful young 20-something year old girls who don't seem to care about his shady past. He has also been a media whore, appearing on various talk shows and infiltrating Twitter.
Beauty and the Beast
This All-American southern blonde disappeared during a trip to Aruba in 2005. Living up to the stereotype, Natalee Holloway partied in Aruba like there was no tomorrow, letting herself be taken away from a bar by a few shady local guys at wee hours in the morning.
The young men were arrested but never officially charged with her disappearance, since there was an astounding lack of evidence.
The shadiest of the men, Joran van der Sloot, enjoyed his new found fame as a murder suspect.
During several media interviews, he denied having anything to do with her, then admitted he slept with her on the beach, then admitted she died of natural causes, then admitted she died of a drug overdose, then admitted he sold into her sexual slavery, and then admitted her murdered her. This brilliant tactic made sure law officers could never charge him with anything since he was clearly a crazy sack of shit.
His biggest mistake, however, was clumsily murdering another attractive young woman on the five-year anniversary of Natalee's disappearance. He left all sorts of irrefutable evidence at the scene, much to the delight of prosecutors. He is now in prison for the crime and US authorities are hoping he will finally tell the truth about Natalee.
Unfortunately, I sincerely doubt he will ever tell the truth about that girl and her demise will remain a mystery. Look at me, being all optimistic!
Do you remember these high-profile cases that riveted the media? What are your thoughts on them?
23 comments:
... I am in FL ... don't have words. Anyway, Natalee Holloway was a perfect example of how when a criminal is not judge 'at the right time' they will repeat the offense, so sad that another family had lost her girl because of that ....
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This literally makes me sick to my stomach. I watch shows like Criminal Minds and tell myself "it's just a story". But for some people, it's life. And the idea of people becoming FAMOUS for getting away with murder...it's shocking in the true sense of the meaning. I know this might sound a bit melodramatic, but sometimes I despair for humans when I see how we can hurt each other...
It's so scary and sad. It seems we often tend to dwell on the happy thoughts in life and forget how terrible the world actually is. It makes me want to be more careful and hold more closely those that I love. :(
xo
Rachel
I just think that, for better or for worse, we live in a society that sensationalizes violence but only the right kind if violence (i.e. if you are white and pretty or upper middle class or a bizarre sexual angle is involved you will be the subject of a Law and Order SVU and a Lifetime television movie. I am not saying this to detract from people like Casey Anthony's daughter or Natalie Holloway or anyone else that was a victim of horrific violence, merely to note that everyday people are victimized in terrible and dehumanizing ways and, because they are racial minorities, or from a low income bracket, or are prostitutes or indigents, they never receive the type of media advocacy that all victims of crimes like these should receive. Our society is, in many senses, a thoroughly rotten place and even more so for those that (through no fault of their own) are unable to capture media attention.
Courtney ~ http://satorialsidelines.blogspot.com
However unpopular the opinion Natalee Holloway was a dumbass. She should not have gone off, alone, wasted with that guy. Not smart. I'm not saying she deserved to die by any means, but when you flirt with danger like that, more often that not it meets you at your doorstep.
I think you're a saint to help us remember these girls. I can't help but believe these monsters' lives are not what they appear to be. They may have escaped lawful justice, but their lives have to be filled with hellish bad karma or something like that. Thanks for helping us remember.
So so so sad....i totally forgot about drew peterson. makes me sick... and remember scott peterson? i think he's in jail, right? at least some justice done there.
I totally agree with Courtney!
It's sad that often those who are rich and those who have the "right skin color" get all the attention. What about aboriginal, blacks, Indian and other girls who went missing??
Thanks for this post tho
Wow I don´t remeber any of this haha...But they all sound awful..I studied laws and this is the part no one tells you about..just trying to put a murderer in jail and failing epicly because lack of proof..that´s the worst..is even worst because you will have to deal with your clients sorrow...and I think worst is actually being the part defending this guy..just how can a person do that..just for money..I can´t really relate to that..that´s why I decided I better look for a job in fashion jaja...a lot less stress and dealing with the life of others....and on the other hand there was no way in hell I was going to be suited up in an office or cubicle feeling forms and writing stuff haha..makes you wonder why in the world did you study that??..Oh, well that´s for the next episode of the life & times of Andy hahaha
cool post !!!
I think the thinks that happened were so terrible.. It makes me scared!
x
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oh my god! all these cases. it gives me the creeps! hmmm the csi newyork stuff and criminal minds series can all be actually true huh.....bone chilling.
I haven't heard of these cases... Maybe cause I'm from Finland... But it's awful that things like this really happen :(
honestly i didn't know any of these news (ok dont give me that look :S) but all of them sound so horrible! how come people get famous for such crimes? only in this world. sigh.
thanks for posting this though!<3
It's like OJ all over again...
xoxox,
CC
Ugh. I feel bad for Natalie's family.
ohh.
new post♥mfashionfreak
It's so cruel... I feel terrified when I read things like that
makingfashionnotwar.blogspot.com
I invite you to a new post on my blog. :-)
kisses doll ♥
EarlyStyle.blogspot.com
I've been appalled by the results of all three of these cases. Justice was never served. :(
its so scary and sad:(
anyway i enjoyed reading your blog and following u now
love,
silvia
www.poisepolish.com
So scary and so extremely sad at the same time. Is so sad to hear or watch the news now in days without seeing something so tragedy and un-human and completely just out of this world. I would never be able to understand how can a human being hurt another one...It's just beyond my understanding! :(
Another heart felt post from you girl!
<3 Marina
Fashion.MakeUp.LifeStyle
I believe in karma, somehow somewhere they will pay, either on earth (hopefully) or on another life...but they wull pay, for I believe in JUSTICE. Great post and thanks fot your comment, would you like to follow each other?
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