<p>Updated story now links to the affidavits. It is now obvious while they were taken down for a while. They listed the names of the two students who were there when the EMTs and cops arrived. Their names have now been blacked out. I suspect that was done in part to keep them from being hounded by the media.</p>
<p>For stolen computer info, see page 3 of affidavit #1.</p>
<p>If it turns out that he either has made threats in the past or attacked her physically in the past, I only wish there had been more intervention (much easier to look back and say that of course). But those things need to be taken seriously. I read one article (sorry to not be quoting it) about some friends saying that a month ago he tried to strangle her when they broke up. I wish that was reported. I can’t imagine the night of the crime but I read the door to the apartment was not locked. I wish when he entered, she had been able to dial 911 but then again, I suppose she may not have realized the level of danger she was in…I mean nobody wants to think that their BF or former one could do anything of this magnitude.</p>
<p>I read one article (sorry to not be quoting it) about some friends saying that a month ago he tried to strangle her when they broke up. I wish that was reported.</p>
<p>Me, too. But, he might not have been kept in jail. He probably would have been bailed out by his family and then gone over and killed her.</p>
<p>^^^^Sounds like since he admitted to kicking a hole in her bedroom door that she ran to the bedroom and tried to lock him out. If only she had been able to call 911 before he gained access to her room, perhaps she could have been saved. So many “if only” things come to mind.</p>
<p>mom2college…it is true that if he made threats or physically assaulted her in the past, he may not have been in jail but the university might have intervened in some disciplinary way, and/or she may have had a restraining order, etc. Just more intervention is all I meant. May not have avoided this outcome but just saying that others needed to get involved IF he had gotten to that level of abuse, harassment, etc.</p>
<p>If she had a gun she might have had a fighting chance to defend herself. Any woman that receives threats of harm from a man or even another woman should not count on some piece of paper to stop them. Get a gun and learn to use it.</p>
<p>“If it turns out that he either has made threats in the past or attacked her physically in the past, I only wish there had been more intervention (much easier to look back and say that of course). But those things need to be taken seriously.”</p>
<p>Yes. This is a huge problem with abusive relationships. It’s quite rare to be murdered on a first date, and it’s quite rare for the abuser’s first unkind act to be murder (or violence that requires medical treatment). The abuser starts out nice, and the abuse starts small and escalates gradually. Typically, cruel words or controlling treatment precede the first physical altercation. People – men and women – need to be alert to the possibility that the nice guy they’re dating will start showing a cruel side, and they need to realize that those signs of cruelty will only get worse.</p>
<p>Nrdsb4…yes, in that scenario of running into her bedroom and locking the door, she may not have had her cell phone in her bedroom. This is conjecture of course. Just saying it is a shame she was unable to call for help.</p>
<p>barrons…PLEASE do not turn this into a gun thread. </p>
<p>Hanna, you are right. It is unlikely this was the first abusive act in this relationship. Who knows how much she shared about that with family or friends. It can be embarrassing for woman to confide that stuff.</p>
<p>This is the third incident regarding lacrosse players from the prep school that Huguely attended (the Landon School in Bethesda, MD) that speaks to some serious moral and character development flaws. The first involved a scandal in which 10 boys were caught cheating on the SAT (the 2 non-lacrosse players left school after having been given the option to withdraw or be expelled, the others got suspended). While the Duke lacrosse players were acquitted, I recall there being some probation before judgement for at least one involving an altercation in Georgetown now this. The same coach has taught all of these boys - what the he** is going on there?!</p>
<p>So, it’s agreed. Men should not be allowed to play lacrosse and women should not be allowed to get advanced degrees in biology related disciplines because they both inexorably lead to violent acts. Priceless.</p>
<p>Again, having spent time as a victim’s advocate, I do not share your confidence. Her family doesn’t get to hire a “dream team”, his does. Having read of his past behavior towards women and minorities, I’m confident they will. Now the countdown starts until they start smearing her reputation, that train will be coming shortly. </p>
<p>The difference between an isolated incident and this murder would have been his parents yanking him out of UVA the first time he showed out of control rage towards a woman. Not surprisingly, it didn’t bother them enough to do that. </p>
<p>It will be a truly awesome day when the first thought isn’t what the victim should have done/owned/fought back with but the first though it, “why does our society have such a permissive attitude about violence towards women, including murder?” Or even, “why do we feel sorry for both sets of parents when only one set had multiple opprotunities to step in and correct their child’s behavior?”</p>
<p>Possibly: over-adoration by parents, school & community because the boys are athletic, smart, and popular ==equals== a sense of entitlement, increased risky behavior with alcohol and an inflated sense of power over women? </p>
<p>When a girlfriend dares to dump Mr. Perfect College Boy, he experiences uncontrollable rage resulting in tragedy.</p>
<p>Colleges keep a hands-off policy to student behavior, parents are either uninformed or clueless, young men whose lives revolve around the team-tribe and it’s sketchy antics lose any moral compass they may have once possessed.</p>
<p>*I’m confident they will. Now the countdown starts until they start smearing her reputation, that train will be coming shortly. *</p>
<p>They can try that strategy but it won’t work. It’s hard to convince the public that this beautiful young girl would deserve anything like this no matter what his defense team claims. They can claim that she slept with the entire male lacrosse team and that won’t make a difference. (I doubt they’d try something that extreme.)</p>
<p>This strategy works when the victim isn’t a sympathetic character. She is.</p>
<p>*“why do we feel sorry for both sets of parents when only one set had multiple opprotunities to step in and correct their child’s behavior?” *</p>
<p>I completely agree.</p>
<p>Possibly: over-adoration by parents, school & community because the boys are athletic, smart, and popular ==equals== a sense of entitlement, increased risky behavior with alcohol and an inflated sense of power over women?
When a girlfriend dares to dump Mr. Perfect College Boy, he experiences uncontrollable rage resulting in tragedy.</p>
<p>We saw a similar personality with Scott Peterson…spoiled…over-adored by parents…etc. He didn’t kill his wife over the same issues, but the narcissistic traits are going to be similar.</p>
<p>I have said numerous times, and have typically been trashed for it, that I think the “lacrosse culture” at many schools is out of control. In many ways, it is worse than football and basketball because the kids tend to be enabled much more by their parents and protected from the consequences of their unruly behavior. Add to the mix that UVA has a strong “hoos can drink you under the table” culture. The combination turned tragic.</p>
<p>I agree with m2ck. There’s no traction for the defense to gain in impugning this victim. Every potential juror watching the news will see her as their daughter or little sister.</p>
<p>From a prosecutor’s perspective, this is exactly the kind of victim that makes the job easy – a beautiful, smart, high SES, well-loved white girl. A jury would hear her (beautiful, smart, white) roommates describe their last evening together and then finding her body covered in blood. They’d see her smiling in the gorgeous team portrait and then pictures of that lovely girl lying on the coroner’s table. A rookie right out of law school could get a conviction, which is why there won’t be any trial…the top guy in the office will handle the plea negotiations, and unless the defendant has a death wish, he’ll take it.</p>
<p>I am noticing a tendency to want to blame something or someone. Some blame the parents. Now it is lacrosse and drinking on this campus’ culture. But lots of kids grow up with privilege, have nannies, have loving/adoring parents, play lacrosse, drink in college, attend UVA, etc. and don’t ever do anything close to beating up their girlfriends to the point that it kills them. I think the blame should be on this young man. Some men are controlling and abusive in relationships and also have anger issues, and combined with some alcohol, do some really bad things. Parents can do everything right and still have a child who goes down the wrong path.</p>
<p>I totally, and completely agree that this young man is 100% at fault. </p>
<p>But I disagree that there is no other fault. Maybe I just need to think that the choices I’ve made in parenting, that the effort I’ve put in is for a reason. Maybe because to think otherwise means that I’ve wasted my adult life.</p>
<p>If it doesn’t matter what kind of parenting he had, or how his coaches encouraged his bad behavior, or how the fact that he was good looking and priviliidged meant he was made to think that his actions didn’t matter, then there would be no reason to the efforts we’ve put towards raising our children to believe that behavior is NOT okay.</p>