I was a college student in Baton Rouge when Derrick Todd Lee was active in our community. That period in my life is what led me to develop such an interest in these cases - all the whys and what ifs. I worked in the mall at the time and spent the entirety of the investigation looking at every single customer and thinking "could he be the one?". I was afraid every time I walked to my car in the dark. I called the police once when I had a flat tire at night near DTL's dumping grounds because I was afraid to get out of my car on the interstate, in the dark, alone. Then I called the police again when the officer got there to make sure it was the officer, because we'd heard rumors of DTL pretending to be police to gain access to his victims. While I didn't know any of the victims personally back then, I had several mutual friends with each of the college age victims. That experience has largely contributed to the anxiety I developed as a parent, especially as my kids are now 17 and 18. A college freshman and high school senior. I track them religiously - not to invade their privacy, but just to know they are safe. I wake up every morning and immediately check my college freshman's location to make sure he made it back to his apartment. I trust no one when it comes to random people/acquaintances. I can't begin to imagine the trauma and ptsd that will permanently alter the lives of the siblings, parents, surviving roommates, everyone closely connected to these victims. Every second of every day for the rest of their lives - the way they see and interpret the world around them will be permanently altered and significantly skewed by these events. The wake of this case will be deep and widespread. My heart hurts for everyone involved.