Kelsey Smith, 18, was abducted from a Target parking lot in Overland Park, Kan., June 2, 2007. Her body was found four days later near Longview Lake in Missouri. Edwin R. Hall, of Olathe, Kan., was arrested later that same day for her murder. In August 2007, a Johnson County grand jury indicted Hall for rape, aggravated sodomy and capital murder. In July 2008 in a plea deal, Hall pleaded guilty to the charges against him to avoid the death penalty. He is expected to be sentenced in September 2008.
Alieghya Clark, 21, was raped and killed May 28, 2006. Police found her remains in late July. Her attacker, Roger Ratliff, pleaded guilty in November 2006 to capital murder. Ratliff said he strangled Clark because he was afraid she would tell police he had raped her. He was sentenced Nov. 3, 2006, to life in prison without parole. In 1986, Ratliff was also charged with rape in Minnesota.
Summer Shipp went missing Dec. 8, 2005. Investigators said she disappeared while doing door-to-door market research in Independence, Mo. Summer's daughter, Brandi, has devoted much of her time searching for her. On Oct. 9, 2007, it was determined a skull discovered by two fisherman in the Little Blue River was that of Summer Shipp's. After further investigation more bones and clothing were found
Ali Kemp, 19, was beaten and killed July 18, 2002, at a Leawood, Kan., neighborhood swimming pool where she was a lifeguard. Her killer, 29-year-old Benjamin Appleby, eluded police for two years, but was finally arrested Nov. 4, 2004, in Litchfield, Conn. In a taped confession, Appleby said he only wanted to have sex with Kemp, but became enraged when she fought back. Appleby never succeeded in raping Kemp and later recanted his confession. Still, in December 2006, he was convicted of capital murder and attempted rape. He was given the hard 50--a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole only after he's served his first 50 years.
Teri Zenner, 26, was a social worker who was attacked and killed Aug. 17, 2004, while making a home visit to 17-year-old Andrew Ellmaker. Ellmaker stabbed Zenner and his mother several times during the attack. Ellmaker also cut Zenner with a chain saw before setting fire to his garage. When police arrived, they discovered a bloody Ellmaker running from his home. In May 2007, Ellmaker was found guilty of first degree murder in the death of Teri Zenner.
Pamela Butler, 10, was kidnapped Oct. 12, 1999, while she was rollerskating outside her Kansas City, Kan., home. Her body was found three days later near a church in Grain Valley, Mo. Later that month police captured Keith Nelson near the 18th Street Bridge along the Kansas River. Nelson pleaded guilty to the charges of kidnapping, rape and capital murder. He now sits on death row.
Crystal Kipper, 18, was last seen Feb. 24, 1997. Her car was found locked and out of gas with its flashers on along I-29 in Kansas City, Mo. Police arrested John E. Williams with Kipper's murder after they discovered her jewerly, keys and clothing inside his apartment. On April 24, 1999, the day before Williams was to be formally charged with her murder, Williams hung himself in his jail cell. Kipper's body has never been found.
Lizabeth Wilson, 13, was abducted July 7, 1974, while she walked home from a swimming pool near Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village, Kan. Her remains were found months later in a Lenexa, Kan., field. Nearly 30 years passed, and on Oct. 14, 2003, John Henry Horton was arrested for her murder. Prosecutors believed Horton intended to molest Wilson, but killed her with an overdose of chloroform. He was convicted of murder in September 2004, but the Kansas Supreme Court overturned his conviction, citing inadmissible evidence. In March 2008, a second jury found Horton guilty of first degree murder and sentenced him to life in prison.
If you were attacked, could you poke a guy in the eyes? Bite him until he bleeds? Kick him in the groin? What would you do if it meant you got to go home, alive?
Those who take self defense seriously hope you would put your reservations aside, overcome your fear and fight for your life..
On June 2, 2007, Kansas City women were reminded that evil lurks in every day places when 18-year-old Kelsey Smith was abducted from an Overland Park parking lot and murdered. It was her death that catapulted metro women to get serious about their safety. Within hours of its announcement, 500 hundred women signed up for the first available TAKE Defense Class.
Now on myfoxkc.com, you can find some of the same information the TAKE Defense Class shares with its students. Learn how not to become a victim. Find out what criminals often look for, and get empowered with enough self-confidence that will give you a fighting chance if the unthinkable were to happen.
Although in some situations it's better to be submissive, the information on myfoxkc.com is meant to help you protect yourself should you decide to fight back.
Video: What would you be willing to do in an attack?
