In Focus

Another birthday has come and gone, marking a weekend full of fun, amid a whirlwind of stress. The last few weeks have been particularly tough.

My cat Pumpkin is doing her best to cope with kidney failure. She no longer makes it upstairs for cuddles, is drinking water, but has become quite picky about her food. Salem, my other cat, is still unwell, and we’re uncertain of the cause. He will only eat and drink when he’s on steroids, and we’ve noticed fluid building up in his abdomen. Thankfully, he tested negative for FIP and heart issues, but we’ll need to visit an emergency vet to get more answers. Then there’s my mom—while her brain tumor is barely visible in scans, the tumors in her neck and lungs remain, though slightly smaller. She gets a three-month break from chemotherapy, but it’s only temporary. On top of all this, I’m dealing with my own health issues—golfer’s elbow, neck pain, and increasing debt due to growing vet bills. All these worries have taken a toll on my mental health.

Yet, despite all this, the past weekend provided a much-needed escape. We attended a murder mystery event, and it brought back great memories. Years ago, I played a victim in a similar mystery, and it was a blast. This year, instead of playing characters, we were all deputies trying to solve a murder.

The story kicked off with a woman walking her dog who stumbled upon a severed arm. We divided into groups for a “grid search,” and my team was lucky enough to find the other severed arm along with the murder weapon—a hatchet. Other teams uncovered the legs, head, and torso. The victim turned out to be a “Lady of the Night”, and we had four suspects, including a fingerprint found on the hatchet.

During the event, we learned this mystery was inspired by a real case from 2001, where a woman found a severed arm in Theodore Wirth Park. A search of the park eventually led to the discovery of another arm, two legs and a head. A garbage can within the park was inspected and found to contain a plastic garbage bag.  That garbage bag contained  parking lot ticket stubs, blood and human tissue, and other miscellaneous items.

Through a finger print found on the ticket stubs and video, they had a suspect, got a warrant for his residence where hatchet marks were found in the shower stall. They cut out the bottom of the shower and found the victim’s DNA in the trap. The woman’s torso was found near railroad tracks a month later. 

It was chilling to think of the realities investigators face, having to deliver such harrowing news to families.

As strange as it may seem, there’s a whole culture surrounding true crime—from podcasts to documentaries. It reminds us of the darker side of humanity and the stories that linger with those involved.

But regardless of the heavy themes, it turned out to be a fantastic night. We managed to solve the mystery, and we ended the evening at our favorite bar, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. It was a much-needed reprieve from the chaos of life!