BTK Confesses

The serial murderer BTK confessed to 10 murders yesterday. He gave the judge and prosecutor and family members the gory details of why he did what he did, and how he did it. (I'd link to the story, but something weird has happened with Blogger, and all of my options to link stories have disappeared. If anyone knows how to get them back, please email me.) I hope that his confessions bring the family members of the victims some peace, if not today, then some day in the future. I hope that they find some solace in knowing the truth about their loved ones, though my heart thinks it's unlikely.

My 12-year-old cousin Katie disappeared from a friend's house 23 years ago. They never found her body, but Glenn Barker was convicted of her murder in 1983. I remember parts of the trial, though not much. I think it would have helped my family if Mr. Barker had confessed to Katie's murder, and told us where he took her body. We just wanted to bring her home, and bury her, and say goodbye. I have to wonder whether it's worse to actually know what happened to your loved ones in their last moments, or to have to imagine it. Is there some finality, some peace, that might come with knowing with some certainty the horrific last moments of your loved one's life?