# Six people murdered Christmas eve **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 29, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605 "2007-12-29T17:31:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/1 "2007-12-29T17:31:15Z")
In the small town of Carnation, about 25 miles from Seattle, a daughter and her boyfriend shot her parents, sister, brother-in-law and a neice and nephew. ([news story](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22400463/)) The two returned to the site while police were there and confessed. The local paper interviewed the man, who said they were like family to him… 😕 Both of them shot the parents, then the man shot the sister’s family, including the two children. The reason the woman gave was that the family didn’t appreciate her, even though she and the boyfriend lived on the parents’ property. How…Why… I can’t even form the questions, I’m so appalled. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/2 "2007-12-29T17:52:54Z")
Well, at least we know that the daughter is “bearing up well”, according to her [public defender](http://www.kirotv.com/news/14937951/detail.html). I suppose now that she’ll throw herself on the mercy of the court because she’s an orphan. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/3 "2007-12-29T18:53:30Z")
These last few days I’ve been hoping to hear that the murderers were druggies. It’s the only thing that can explain how they could do something so messed up. Kill a 2- and a 6-year-old because they could be witnesses? On Christmas eve, when they were all excited about Santa bringing them presents? That’s so seriously nuts I can’t imagine anyone doing that unless they were out of their minds on meth or something equally bad. Yet I’m not hearing anything about drugs or alcohol or even any mental issues. Just that the woman didn’t feel appreciated by her family. Who here hasn’t felt that from time to time? Sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2007, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/4 "2007-12-29T19:56:35Z")
[QUOTE=Tikki] These last few days I’ve been hoping to hear that the murderers were druggies. It’s the only thing that can explain how they could do something so messed up. Kill a 2- and a 6-year-old because they could be witnesses? On Christmas eve, when they were all excited about Santa bringing them presents? That’s so seriously nuts I can’t imagine anyone doing that unless they were out of their minds on meth or something equally bad. Yet I’m not hearing anything about drugs or alcohol or even any mental issues. Just that the woman didn’t feel appreciated by her family. Who here hasn’t felt that from time to time? Sheesh! [/QUOTE] The first report I heard said they didn’t suspect drug involvement. ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2007, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/5 "2007-12-29T21:28:39Z")
I just got done reading the latest update on one our local television news websites. You know, I was horrified and extremely saddened when I first heard about this. The horror kept growing, but after reading the latest article, I was trying to hold back the tears. The article covered the whole sequence of events that occurred that evening, to include what those poor folks’ last words and actions were. There should be a special place in Hell for those two. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2007, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/6 "2007-12-29T21:42:10Z")
The story was big here, too, for the horror and the proximity. It’s beyond my comprehension. What can I say? Murdering children on Christmas Eve… it makes my brain hurt. And my heart. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/7 "2007-12-30T01:23:35Z")
[Here](http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_122907WAB_carnation_murders_KS.638d9129.html) is a more detailed story. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/8 "2007-12-31T16:18:25Z")
> [@](#): > > before they lived near Anderson’s parents, the couple lived at a Fall City mobile home park, where the owner described Michele Anderson as unstable but docile. He said she cried a lot, but neither she nor her boyfriend seemed violent. > KING 5 tracked state business records that link Michele Anderson to a business called “Pure Evil Customs.” It is unknown what kind of business she had been running. > Family members say she was recently removed from the will, worshiped the devil and talked about killing her father. Sounds like mental illness probably was a factor in this after all (not surprisingly!). I wonder why nobody did anything when she apparently had already talked about killing her father. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/9 "2007-12-31T16:51:51Z")
[QUOTE=lavenderviolet] I wonder why nobody did anything when she apparently had already talked about killing her father. [/QUOTE] Would you have taken her seriously? I probably wouldn’t have, depending on the circumstances. Very sad. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/10 "2007-12-31T17:20:49Z")
[QUOTE=Tikki] Kill a 2- and a 6-year-old because they could be witnesses? On Christmas eve, when they were all excited about Santa bringing them presents? [/QUOTE] A very late nomination for non-sequitur of the year. Seriously, what does the second sentence have to do with the first? Would it have been better if the kids were killed in June? ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/11 "2007-12-31T18:41:16Z")
Seriously, would it have been worse to just let people express their thoughts and emotions regarding a tragedy without making snide remarks intended solely to make yourself look superior at someone else’s expense? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/12 "2007-12-31T19:03:40Z")
[QUOTE=Starving Artist] Seriously, would it have been worse to just let people express their thoughts and emotions regarding a tragedy without making snide remarks intended solely to make yourself look superior at someone else’s expense? :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] Not snide, nor intended to make me look superior. I just do not understand why the imminent arrival of Santa has any bearing whatsoever on the nature of this tragedy. I guess it’s possible that the last thing that went through young Olivia’s mind after seeing her parents shot to death was “I wonder if Santa will still come this year.” But i doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/13 "2007-12-31T19:15:21Z")
> [@](#): > > When asked why he shot Erica, Olivia and Nathan, McEnroe told detectives three times: “I didn’t want them to turn us in,” according to the affidavit. A lot of help that was. ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/14 "2007-12-31T19:18:30Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] A very late nomination for non-sequitur of the year. [/QUOTE] Yay! I may be a winner! When is the awards ceremony? Seriously, I’m empathizing here. There’s not many times of the year when a child feels more excitement anticipating what is to come than on Christmas Eve. To take those kids from that height of excitement and suddenly plunge them into the depths of sheer terror in that manner makes the killers seem more cold-heartedly evil and and the situation more tragic than if it had happened in June even though they are both terrible situations. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/15 "2007-12-31T19:19:45Z")
To most people (and you must be the exception, mhendo), certain details make things have more emotional impact. Kid dies of disease–sad Kid dies of disease on his/her birthday–sadder Kid dies of disease for which a cure is imminent–saddest It might not make “sense” but it is pretty human. The kid is dead in all cases, but some are sadder. The Christmas eve aspect of this is the same–to die at a time that is supposed to be “for the kids” and a really happy time is an emotionally gut-wrenching detail. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/16 "2007-12-31T19:53:01Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] I guess it’s possible that the last thing that went through young Olivia’s mind after seeing her parents shot to death was “I wonder if Santa will still come this year.” But i doubt it. [/QUOTE] Well, at least you’re not being snide. Seriously, though…is it really so difficult to understand how tragedies can seem worse depending on the circumstances? People often find it somewhat more tragic when someone is “cut down” in the prime of their life, or when a person of exceptional talent and promise dies prematurely and is therefore denied the wonderful life that seemed to lie before them. My guess is that **Tikki’s** response is in the same kind of vein. Now does this make sense in cold, logical terms? Probably not, but it’s certainly common in caring, empathetic and emotional terms. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-people-murdered-christmas-eve/431605/17 "2007-12-31T19:56:34Z")
[QUOTE=Starving Artist] Seriously, though…is it really so difficult to understand how tragedies can seem worse depending on the circumstances? [/QUOTE] Some circumstances, yes. But when two toddlers watch their parents killed, and are then executed by close-range shots to the head, the fact that it happens to be Christmas is so insignificant that it is not even deserving of a mention. I understand why the reference was made, but the awfulness of the crime itself is so great as to make the reference completely pointless.