Two Ghosts on Dia de los Muertos

It has been ten years since Carina Saunders and Alina Fitzpatrick were murdered in the Oklahoma City metro area. Saunders was 19 years old. Fitzpatrick was 17. There is no evidence the two knew each other, or that the killings were connected in any way. Well at least beyond  the fact they both were  dallying at the edge of an abyss most middle class Americans prefer not to think about, if not outright deny.

Saunders' dismembered body, or at least most of it, was found in a field behind what was s then a Homeland grocery store. She was so far out of control by then her family didn't even think to report her missing for two weeks. At the time it was reported she had no fixed address. Her family claimed she had a beautiful singing voice and that her high school ambition was to sing opera professionally. By the time of her death that bar had been lowered considerably. Friends told the media she was aspiring to be an actress in porn films.

Alina Fitzpatrick wanted to be a nurse and her dream might have still been alive in early November of 2001. She was in school, although it was the suburban Putnam City School District's virtual high school program She had stopped going to classes at PC North because of bullying. It is an allegation the district still denies.

Still young Ms. Fitzpatrick was flirting with darkness. She had changed cell phone numbers because she had started  getting, "suspicious," calls. On the evening she disappeared friends let her off near the intersection of NW 24th and Western, not a terrible neighborhood, but still not one a parent would want a 17 year old child roaming around alone at night. 

The Saunders' murder was handled by the Bethany Police. Their main talent turned out being leaking the name of every suspect, potential witness, and informant's name to any and all local media outlets. Even details of the gruesome killing were made public as well as its possible site, or sites.. An urban legend arose which said Saunders' torture and mutilation were filmed on a phone.. People who allegedly said they had seen all, or part of the horrid video immediately recanted then left for parts unknown. . Charges were filed and all of them eventually dropped. The case was finally handed over to the OSBI, but it was too late.  It is now highly doubtful anyone with connections to the case remains in the area.

Alina Fitzpatrick's remains were found in an empty lot in far eastern Oklahoma City. Her nude body was covered with bruises and abrasions and a gag was stuffed into her mouth.. The state medical examiner, Dr. Chai Choy declared none of her obvious wounds were enough to cause her death. He also found enough meth in her system that she might have overdosed., but he really couldn't say for sure. He ruled her death, not as a homicide,  but as suspicious.  The Oklahoma City Police seemingly lost all interest soon after the ME's report came out. 

Years ago an anonymous commenter on this blog claimed they knew who did it and that person was in jail on unrelated charges. Whether that assertion is true, or not remains un proven.

What we do know is Alina Fitzpatrick would be 27 years old now and perhaps a nurse if she hadn't been murdered. Carina Saunders would be 29, although she was so far off into that oil slick world of drugs and sex she might never have made it this far. It isn't a lifestyle known for its longevity.

Ten years in this nation is a long time. The media has moved on to new horrors and the old ones are forgotten by the teeming masses. Indeed, how can one dwell on the ghosts of Carina Saunders and Alina Fitzpatrick when more than a few of us  are debating the politics of disease, climate change, and gun control..

Memories, however,  are always with us, if we just dig deep enough. It is why many call this day, Novembe 1st, as Dia de los Muertos.

11-1-21.