This story got to me. Two college students were murdered while camping in a Florida forest last year by a man who, frankly, decided to kill them on a whim with an AK-47. If ever there was a case that cried out for the death penalty, this is probably it.
But the students' parents have declined capital punishment. Partly because the appeals process would dig up painful memories, partly because the victims wouldn't have wanted it.
And I'm sorry, I just had to pass along this quote from the murderer, who was asked why he murdered two strangers a few minutes after meeting them:
"I have my little fantasy world and whatnot," Boatman said. "I've read lots of books, you know, and then I probably got onto, like, the murder mysteries. ... They kind of got me into that state of mind."
