With the advent of social media, killers are not only becoming more brazen about their crimes, but sometimes they get caught in the act by none other than their own victims. It’s one thing to read about a homicide, but when the public is confronted with the genuine horror of cold-blooded murder, it adds a layer of humanity to these senseless tragedies that would otherwise be lost in the pages of a news article. Today we’ll be looking at five of these cases.
The 4chan Killer
In November of 2014 a user took to the anonymous message board 4chan to broadcast that he had killed his girlfriend and posted several graphic photos to accompany the post. Having seen their share of hoaxes in the past, the user’s posts were initially met with a healthy dose of skepticism. It wasn’t until the news reports of a Port Orchard, Washington boy who came home to discover his mother had been murdered and her live-in boyfriend was on the run that other users realized that the posts were no hoax. A park ranger was later able to apprehend the suspect, David Kalac, without further incident. The Kitsap Sun has since reported that his trial has been set for February of 2017.
Orlando Shooting Caught on Snapchat
When Pulse nightclub shooting victim Amanda Alvear loaded up her Snapchat app to record a glimpse into her night out she had no idea that it would be the last known footage of her alive. Clips of Alvear dancing with friends are suddenly cut off when gunshots are audibly heard in the background. Alvear does not initially seem fearful, but abruptly closes the app once she realizes the horror that’s unfolding around her. Family says that Alvear died a hero that night, attempting to save friends still trapped inside the club with the shooter. The attack was later claimed to be the deadliest attack on U.S. soil since the 9/11 attacks in 2001.
The Shooting of Antonio Perkins
Enjoying a rare day off from his job at McDonald’s, Antonio Perkins loaded up Facebook’s live-stream feature in order to record himself and his friends sharing drinks on a warm summer’s day. Perkins and his friends are seen laughing and joking outside of a Chicago apartment building when a vehicle stops him dead in his tracks. He turns to the driver and yells for him to “stop playin’” when the unknown assailant opens fire. Though the footage goes dark when Perkins falls to the ground, audio of his concerned friends can be heard in the background as they rush to Perkins’ aid. Perkins was later pronounced dead at an area hospital.
The Murder of Angela Wrightson
In December of 2014, two young teenagers went to the home of Angela Wrightson, but rather than their usual requests for alcohol and cigarettes, the girls had other plans. The two girls decided to beat a torture the 39-year-old to death with various household items as they captured some of the horrific scene on Snapchat. Afterwards the girls phoned emergency services and ordered police to give them a ride to the orphanage they had been placed in. A paramedic later phoned in to report the scene the two girls had left in Wrightson’s apartment. Both girls were sentenced to 15 years in prison, leaving the family of Wrightson with the feeling that justice had not been properly served for Wrightson’s horrific death.
The Facebook Killer
Subject of Sword and Scale episodes 57 and 58, an argument between Facebook killer Derek Medina and his girlfriend Jennifer Alfonso quickly turned deadly as Alfonso’s 10-year-old could hear the fatal argument unfold from her upstairs bedroom. After shooting Alfonso multiple times, Medina then took to Facebook to post the photo of Alfonso’s lifeless body for all of the couple’s friends and family to see. The photo went viral for hours until Facebook’s administrators finally had the photo removed. Medina later turned himself over to police. He is currently serving life in prison.