A case which was described as the most infamous honour killing in the United States

Yaser Said is a Muslim man who was born in Egypt and later immigrated to the U.S. in 1983. In 1987, Said married then 15-year-old American girl Patricia Owens. Said was double her age at the time. The couple had three children together. Amina, Sarah, and their son Islam who was 19 at the time of the killings.

Although Yaser married an American woman, he still had strong traditional beliefs that he imposed on his family. He demanded obedience and would control his family any way he could. …

Jonelle Matthews is finally going to receive justice

Jonelle Matthews was a twelve-year-old girl who lived in Greeley, Colorado with her adoptive parents, Jim and Gloria Matthews and her older sister, Jennifer. Jim was a school principal and Gloria stayed at home with the children. The four visited church together as a family when they could.

Jonelle’s birth mother Terri Vierra-Martinez was only thirteen when she gave birth to her. After a month of being a new mother, Terri realized she was not capable of the responsibility due to her young age and placed Jonelle up for adoption.

According to Jonelle’s older sister Jennifer, Jonelle was sassy and independent. She was well cared for by her adoptive family and had a very loving childhood. …

Ezra McCandless stabbed her ex-boyfriend 16 times

DISPATCH: Dunn County 911

DON SIPPLE: I have a young lady that just came to my house and said somebody attacked her.

In March of 2018, a hysterical and bloodied twenty-year-old Ezra McCandless frantically banged on the front door of dairy farmer Don Sipple’s home in a remote area of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. When Don answered the door, he found a bare-footed and muddy Ezra begging for a doctor. The word ‘boy’ had been cut into her arm and her clothing had been torn. Don, of course, let Ezra in and consoled her while the two waited for the police.

What Don didn’t know at the time was that Ezra was a cold-blooded killer. …

But don’t panic

If you’re at all like me, you constantly obsess over your stats. It’s the last thing you do before bed and the first thing you do in the morning. My partner is constantly in my ear, “Seriously? You’re looking at your stats again?”

“Yeah, that’s right buddy. Ain’t no shame in my game.” I said as I shooed him away.

I’m not anti-stats so I’m not going to sit here and tell you to stop checking your stats, because A) I’m no hypocrite and B) stats can teach you a lot when used correctly.

During my time on Medium, I’ve made it a priority to pay attention to patterns and I’ve been enjoying sharing them with other writers. …

It’s okay to talk about it

My absolute favourite thing about Medium is the community. To me, the genuine bonds I’ve created with other writers and readers on this platform are priceless and what I look forward to the most. But, every now and then I see discouraging unwarranted comments berating those who choose to write stories celebrating the fact they’ve they’ve made money on Medium.

Why?

True, some of us are not here just to make money, some couldn’t care less if they made a dime. Some are here solely to make money. Others are here to make money, share their stories and improve their craft.

If a friend called you tomorrow and they excitedly shared with you they made a few bucks writing on Medium, would you tell them you don’t give a damn and hang up the phone? …

Dear hugs: I miss you. Do you miss me?

Hugs help to strengthen our relationships.

They help us check-in with each other, feel what the other is feeling.

Hugs keep us sane.

There is something so incredibly comforting when you hug a loved one.

It’s warm, inviting, all-healing.

It can make you feel appreciated, loved,

understood.

A hug can envelop a sense of calmness over you.

It can make you forget all of your troubles.

It can make time,

stop.

A hug can stop the tears from flowing. A hug can help show feelings you can’t quite put into words.

Hugs can make you feel cherished.

Hugs can reduce levels of stress and anxiety. Hugs keep us healthy. …

After receiving a Dear John letter, Susan Smith drowned her two children

It was the summer of 1988 and seventeen-year-old Susan had just scored a job at the local Winn-Dixie grocery store in Union, South Carolina. In high school, Susan was known for her happy-go-lucky enthusiastic disposition. She was outgoing and did well academically speaking.

It was at work Susan became close with a younger co-worker and high school acquaintance, David Smith. The two quickly began spending more and more time together. However, unbeknownst to David, Susan was already involved in an affair with a married man, who also worked at the Winn-Dixie. …

True Crime, Books

A book inspired by the abduction and sexual grooming of an 11-year-old child

“Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.” — Lolita

If you have read the 1955 novel Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov you’ve experienced the feeling of reading a book both enthralling and disturbing all at the same time. …