Here’s a conundrum: Does a killer kill because he/she is mentally ill or is that killer an evil person?

Do you believe in evil? Was the killer in Sandy Hook evil? Was the Aurora killer evil?

My favorite inspector asks this question in Jo Nesbo’s book, Police. Why do people hate? This could be extrapolated to mean Why do people kill? His colleague answers in the usual straightforward police way. She mentions jealousy, revenge for being humiliated, rejected, jilted, ridiculed or having a special person or your pride taken away from you.

Where does this fit into the Stacey Burns murder? In my opinion, her killer was evil. Her murder was a well-planned, well designed execution. Her killer was not hearing voices nor balancing on the brink of insanity. Here is where the question of why people hate or why do people kill enters into the discussion.

Evil people know exactly what they are doing. Mentally ill people do not. The killer of Stacey Burns knew exactly what he/she was doing. The Bible study killer knew what he was doing. The hate factor was fully in play; it is the key. Did the Sandy Hook shooter or the Aurora shooter hate the victims? They did not even know them.

The murderer of Stacey Burns knew and obviously hated his/her victim. It was an evil act carried out by an evil person.

Comments are welcome!

Duke