Thoughts on The Murder of a Woman & Her Dog in Atlanta's Piedmont Park

This story has kicked me in the gut. From CNN:

A woman and her dog were fatally stabbed while on a walk in Atlanta's Piedmont Park, and police are now asking for the public's help gathering more information.

Police say the body of Katherine Janness, 40, was discovered inside the park just after 1 a.m. on Wednesday. Her dog, Bowie, also was killed.

Police have not identified a suspect or a motive.

Janness and her dog were murdered two blocks from where I was living less than two months ago. She was found near the entrance of Piedmont Park on 10th Street and Charles Allen Drive. For six months, I walked through the gate to go to and from work. The morning walks were especially peaceful and serene. I shall now look at Piedmont Park in a different light as I'm sure many Atlanta residents will as well.

At the top of this post is a video screenshot of Janness and her dog. The rainbow crosswalk is situated on 10th and Piedmont Avenue just down the street from the park. The thought that she and her dog were only minutes away from the last moments of their lives which would end in the most violent manner possible is hard to take.

I made a point of texting my former landlady. She too is shaken up about the whole thing. A vigil scheduled for this Sunday has been organized by the neighborhood. Had I still been living in Atlanta I would have certainly been in attendance.

Back in March, I expressed my concerns about public safety in Atlanta. I concluded my thoughts by stating, "For better or for worse, I will be in Atlanta for the foreseeable future. All I can do is make the best of it. And make sure I keep my eyes and ears open and my wits about me."

Just over two months after writing those words I found myself back in Boston. I would be less than honest if I didn't say I am glad I left Atlanta as much as I enjoyed living in Midtown Atlanta. Of course, I say this with the knowledge that people can be murdered anywhere including in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Nevertheless, I feel a degree of comfort and security here that I never felt while I was in Atlanta. Knock on wood.

What scares me the most is that the person or persons responsible for killing Katherine Janness and her dog is still at large. Given the manner in which she and her dog were killed I strongly suspect that the killer or killers were strangers. In which case who can say such an attack won't happen near Piedmont Park again?