"When people show you who they are, believe them the first time." — Maya Angelou
Being in a relationship with someone you love is one of the most beautiful things ever. You're caring for another human being, that's not your family. Willing to learn new things about this person as the days (or maybe years) passed. Even build a partnership in marriage and then to start a family. All of this sounds nice, doesn't it? Well, it can be if you know the person that you are dealing with.
On the other hand, you might fall out with this particular person. The love dies. The connection isn't there anymore. The breakup could be mutual, where you guys could be friends afterwards. Or you guys just can't talk to each other anymore. Unfortunately, there's a lot of stories where one couldn't let the love go—so if they couldn't be with them, nobody else can.
This article is dedicated to the stories of Ashley Doolittle and Jessica Hampton. Two women with different stories. Doolittle was a recent graduate with aspirations to go to college at Colorado State University in the fall. Hampton was a young mother, trying to get back on her feet from dealing with drugs in Chicago. Their stories meet in the unfortunate ends of their lives, which was administrated by their ex-lovers or men they were dealing with. Doolittle was shot in the head by her ex-boyfriend, Tanner Flores after she decided to break up with him after a year of being together in a vacant Colorado area. Hampton was murdered by an ex-fling, Arthur James on the Chicago's local train line when she refused his request for children. These stories are connected to the vicious cycle of crazed lovers killing their significant others over the latter's choice to end their relationship.
Nobody can fully understand the motives of the suspects, but context clues were administrated. Flores was reportedly "upset," "distraught," and "really down," which are common feelings after a breakup, but it doesn't explain why he decided to murder Doolittle. Doolittle broke up with him before they went to college, so could it be the common expression, "If I can't have her, nobody can," is tied to her demise? We won't know until Flores tells the court of law after he confessed to committing her murder. With Jones though, we have a clue of his actions. With screenshots of Jones's comments on Hampton's Facebook page surfaced on social media hours after her murder, it was clear he was a disturbed man. He had Hampton's picture as his profile picture and had clear intentions for Hampton to give him attention. "Maybe if I had a child, I would be different everybody think I'm evil but I'm misunderstood," he commented under a post the night before the murder. Witnesses told authorities that Jones even asked her, "Would you have my children?" and when Hampton said and shook her head, "No"...the attack began.
My dad always told me, "When boys do that jealous stuff, remember that sh*t isn't cute" and it's true for any gender. I cannot stress enough of Angelou's famous quote because I have witness friends that were unhealthy relationships and it's a scary feeling. You never know what that person could do to your friend. Could they end it or keep destroying them? You have to see the warning signs before it's too late. I don't have a thought revoking piece for this, but I do want people to be careful on who you date or associate with. Make sure the feelings are mutual and clear. Rest in Peace to these women, they clearly didn't deserve on what they couldn't control.
