Susan Murphy Milano's Journal: Educating Young People on Dating Violence

Yesterday my post on Forbes Crime, She Writes about the murder of 19 year old Katie Nagel from Napoleon, Ohio (Words Can Lead to Murder) caused quite a stir in the comment section and on Facebook pages. I thought it would be better to address the comments here instead of trying to catch them all over the place.

23 years ago on the exact same day that Katie Nagel’s life was taken, my own mother was murdered by someone that no one could believe would do such a horrendous thing. I understand this case only too well. A seemingly loving partner killing the one they profess to love happens day after day and the cemeteries are full. No one wants to believe it and they lash out in anger and frustration. Believe me, I’m used to it!

Although I won’t name sources, rest assured that I would never put my words on the internet if they weren’t backed up by facts. The facts don’t change, not in this case, nor any others. Whether the justice system and the media uses those facts in the proper context is another story.

The article was not written in an accusatory fashion, only reporting on what I had learned, and seen firsthand about the case. I’m accused of being sensationalist using “hyperbole and speculation,” as well as knowing nothing because I’m from South Carolina? Just so ya know, I’m from Chicago!...check your facts, dude!

Yes, I know that we are all INNOCENT until proven GUILTY in a court of law, and nowhere in this article did I state that Mikey Peddicord was convicted of murder, only that he confessed to stabbing Katie Nagel in his own home and called 911 to report it. While Facebook contains a lot of trash talk, there are nuggets to be gleaned in solving cases, and reporting, but I’m not claiming to be a journalist, a lawyer, nor a member of law enforcement.

If those commenting negatively, and those who have emailed me privately, knew beforehand that I have been working with victims like Katie Nagel for over 20 years, have written three books, and blog regularly about such cases, they may be leaving different comments. Obviously, many still do not understand the issue of intimate partner violence or they would understand a lot of information about the conduct of abusers comes from firsthand knowledge working with those in violent relationships.

It’s interesting also that a lot of these comments are calling me out personally, as well as what I’ve written, but I haven’t seen much in the way of comments offering kind words honoring Katie or her family and friends.

So, all of that being said, my fervent prayers are with the family and friends of both Katie Nagel and Mikey Peddicord. This is a great loss to each of their families and a whole community which is feeling the ripple effect of this crime, and it will take some time before the wounds start to heal. After the chaos and grief of this tragedy settles, please reach out and do something in Katie’s name to educate other young people about the very real problem of violence in relationships. Bring it out into the open; get serious about treating violence as a crime and not just some little tiff between two people. Help advocates and specialists like me and become active in doing something to prevent this from happening to the next Katie Nagel in Napoleon, Ohio

Below is the Story Link on Katie Nagel.