Re suggestion mental illness is not a factor..... I don't know how it couldn't be a factor. No mind in proper working order could process such evil acts of horror let alone act them out. These are more than violent crimes these are violent psychopathic crimes.

I hear the word evil used instead of attributing mental illness as though there were a line separating the two somehow. What is evil if it isn't the acting out of thoughts and behaviours such as this? Why is someone compelled to do such evil? Can an evil doer do evil with a clear and functional mind?

It just seems to me there can be no question mental illness is present. A question that does remain is can justice ever be found in cases like this. What kind of punishment would fit such crimes? Justice..... punishment.... they can't even be applied. They fall weak. The horrors are too unimaginable to equate any justice or payment.

As for the more pressing question of how do we protect society from this kind of lunicy.... it seems to me it starts with destigmitizing mental illness and it starts with honestly recognizing it when it is present and before it results in horrific acts of lunicy.

These stories bring up lots of hot social topics that are complex and multi-dimensional. We search for answers and we search for justice but no matter what we fall short of finding any comfort or satisfaction. We face the horrors of our humanity and we can't separate ourselves from it and that is unnerving at every level.