10 years......How can it be a decade

Within a few months, I face the 10th anniversary of Brittany's murder. Hopefully, the 12th CARAVAN TO CATCH A KILLER tour will begin mid September. Yet like 7 years out of the last 10, this year right before the anniversary and a CARAVAN, car problems and house pipe problems, may impac the funds to be used for the CARAVAN. Since 2007 I’ve completed 11 tours in my pink/purple "wrapped" CUBE with pictures of Brittany embedded on the butterflied background (raped/suffocated Tulsa 9/27/04), CARAVAN TO CATCH A KILLER on all sides and profile of killer on the back.


As I face a decade since her murder, behind me are 100000 miles travelled across 46 states where 126 reporters gifted us with stories about Brittany’s murder mystery, helping us ask for tips and, more so, to educate communities about laws that keep women and children at risk of the same fate as Brittany.


A decade since someone raped and suffocated her after he either broke in to her 2nd story apartment (next to the high school she graduated from )or was waiting for her to fall asleep. A decade since the crime scene DNA started being compared to suspect DNA, now over 3000 Oklahoma suspects and probably half a million in CODIS.


A decade since the lead detective, Jeff Felton and post his retirement (still works on it), Eddie Majors, began their never tiring work that still keeps the case from turning cold. Even so, the mystery remains unsolved.


  Within this decade, 8 years ago LAMAR Advertising began the 4-year rotation around sites in Tulsa, of their donated billboard. Within this decade, 7 years ago, reporters across the US began to tell Brittany’s story as ‘the girl next door.” Not because I, the grieving mother, was travelling thousands of miles, self funded and by myself but because reporters understood her murder could happen to anyone as long as there are at least 24 States that refuse to take DNA at Arrest. They helped me raise community awareness regarding risks of waiting to take DNA until conviction and how this allows dangerous people to live within our communities until convicted and how the majority of the crimes that need DNA to help solve, are the violent crimes where 90 % of the victims are women and 9 % are children. Within this decade, 7 years ago (10/7/07), through unbelievable gifts from FELLARS and Midwest Wraps, of a WRAP for my RAV 4 and in 2011, a WRAP for my Nissan Cube,. the 1st CARAVAN TO CATHC A KILLER tour began. Now, these self-funded missions of love have now visited visit 115 cities across 46 states. and allowed me to meet community members, reporters, local law enforcement, DAs, lawmakers, as well as thousands met on highways in-between. The thumbs up as people drove by or hugs at rest stops, each experience gave me courage to carry on. A decade since Brittany’s murder, since she was abruptly taken from my life.


My breath escapes me at the passed time. Even with my success of local news stories, my now, one time a year CARAVAN has only given us exposure to 1/100000 of people national news might reach.


, When a parent loses a child, a cavern opens inside their heart that beats in irregular mourning. To quiet a sense of imploding, my CARAVANs give me breath beyond the never-ending loss. What more can a mother do..