Driven to Kill

Both boys, however, told Dodd that they were hungry and that they were late. They had to get home, they said, or else their dad would be angry. To placate them Dodd simply instructed the boys to tell their father that they got lost, even though he knew that neither boy was going to leave the park alive.

Dodd forced both boys to drop to their knees, and pulled Cole's pants down again. In order to do what he wanted, he realized that he would have to cut the boys loose. He raised his pants leg and removed the knife from its sheath, held in place around the calf of his right leg by his sock, and cut the shoelace that bound the two boys together. Conscious about not leaving behind any evidence that could identify him, he placed the shoelace pieces in one of his pockets. Billy, at that point, offered to go and tell their dad that they would be late.

"You can go in a couple of minutes," Dodd retorted. "I'm almost done." Dodd had Billy lean back onto his heels so that he couldn't make a fast getaway, then returned his attention to Cole.

With Cole's bare buttocks toward him, Dodd unzipped and pulled his jeans and underwear down in the front only, exposing him. Hoping to attain an erection, Dodd began simulating intercourse between the boy's legs from the rear. But, unable to get an erection, he quickly gave up. Dodd, frustrated, made a mental note that he was in too much of a hurry and told himself that he must slow down and relax more next time.

"There's just one more thing," said Dodd as Cole turned to face him. With a look of absolute evil in his eyes Dodd again took the knife from its sheath. Both boys now faced Dodd in a crouched position about a foot apart, with Dodd centered in front of them. They shrank back in terror when they saw the knife blade in Dodd's clenched hand. He was poised, ready to strike.

"Please don't kill us, mister!" cried Cole. "We won't tell!"

Dodd reached out with the knife and in one swift movement shoved the sharp thin blade deep into Billy's stomach. Dodd, thinking that Billy would drop to the ground, turned to Cole who was now horrified after seeing what Dodd had done to his brother. He started to turn and rise to his feet, but he was too late. Dodd lunged at Cole's stomach, but the blade caught him in the side. By then Billy had grabbed his stomach and had started to run away. Without looking back he headed off in the direction of the sounds of automobile traffic on Andresen Road and to what he perceived as safety. Cole was now down, but he kept moving as he writhed in pain. Dodd nearly panicked. He stabbed him again, and then a third time in the chest. Cole finally lay still.