Gettysburg College in shock over slain student

Post Gazette ^

[Chet 99]

GETTYSBURG -- Emily Rachel Silverstein lived in a Gettysburg College residence called Peace House with construction-paper flowers covering the windows and world music filling the hallways.

She died a death more violent than her friends care to imagine in her ex-boyfriend's apartment a quarter-mile away, in a yellow clapboard house that neighbors say was always quiet.

Authorities said Kevin R. Schaeffer, also a Gettysburg College student, choked Ms. Silverstein, 19, a sophomore from Roosevelt, N.J., early Thursday morning and then stabbed her in the neck with a steak knife. He sat with her for 15 minutes before putting her in a bathtub, according to a police affidavit.

Mr. Schaeffer, 21, of Oley, Berks County, confessed to the crime, according to the affidavit. He told police he had been drinking that evening but was not intoxicated. He said he had recently stopped taking Zoloft, an anti-depressant, the affidavit said.

. . .

Mr. Schaeffer's parents could not be reached for comment. But Alan Romero, 18, whose family shares a driveway with the house occupied by Mr. Schaeffer and his roommates, had good things to say about him.

"Kevin seemed like a nice guy, like a hippie kind of person. He always said hello and goodbye to us. He seemed friendly," Mr. Romero said.

[SeminoleSoldier]

Does anybody know in how many of these recent tragedies drugs have been a factor?

[Chet 99]

Preliminary autopsy results showed that Ms. Silverstein died from a combination of strangling and stabbing between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. It was not clear why Ms. Silverstein was at his house. The two had recently ended a sporadic romantic relationship.

[SolidWood]

Kevin seemed like a nice guy, like a hippie kind of person.

[Aaron0617]

Thanks for the update. An earlier article here ~ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2226736/posts

[PackerBoy]

Too many young women ignore the danger signals that young (troubled) men send them. Some even look upon people they know are troubled (and even damgerous) as social projects.

All women need to have self-defense training because, over the course of their lives, they have nearly a 100% chance of being attacked by someone, and most likely someone they know. It just might have saved this young woman's life.

[Wolfie]

I imagine the Monday morning police logs are full of people who got liquored up and did something violent.

[Rudder]

...recent tragedies drugs have been a factor?

Alcohol has long been frequently associated with violent crimes.

[Tallguy]

He told police he had been drinking that evening but was not intoxicated. He said he had recently stopped taking Zoloft, an anti-depressant, the affidavit said.

Jeeze! Had that alibi at the ready, didn't he? We didn't even have to wait for the defense lawyers to get involved for that bit of information to come out!

Before any of you depression sufferers get offended, I think there is something to this. I'm commenting on the speed with which this information came out.

[TheMole]

Very hard to say if drug withdrawal or use is the problem or if the perp was already that crazy to begin with. Here's a site that tries to keep track of these incidents:

Index to SSRI Stories

[bboop]

‘who got liquored up over the weekend’ AND who are recently off Zoloft. I think there is a website correlating Zoloft/ raging mayhem, is there not?

[bboop]

‘who got liquored up over the weekend’ AND who are recently off Zoloft. I think there is a website correlating Zoloft/ raging mayhem, is there not?

[elpadre]

early in my life I was a law enforcement officer who on several occasions interviewed some cruel, sadistic criminals, some murderers. Almost without exception their neighbors were unaware of their evil ways and would make comments similar to: “ Kevin seemed like a nice guy, ....”

[blueyon]

Does anybody know in how many of these recent tragedies drugs have been a factor?

Drugs may have played a part but it sounds more like he is setting up his case to get off of 1st degree murder to me.

[blueyon]

Does anybody know in how many of these recent tragedies drugs have been a factor?

Drugs may have played a part but it sounds more like he is setting up his case to get off of 1st degree murder to me.
How said for the family. My prayers to them.

[CitizenM]

OMG...another college murder. What is it with college kids these days? At a time in their life when so much is being done for them, when the whole world is open for them to explore, and some of the happiest days are theirs to be had. Kids nowadays are troubled, tormented, feeling they can do anything they want to get what they want. And so many are turning to violence to solve their emotional problems. I know there is plenty of this in our general society, but it is just too sad (and too telling, perhaps) to see our youth giving into violent methods and temptations to end their concerns. What a pity for all the parents involved. God give them some peace.

[VideoPaul]

1) My condolences to the family of hte victim.

2) Wow...someone got killed and a gun wasn’t involved? KNIFE CONTROL! KNIFE CONTROL!! That’s it, BAN ALL KNIVES!!

—PP

[pabianice]

Emily Rachel Silverstein lived in a Gettysburg College residence called Peace House with construction-paper flowers covering the windows and world music filling the hallways. She died a death more violent than her friends care to imagine

Funny how this happens so often to clueless peace-and-love types.

[JimRed]

Funny how this happens so often to clueless peace-and-love types.

A previously posted article stated that she was raised to be an activist. Activists are not peace and love types by any stretch of the imagination.

Too bad she did not get to live long enough to see the error of her ways.

[The Great RJ]

"...Preliminary autopsy results showed that Ms. Silverstein died from a combination of strangling and stabbing ..."

So much for banning guns as a solution.