THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Tragedy strikes in Cold, Montana…again.
A police officer dies in the line of duty while stopping the man the world has come to know as the Cold-Hearted Killer.
Just twenty-four hours ago, heartbreak ravaged the small town of Cold, Montana for a fifth and final time. Detective Grace Murphy with the Cold Police Department was killed in the process of apprehending the man responsible for kidnapping and murdering four other Montana women.
October 30th, 2010
COLD—Authorities say just one month after Bethany Johnson went missing—the fourth Cold, Montana woman within the span of seven months—the Cold-Hearted Killer has been stopped by the heroic efforts of Detective Grace Murphy. She was too late to save twenty-four-year-old Bethany Johnson, but it is clear to everyone her sacrifice stopped this predatory serial killer from taking more lives.
The Cold-Hearted Killer has been identified.
In a press conference this morning at Cold’s town hall, Chief Red Pulse officially released the name of the Cold-Hearted Killer.
Walter Donald Gaskins was a seasoned family physician for more than thirty years and the city’s recently elected Coroner.
Walter Donald Gaskins was a well-respected member of the small community inside Cold, Montana and the last person these rattled townspeople expected to go on a killing spree that resulted in the deaths of five women.
“Our trust as a community has been compromised,” Chief Pulse said during the early morning press conference. “No one in this town would have expected one of our own, someone we deeply trusted and respected, to be capable of such horrific acts. I can say with complete certainty it will take our small community time to heal and find closure from such a devastating sequence of events.”
When reporters asked Chief Pulse about the police officer who died in the line of duty, the emotion on his face was visible to all.
“Grace Murphy was like a daughter to me. She was loved by this town. And her loss has affected us beyond words, not only because she was a fellow officer, but because she was one of us. She was family,” he said before pausing briefly to compose himself. “I’m sure once the shock has worn off, grief will set in, and I pray that we as a community will come together and support one another through this very difficult time.”
Questions have arisen as to why the FBI was not involved in this case, and if the Cold Police Department and Chief Pulse handled the case correctly. A spokesperson for the department maintains that since the murders did not cross state lines, it was not a legal obligation to involve national authorities.
Officials stated Grace Murphy went to Walter Gaskins’s house because of a possible disturbance call on October 29th. When she’d entered the premises, she quickly found the last victim, Bethany Johnson, but unfortunately, it was too late. The victim had most likely been dead for several hours. It was after that crucial discovery, a shootout between her and Gaskins occurred.
Detective Murphy took her last breath before paramedics arrived.
Officer Levi Fox arrived on the scene for backup seven minutes later, but Grace Murphy had already received two fatal gunshot wounds to the chest. Shortly after, Gaskins received his fate by a fatal shot to the head by Officer Levi Fox.
While the names of the those involved have been released, many details still have not been.
“I understand there are a lot of questions regarding the details of this case, but I am asking for patience as we not only investigate the crime scene, but also mourn the loss of one of our own,” Chief Pulse stated at the end of the press conference. “Thank you for your understanding and your time.”
Many people around the nation offered condolences and prayers for the community of Cold, Montana through emails and social media posts, as well as donations for the victims’ families through an online portal.
Not only is this tragedy heartbreaking, it is also disturbing.
With all of the horrific details surrounding the case, it’s hard to imagine this community can rest easy tonight just because a serial killer is off their streets. It’s difficult to fathom anyone could find peace in the fact that the Cold-Hearted Killer’s terror didn’t end with his and the victims’ deaths, but instead, will reign on. His signature, his words, his official photographs will forever be on the autopsy reports of his victim’s bodies.
Walter Gaskins’s motives for murder are still unclear to everyone who has been following this case. Which brings us to the question on everyone’s mind today—why would a well-respected, well-liked member of the Cold community turn on his own?
It appears, to the Cold-Hearted Killer, there was a thin line between love and pain.