Anandtech member murders 2, commits suicide in Aliso Viejo

[Bozono]

"Built in 1995, the neighborhood of mostly beige two-story homes was described by residents as a family community where people often socialized."

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: GOREGRINDER
sometin happened awhile back and ill share it with you guys and gals,...

a long time ago in a city a little bit away,...we were all in my frieds basement hangin drinking and this and that and there was this guy that came over with this gal we knew,......well he was on a drug that lets just say warps your sence of reality for many hours,.....he started getting seriously out of wack and being loud talking about cops and just being a serious problem,...well a few friends of mine started harrasing him and instead of the gal we knew taking him out right away she was in the otehr room and a few people started yellin at him and telling him how worthless of a piece of sh!t he was etc etc ,..it was pretty extreme actually thinking back,,...well the gal friend comes out and sees it and takes him out,....the next day 4 of us were sitting on his proch and low and behold the "piece of sh!t" guy walks by,....a friend of mine sees him and yells at him " you stupid loser why dont you go home and kill yourself,..make us all happy,....HAHAHA" and continued laughing,....2 days later we read in the newspaper that he had sat himself in his car in his garage and started his car and killed himself,....my friend that had said that to him read the newspaper clipping that day ,..and honestly he has not been the same since

And now envision living in that warped sense of reality all your life. You don't know what "normal" is, except that you're not it, and worse yet, you still can't precisely define what "normal" is supposed to be.
They might know that they need help too, but the prospect of admitting it to anyone else in the real world can be utterly terrifying. And I don't mean "oh I'm scared like at a cheesy haunted house." I mean real terror. It isn't the threat of physical pain, but the threat of continued mental pain.

Problem too is, since this kind of disorder can make you dysfunctional in society, you may tend to learn to "cloak" yourself to the world, so that no one can get to know you. Makes sense too, because in your view, those who do know anything about you don't like what they see. Solution? Don't let anyone know you. Not the best solution, but it's a quick and easy solution, which is what people tend to seek.
This shielding of your mind and therefore intentions can make it difficult for anyone to determine what the nature of your problem is, or that there even exists a serious problem at all.

 

[Brutuskend]

I try and treat ALL people on here with the same respect I would like to recieve for just this reason.

 

[meltdown75]

after reading much of this thread last night and this morning, and various other news articles and other forums, i can say with certainty that i will never look at internet forums the same again. ever. how some people have reacted...wow. there is so much hate on internet forums. it really is astounding.

the internet is absolutely broken.

again i express sympathies for the Smith family and the family of this troubled individual.

 

[BlueWeasel]

Originally posted by: meltdown75
after reading much of this thread last night and this morning, and various other news articles and other forums, i can say with certainty that i will never look at internet forums the same again. ever. how some people have reacted...wow. there is so much hate on internet forums. it really is astounding.

the internet is absolutely broken.

again i express sympathies for the Smith family and the family of this troubled individual.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[TheAdvocate]

Originally posted by: Continuity28

Originally posted by: TheAdvocate

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: agnitrate
If it makes you bleeding hearts feel better, over at SomethingAwful, they told him where to get buckshot and then laughed at his face. Check it out: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1711335

Wow, they bascially told him how to kill those people. :shocked:

I can't load that site from work, but from what you're saying, they need to be concerned about criminal and civil liability.

This is a tragedy. Sucks that someone could fall through the cracks in society so badly that they felt desperate enough to do this horrible deed.

They shouldn't have said those things... but I think you're opening a can of worms by suggesting they should look into that.

I mean what if it got to the point where you could be arrested for saying something bad to a person 40 years before they murdered someone? We should watch what we say, but people shouldn't be held accountable for something he decided to do. Right?

I'm not saying "they" should look into "that" - I really don't like it when people use pronouns without identifying the subject, it confuses me.

My advice to the SA folks is simply basic C.Y.A. advice. Lawsuits and criminal prosecution are not unheard of in these cases.

 

[Toasthead]

at least he killed himself too.

 

[Chadder007]

WHOA! WTF?
I remember a thread or two with him in it that I responded too. Thats aweful.

His signature was "Friendly Computer tech from Orange county,CA"

 

[natto fire]

Originally posted by: meltdown75
after reading much of this thread last night and this morning, and various other news articles and other forums, i can say with certainty that i will never look at internet forums the same again. ever. how some people have reacted...wow. there is so much hate on internet forums. it really is astounding.

the internet is absolutely broken.

again i express sympathies for the Smith family and the family of this troubled individual.

If you think this thread is bad, I dare you to read the one at somethingawful. I thought it was kind of funny myself, but I have pretty thick skin, and am slightly psychotic.

 

[mugs]

Wow....

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: Captain Howdy

Originally posted by: meltdown75
after reading much of this thread last night and this morning, and various other news articles and other forums, i can say with certainty that i will never look at internet forums the same again. ever. how some people have reacted...wow. there is so much hate on internet forums. it really is astounding.

the internet is absolutely broken.

again i express sympathies for the Smith family and the family of this troubled individual.

If you think this thread is bad, I dare you to read the one at somethingawful. I thought it was kind of funny myself, but I have pretty thick skin, and am slightly psychotic.

yeah...this post on SA.com was prophetic:

DrakeriderCa

Paging Lincoln's Wax to thread number 1704519, we have a gimmick poster out of control/possible future legal problems. You guys understand how the media would jump on this if this fvckwad is real and actually shoots some kids this halloween, right? Fvck this.

Please, get the fvck out of TFR.


Oct 26, 2005: 17:43

 

[BlueWeasel]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
yeah...this post on SA.com was prophetic:

DrakeriderCa

Paging Lincoln's Wax to thread number 1704519, we have a gimmick poster out of control/possible future legal problems. You guys understand how the media would jump on this if this fvckwad is real and actually shoots some kids this halloween, right? Fvck this.

Please, get the fvck out of TFR.


Oct 26, 2005: 17:43

Woah! :shocked:

 

[tami]

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: tami
online bullying isn't going to stop. this may be a small wakeup call, but unfortunately human nature dictates that the same thing will happen again, and again, and again. it's almost the same as real-life bullying really, except that this one specifically effects our community because he was one of us, and we at AT are well aware of the online bullying that occurs around us.

The problem is that we have so many trolls and douchebags, it is impossible to tell who is actually seriously teetering on the edge.

The other problem is that people teetering on the edge are ticking time bombs. You can be nice to them all day long. Without professional help, they are still going to go off sooner or later.

i agree. even so, it's preferable to tread the waters carefully.

i try to get to know a lot of people here. i usually can tell online over time whether that person is suffering in one form or another. i do the best i can to get them the help that they need.

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Maybe we should be more supportive around here sometimes, instead of bashing people.

its sad.

 

[Toasthead]

Originally posted by: southpawuni

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: secretanchitman
i actually feel really bad for him. even though ive never seen him post, just thinking of that person commiting suicide...*pout*

WTF is going on here!?

HE MURDERED TWO PEOPLE. Jesus Christ!

I think how alot of us feel is that what he did was wrong..
but this was a tortured soul with a medical condition, and a SICK society that didnt help a damn thing.

Its all a tragedy, but whats done is done. People are dead, but I'm not worried about them now.. they are innocent.
This young man has to face a higher power for his actions. I'm praying for forgiveness for his soul as our society did not listen and help him when he was here.

Just like the Columbine kids, no one listened. Everyone wants to preach about who is wrong, who is bad.. but no one wants to listen.

If we listened more, maybe things like this wouldnt happen.

Sounds like those mods at that other forum almost saved him. They listened.
This is just more evidence this forum needs a change of culture. We'll probably see the hammer come down harder than ever now.

I hope it does, because I feel implicated that I never stood up for this kid in the forum, and never took action to be his friend.
Society, and ALL of us failed here.

My goodness. Please allow me to step on the high horse your sitting on for a minute.

This site is for COMPUTER AND ELECTRONICS. Of course he didnt get any help for his condition here. thats not what it is for. This is one of the most visited sites on the internet. People come here to shoot the bull and screw around and get some news, not wait for every hurt bird to wander by and beg for help.

The other site was DESIGNED AND VISITED by people who have the same condition as he does (did). No WONDER they tried to help him out...that's what the SITE WAS DESIGNED FOR. If the people from the other site DIDNT try to help him I would have been REALYL pissed, he was posting on a site for people with an illness and asked for help with it.

he did no such thing here.

 

[JasonSix78]

Originally posted by: Jnetty99
Maybe we should be more supportive around here sometimes, instead of bashing people.

its sad.

Not just here, but in our life outside internet forums as well. I've had a close family member take their own life and I also personally know a few people with severe mental problems. I would imagine that it is a living hell sometimes for these people, something a lot of us can't relate with from personal experience. The bottom line is saying you're glad that someone is dead or they committed suicide not only makes you look ignorant, but it also makes some question your mental stability.

-Jason

 

[PrinceofWands]

Strange, somehow I always thought I'd be the first to hold that dubious distinction.

Well, the murder part, not the suicide...I'd never take my own life.

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: Toasthead

Originally posted by: southpawuni

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: secretanchitman
i actually feel really bad for him. even though ive never seen him post, just thinking of that person commiting suicide...*pout*

WTF is going on here!?

HE MURDERED TWO PEOPLE. Jesus Christ!

I think how alot of us feel is that what he did was wrong..
but this was a tortured soul with a medical condition, and a SICK society that didnt help a damn thing.

Its all a tragedy, but whats done is done. People are dead, but I'm not worried about them now.. they are innocent.
This young man has to face a higher power for his actions. I'm praying for forgiveness for his soul as our society did not listen and help him when he was here.

Just like the Columbine kids, no one listened. Everyone wants to preach about who is wrong, who is bad.. but no one wants to listen.

If we listened more, maybe things like this wouldnt happen.

Sounds like those mods at that other forum almost saved him. They listened.
This is just more evidence this forum needs a change of culture. We'll probably see the hammer come down harder than ever now.

I hope it does, because I feel implicated that I never stood up for this kid in the forum, and never took action to be his friend.
Society, and ALL of us failed here.

My goodness. Please allow me to step on the high horse your sitting on for a minute.

This site is for COMPUTER AND ELECTRONICS. Of course he didnt get any help for his condition here. thats not what it is for. This is one of the most visited sites on the internet. People come here to shoot the bull and screw around and get some news, not wait for every hurt bird to wander by and beg for help.

The other site was DESIGNED AND VISITED by people who have the same condition as he does (did). No WONDER they tried to help him out...that's what the SITE WAS DESIGNED FOR. If the people from the other site DIDNT try to help him I would have been REALYL pissed, he was posting on a site for people with an illness and asked for help with it.

he did no such thing here.

southpawuni isn't on a high horse. he/she is simply exhibiting a quality known as "empathy" - one which, if present in some or more of the interactions Mr. Freund experienced online, could have seen this situation enfold ENTIRELY different than it has.

people wind up as members here for all manner of reasons. sure, it's a hardware forum. but last time I checked, Off Topic was far and away the forum with the most posts and overall activity. sure, it too is a tech forum, but by and large the topics are all-encompassing and completely random.

those members here that regularly display a sense of empathy and compassion will continue to pick up the slack for the rest. don't knock users that think they can make a difference by trying to help someone out. it's simply not your place to do so.

for the next little while, when i see someone getting bashed, ridiculed, trash-talked, flamed or otherwise, i'm going to shoot that user a PM just to let him/her know that not everyone feels that way. it's the least i can do. really, it is.

 

[Crono]

Has anyone sent this guy a PM? If so, wonder if the moderator is reading it...

 

[tfcmasta97]

whoever says this guy should RIP ... you just sicken me.

Rot in hell, im athiest,but if there is a hell i hope he burns. killing 2 others, this spoiled fat lil ****** had to take other peoples lives.

 

[SMOGZINN]

Originally posted by: Toasthead
My goodness. Please allow me to step on the high horse your sitting on for a minute.

This is the exact thing that the poster you quoted is talking about, we can not have a civil discussion here anymore. As soon as someone says anything but a comic remark people start name calling.

This site is for COMPUTER AND ELECTRONICS. Of course he didnt get any help for his condition here. thats not what it is for. This is one of the most visited sites on the internet. People come here to shoot the bull and screw around and get some news, not wait for every hurt bird to wander by and beg for help.

No one is saying that he should have gotten help for his condition here, he was already visiting sites dedicated to his condition, and was seeking medical treatment. What southpawuni and now I am saying is he should have gotten simple decent human respect here. Most threads have a serious lack of that around here. These forums have become such a hostile environment that I am not sure they serve any legitimate propose anymore.

The other site was DESIGNED AND VISITED by people who have the same condition as he does (did). No WONDER they tried to help him out...that's what the SITE WAS DESIGNED FOR. If the people from the other site DIDNT try to help him I would have been REALYL pissed, he was posting on a site for people with an illness and asked for help with it.

he did no such thing here.

No, here he asked questions about computers and computer related issues, and received derision and insults in return.

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: HamburgerBoy
It's too bad that the father and daughter died, but I'm really happy that the idiot commited suicide. So often they get off easy by claiming insanity.

That's actually not true at all.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: skace

Originally posted by: Vic
There is no excuse for cold-blooded murder. Nor, in any civilized society, can there ever be any excuse if it wishes to continue calling itself civilized. There are only 2 victims from this incident, and neither was the person who refused to exhaust his last resource in getting the proper help he needed (which was certainly available).

You take that stance and you learn NOTHING.

Exactly what am I supposed to learn? That murder is acceptable? That giving up on one's treatment and then taking your problems out on others is a righteous course of action? If I found out I had cancer tomorrow would I be justified in a murdering spree as well?
Of course not. Nothing excuses his actions. Nothing can. Especially in his situation, being in a position of affluent privilege with access to high quality care and treatment (which he obviously did not comply with).

Now, if you people are only just realizing that your actions and words are capable of having a profound effect on others, well then... welcome to your first taste of maturity.

 

[Stojakapimp]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
Strange, somehow I always thought I'd be the first to hold that dubious distinction.

Well, the murder part, not the suicide...I'd never take my own life.

dude, now is not the time to be making joke threats like this.

 

[mackle]

Any of you guys check out this heat yet?? WTF with the last two heat he got??