Friday, August 13, 1998. The day Sue Milkit was murdered -- and the day I got my first case as an official FBI agent. Right beside me was a friend -- a good friend, my partner, the legendary John Terry. John solved 101 cases in 32 years of work and put sent Steven Axel, the Wyoming women killer to the death sentence. The clearest thing I remember from that day was the smell. Oh, God, the smell. It seeped into your skin, into your brain, and burned away your senses. Despite that smell John walked right into that room and stared at the body -- as if nothing else was in the room. I couldn’t bring myself to open my eyes to look, telling myself it was best not seen. I wish I had listened. The walls were built not of stone, but flesh.
“He’s back,” John said under his breath
“Who?” I asked, confused.
“Steven Axel -- a copycat perhaps,” he answered, still staring at Sue.
The room went silent, cameras stopped flashing, and examiners
stopped sweeping the room for evidence. The room just stopped, until John broke
it yelling at everyone to continue on. Once we left the crime scene John left
me back at my house early, he had told me that he had something special that
night. He was a very vague and quit man, at 59 years of age he was never
married, no kids, no family -- he was alone, lonely; but that made him the best
at his job.
My cell began to ring at 1 a.m.
“Wake up boy” John said “we got another one”
My body was not in the same setting as my mind was, I lie for another minute or two until John called again.
“Let’s go, come on” John said impatiently
I got ready as fast as I could, and rushed outside to John parked in the driveway.
“How long were you here for” I asked shocked
“Not long” he replied
We pulled up to an old house screaming in agony and sorrow. Inside lied another body wrapped in the packing paper. The sound ate away at everything good I had ever experienced, dissolving my sanity, driving me to nothing but the madness. John had this smirk on his face and again would not stop staring at the body.
“What’s so funny” I asked
“Nothing” He looked up and responds with one word before the other teams rushed in.
For the rest of that morning and afternoon, John wasn’t around much, and when he was, he had no idea of his surroundings. I asked Rachel, a friend who worked with John before if this was normal, and she told me that last time this happen, with Steven, he was worse.
That night ended early -- again, and the same morning happened again. Three days had past, three bodies were found, no sceptics. I began doing some homework on the Wyoming women's murder and found that Steven Axel couldn't have been the murder. His sister, Christina Axel was one of the women killed and Steven loved her, he raised her, it didn't make sense. I showed John this evidence, but all I got was nothing, he told me it was pointless to reopen a case that had already been solved and the man was already dead. He was very sensitive on the subject so i felt best to leave it alone and not bring it up - around him.
Two weeks past, six bodies found, and all that was running through my mind was who is this. No could have my trust anymore, especially not John, he has been the weirdest. I went to visit him at his house, to see how things were going, but the front door was already open.
“John--” I yelled into his home, “John, are you home?’
No answer. I searched around the house and found no sign of
him. As I was upstairs I decided to search for answers. I found this book, on
the top of the office desk.  It was an old book, worn out and had a weird
smell. It felt wrong as I opened it, but I knew it had to be done. The first
couple pages were notes, but I kept flipping the pages too--
My eyes couldn’t believe what they were staring at. Photos upon photos of women-- dead and alive-- tortured and hurt. Was it real. Was John -- No.?
I took the book, and other things I could find. My mind was flying everywhere. I didn’t know what to think. Was this the John that got me into this career, was this really my role model? The night became day, and as clear as outside was, nothing was clear. John didn't show up to work, and to any of the meetings. He was gone. Left before he could get caught.