About

PART 1 of a 2 PART EPISODE Teresa Butz and Jennifer Hopper were deeply in love and looking forward to their upcoming wedding that was to take place in September 2009. Though Washington State, where they lived, did not legally recognize same-sex marriages at the time, the two were determined to have a ceremony that commemorated their commitment to one another for themselves and in front of their tight circle of friends. They spent a carefree day together on July 18, 2009 filled with fun and the chores one has to do when preparing for a wedding. They went to Weight Watchers in the morning, took a double-decker bus microbrew tour of the South Park Seattle neighborhood where they lived, went for a dress fitting for Jennifer’s gown. In the evening, they grilled steaks and watched a movie before climbing into bed where Jennifer told Teresa how much she loved her before they drifted off to sleep. What happened next, in the early hours of the morning of Saturday, July 19, is beyond nightmarish. This is the story of 90 minutes of brutality that ends in murder and shattered dreams. It is also the story of the failures of a broken mental health care system both in Washington State and around the US. But most importantly, this is a story of love and resilience in the face of unimaginable tragedy.   Darklands is bi-weekly podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, and Podbean. A starred review would be greatly appreciated. Darklands logo: Jeffrey Francoeur Episode Music: Xylo-Ziko, “Phase 2” from Minimal, Highway 17, "Cockroach Headed Boy" from It's Sharp Darklands is a FridaPants production. Episode Sources: Sanders, Eli. (2016). While the City Slept: A love Lost to Violence and a Wake-Up Call for Mental Health Care in America. Penguin Books. https://www.duwamishtribe.org/history