A 27-year old woman entered a big furniture and carpets store and never came out of it. She got raped and murdered on the deserted top floor of the store. The murderer, one of the workers, wrapped up the body in a thick carpet, and left it there. The victim was found only ten days after the murder, due to the strong smell of putrefaction felt in the building.
It happened some over ten years ago, and it was a big tragedy for the family of the woman, and also for the store, which was part of a very distinguished chain of home stores. The owners had to pay millions compensation to the surviving mother and sisters of the deceased, as the court had found them guilty of failing to assure the safety of the customer. After the tragic event, there were people who refrained from entering 'that place of evil doing', and so the business lost many customers.
I myself never entered that store again until it changed its location. You may call me superstitious or whatever, but I couldn't even approach the place, let alone enter it. I had thoughts about the spirit of the tormented woman as prevailing over the whole place, crying out and warning people of the danger within it.
It took several years till a new location in the area was found for the store (top picture). I happened to be there yesterday. It's a beautiful store with fine home items (furniture, carpets, light fixtures, etc...) . Along with the pleasure of seeing these items, there's of course the sadness of past memories that one feels.
sitting set
carpets
armchair
This time I've noticed something very important. No upper floor! only the vast ground surface, divided cleverly in open sections on various height levels. The lesson has been learnt.
this is really a horrible story-a women wants to buy something in a public place and such a catastrophy! This is a lesson that we should all be careful because the evil never sleeps:(
ReplyDeleteHappens in Merica all the time. Lived in a place where the previous owner rolled himself up in a rug in the attached garage and did himself in. Lived there a year and there was never any indications of any kind that it ever happened.
ReplyDeleteAs you point out here Duta what's important is that they learned.
DUTA, you come up with the most amazing stories from in and around your place. I am glad that the lesson was learnt but in spite of that one needs to be cautious.
ReplyDeleteAll said and done, the pieces look beautiful.
Best wishes,
Susan
How terrible! I think I would have a problem with that store too! It is sad that sometimes we have to learn from terrible mistakes.
ReplyDeleteBut atleast you feel safe there now. That is good
Ola,
ReplyDelete"Evil never sleeps". Indeed. "One never knows what awaits at the corner' - another similar saying.
One Fly,
Unfortunately tragedies happen everywhere, all the time. We just have to be more cautious.
Susan Deborah,
Thank you for your kind words. I definitely agree with your 'caution' suggestion.
Kalynn ("MiMi"),
A traumatic event like this can have a strong impact on one's behavior.
The new store is lovely , has atmosphere , and provides the customer with a feeling of safety.
How awful for that girl! I just can't imagine what kind of deranged individual does that to another human. I wouldn't have entered it again either. Glad they thought out the arrangement of the new building.
ReplyDeleteLets always be a little bit more alert and careful!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad story. I'm a careful person, and maybe the victim was, as well. Honestly, you just wouldn't think something like this would happen in such a location...you aren't afraid to let your guard down, as you wouldn't sense danger. So sad...I'm glad it's now a one story store.
ReplyDeleteJanie B,
ReplyDeleteThe question is how he got hired. Usually these guys have a "past".
Phivos Nicolaides,
We should constantly remember your advice for alertness and caution.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI totally understand you. I would not have been able to go there either.
ReplyDeleteBut I just cannot understand people like her rapist. I always wonder, what there is going on in their mind. How they are able to do such deeds!?
I'm glad the store found a new location, and I hope the criminal was dealt with. Vile things happen regularly in this world, but we cannot live in fear, for that is no life at all...
ReplyDeleteBica,
ReplyDeleteTrue. Nobody expects something like that to happen in a Home Store.
A one storey store can be better supervised; danger can be eliminated or at least minimized.
PinkPanthress,
These people that rape and murder are drawn by the worst dark instincts possible. I wish they could be detected before they carry out their awful deeds.
Dimple,
Change of place is believed to bring a change in Luck.
Indeed, we cannot let ourselves live in fear.
How awful, I've never heard of anything like this happening before. I'm not sure how to respond to this but the memory of the event seems to linger after a decade & hopefully the single story will rectify the layout problem.
ReplyDeleteWow. That's terrible. I guess employee 'criminal background checks' can never be too thorough. wow...
ReplyDeleteIt is surprising how 'bad' energies can linger in a place, - you must be super sensitive to have picked up those negative vibes, Duta. It means you have a warm heart!
ReplyDeleteJ_on_tour@jspaze,
ReplyDeleteIt looks like fiction , but sadly, it happened in real life, and it's not something one forgets easily.
Susannah,
Your guess is right. Apparently, "criminal background checks can never be too thorough".
Vera,
Yes, I am sensitive, and I do hope "I have a warm heart" as you say.
When I was working in retail, the idea for a plot had hit me like this, and I thought it was so horrible I never did write it. Now I read that someone actually did it for real.... gives me chills.
ReplyDeleteOh, that's such a tragic story!
ReplyDeleteHow sad about the young woman that lost her life ... so much evil in this world!
I can understand why you would not want to go to that store again until the location was changed.
Take care, Duta and thank you for your visits to my blog, I always so enjoy and appreciate your comments!
Margie :)
I know I've gone into stores that at time made me feel uncomfortable. We think we are safe because they are a public place, but that's not always the case. How sad for that poor woman.
ReplyDeleteTanya Reimer,
ReplyDeleteIn many cases, reality seems to be even more chilling than fiction.
Margie,
Very tragic. Nobody thought to look for the young woman in the store, when her dissappearance was announced.
Alicia,
We're not safe anywhere. I always pray to God to protect me both oudoors and indoors.
How horrifying and terrible! Although, how do you avoid these types of situation. Was there behaviour in the worker that could have given a clue of his evil deed, in hindsight? Did he continue working there until the body was discovered? I can't imagine.
ReplyDeleteDuta
ReplyDeleteIf I know of horror story, I like you do not go to the place that it happens. I think the home store was wise to make the new store without a upper floor. It sad that a person today must constantly keep their guard up, while growing up in the country it was very safe and most folks did not even lock their doors. Sad that the children of today will never know such safety. Peace
It just is another case of feeling that no where is really safe. You have to constantly be "on guard" for the evil person who is around the corner. I really hope the new location brings back any customers who left because of the tragedy.
ReplyDeleteThat is a tragic event for all. Glad you got to visit the new location
ReplyDeleteAngelina,
ReplyDeleteAs far as I can remember, the killer went on working as if nothing had happened.( The upper floor was an unattended floor. He either happened to be there when the victim arrived or he followed her and attacked her). Nobody suspected anything, and if it weren't for the smell, it would have taken more than ten days to discover the body.
Lady Di Tn,
Yes, times have changed and not for the better. Safety is no longer taken for granted.
Sue(Someone's Mom),
It's sad to feel that way, that is, nowhere is safe for us, but I'm afraid, that's a very real kind of feeling.
Kim@Stuff,
I visited the new location in the past, but only this time I noticed the fact that it's actually a one storey store, albeit a vast one.
The three colours (blue, yellow and red) are the colours of my country, Romania. Why are displyed in that place?
ReplyDeleterobert,
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting coincidence!Thank you robert.
As far as I know, the chain of stores (there are 16 stores in various parts of the country) has emerged from the union of three companies; each one of them had or chose to have its own color as logo, and the final logo of the chain is the trio of blue, yellow, red - which are incidently the colors of the romanian flag, as you've just pointed out.
My heart aches just to think of that poor woman, such a sad death.
ReplyDeleteYou are a good observer, Duta. And very sensitive.
This is a very interesting post.
Doris
Hold my hand,
ReplyDeleteHi Doris,
Thank you for your kind words.
Yes, the death of the young woman is very sad and painful.
May God protect us from evil!
How horrible. I'm glad the company was able to relocate. Sounds like they never caught the murderer. He'll get his eventually.
ReplyDeleteJoyce
http://joycelansky.blogspot.com/