Anonymous

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The evening of Thursday December 13 2001 started out like any other for married couple Ken Lee and Jane Showmaker. The two were relaxing at home in the rural town of Early, Iowa, when suddenly at around 7.07pm their pages started frantically beeping.

The evening of Thursday December 13 2001 started out like any other for married couple Ken Lee and Jane Showmaker. The two were relaxing at home in the rural town of Early, Iowa, when suddenly at around 7.07pm their pages started frantically beeping.

The evening of Thursday December 13 2001 started out like any other for married couple Ken Lee and Jane Showmaker. The two were relaxing at home in the rural town of Early, Iowa, when suddenly at around 7.07pm their pages started frantically beeping.

The couple volunteered as emergency medical technicians for the early fire department and the page announced that there had just been a home invasion at a residential address a few doors down. Gunshots had been fired and at least one intruder was injured while another had fled the scene. The showmakers were stunned.

The couple volunteered as emergency medical technicians for the early fire department and the page announced that there had just been a home invasion at a residential address a few doors down. Gunshots had been fired and at least one intruder was injured while another had fled the scene. The showmakers were stunned.

The couple volunteered as emergency medical technicians for the early fire department and the page announced that there had just been a home invasion at a residential address a few doors down. Gunshots had been fired and at least one intruder was injured while another had fled the scene. The showmakers were stunned.

Such an incident was completely out of the ordinary for the small town of roughly 650 residents, where serious crimes were virtually non-existent. They rushed to the property in question, a blue two-story Victorian-style house that they knew was home to married couple Michael and Tracy Roberts and their three young children.

Such an incident was completely out of the ordinary for the small town of roughly 650 residents, where serious crimes were virtually non-existent. They rushed to the property in question, a blue two-story Victorian-style house that they knew was home to married couple Michael and Tracy Roberts and their three young children.

Such an incident was completely out of the ordinary for the small town of roughly 650 residents, where serious crimes were virtually non-existent. They rushed to the property in question, a blue two-story Victorian-style house that they knew was home to married couple Michael and Tracy Roberts and their three young children.

The Roberts family had moved there from Chicago two years earlier, seeking a change of pace from the big city. Michael, an Australian expat, was a computer security expert who ran a computer business out of the property next door to their home. They were an upstanding Christian family who fit in well with the close-knit community. The showmakers arrived before law enforcement did.

The Roberts family had moved there from Chicago two years earlier, seeking a change of pace from the big city. Michael, an Australian expat, was a computer security expert who ran a computer business out of the property next door to their home. They were an upstanding Christian family who fit in well with the close-knit community. The showmakers arrived before law enforcement did.

The Roberts family had moved there from Chicago two years earlier, seeking a change of pace from the big city. Michael, an Australian expat, was a computer security expert who ran a computer business out of the property next door to their home. They were an upstanding Christian family who fit in well with the close-knit community. The showmakers arrived before law enforcement did.

As EMTs, they'd been taught never to enter a home until it had been cleared by police. So they waited across the street for several minutes until the first officer arrived. The officer approached cautiously with their weapon raised, scouring the property for any sign of danger.

As EMTs, they'd been taught never to enter a home until it had been cleared by police. So they waited across the street for several minutes until the first officer arrived. The officer approached cautiously with their weapon raised, scouring the property for any sign of danger.

As EMTs, they'd been taught never to enter a home until it had been cleared by police. So they waited across the street for several minutes until the first officer arrived. The officer approached cautiously with their weapon raised, scouring the property for any sign of danger.

The homeowner, 35-year-old Tracy Roberts, appeared on the back porch, telling the officer that two men had broken into her house and launched an attack. She'd managed to escape into her bedroom and grab one of her husband's guns, which she'd used to shoot one of the intruders. The other had fled on foot, though she wasn't sure in which direction.

The homeowner, 35-year-old Tracy Roberts, appeared on the back porch, telling the officer that two men had broken into her house and launched an attack. She'd managed to escape into her bedroom and grab one of her husband's guns, which she'd used to shoot one of the intruders. The other had fled on foot, though she wasn't sure in which direction.

The homeowner, 35-year-old Tracy Roberts, appeared on the back porch, telling the officer that two men had broken into her house and launched an attack. She'd managed to escape into her bedroom and grab one of her husband's guns, which she'd used to shoot one of the intruders. The other had fled on foot, though she wasn't sure in which direction.

More officers arrived and cleared each room of the house before waving the EMTs inside. The showmakers raced upstairs to the main bedroom. Numerous empty shell casings were scattered near the doorway and the air reeked of gunpowder. On the floor at the bottom of the bed, a young man wearing a brown leather jacket lay slumped in a thick puddle of blood, his body resting in the fetal position.