She almost never goes out alone anymore,
day or night, not even to the grocery store. If she absolutely has to,
and her husband isn't home, she'll call her neighbor to make sure she
gets to her car OK. She doesn't let her 18-year-old daughter take the
bus to work anymore. She is constantly looking over her shoulder.
With a serial killer terrorizing her central Phoenix neighborhood, life has changed "dramatically," Trimm said.
"I get panic attacks just even thinking about it," she said. "It just freaks me out."
On Wednesday night, Trimm was among hundreds of Phoenix residents who turned out at a community meeting to learn more about two serial killers who have been plaguing the Valley. Some hoped to glean even a little more information, perhaps a slightly better description of the predators. Others wanted to hear tips to keep themselves safe. Michael Heinlein came just to see how confident police looked.
"I think we have a long way to go," he said. "Hopefully, this guy will get cocky and screw up."
In the end, residents got little new information, but some said hearing directly from police would help calm people down and clear up whatever misinformation has been circulating.
Residents have been on edge as both the "Baseline Killer," previously dubbed the "Baseline Rapist," and the "Serial Shooter" continue their rampages of terror, eluding police.
Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris and Mayor Phil Gordon urged residents Wednesday to call in any suspicious people or activities and to take the necessary measures to avoid becoming the next victim.
Both attackers have remained elusive. The composite sketch of the Baseline Killer is likely a disguise, and, in 14 months, nobody has actually seen the Serial Shooter.
"We need to rally all of you to be the eyes and ears for us," Harris said. "Let us know what you see that we should be looking into."
"Unfortunately," Gordon said, "it's not as easy as it is on TV where everything is wrapped up in an hour. It takes the community and the police working together to catch these monsters. . . . We will get them."
The Serial Shooter is now believed to be responsible for 34 shootings of people and animals since May 2005. Five people have been killed and 16 wounded. But although police say they believe the shootings are linked based on method, time of day and location, only four have been definitively connected by evidence.
The Baseline Killer has been raping, robbing and killing since last August. Police believe his first murder was a woman at a Tempe apartment complex last September. Since then, five more people have been killed in Phoenix. All the victims appear to be randomly chosen, and police say the killer actually may lurk in the area, sometimes even initiating contact with the victims, before he attacks.
Most recently, investigators think the Baseline Killer has targeted the central Phoenix area bounded by 24th and 40th streets and Thomas and Indian School roads.
Cindy Mejias said she no longer lets her two teenagers go out at night, unless it is next door or across the street. She brought her 17-year-old son with her to Wednesday's meeting so he could understand why.
"They think I'm overreacting," Mejias said. "That's why I have him here, so he doesn't think I'm just being paranoid."
Police say they are giving residents as much information as they can without jeopardizing their investigations. Thousands of fliers with a composite of the Baseline Killer and information on how to call in tips have been distributed to residents. Police have gone door to door with the information in some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods. Information is updated daily on the Silent Witness Web site, and a video segment has been produced for the city TV station, Channel 11.
On Wednesday night, Cmdr. Bill Louis laid out some of the information: The Serial Shooter usually strikes between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. His victims are always alone. Usually, there are multiple shootings on the same night. He probably watches victims to ensure there are no witnesses.
The Baseline Killer usually attacks in the early evening, after dark. He also is likely to be watching his victims before he attacks. He has worn disguises. Because of that, people should be more focused on suspicious behavior than the composite sketch, Louis said.
"The random nature of both of these has made them very difficult for us," Louis said.
It also is what has residents like Trimm so scared. She has bought Mace and is thinking about a self-defense class.
"This is going to be forever, a lifetime change," she said. "I'm going to have to keep being aware of my surroundings, even if they catch him. There'll always be somebody."
With a serial killer terrorizing her central Phoenix neighborhood, life has changed "dramatically," Trimm said.
"I get panic attacks just even thinking about it," she said. "It just freaks me out."
On Wednesday night, Trimm was among hundreds of Phoenix residents who turned out at a community meeting to learn more about two serial killers who have been plaguing the Valley. Some hoped to glean even a little more information, perhaps a slightly better description of the predators. Others wanted to hear tips to keep themselves safe. Michael Heinlein came just to see how confident police looked.
"I think we have a long way to go," he said. "Hopefully, this guy will get cocky and screw up."
In the end, residents got little new information, but some said hearing directly from police would help calm people down and clear up whatever misinformation has been circulating.
Residents have been on edge as both the "Baseline Killer," previously dubbed the "Baseline Rapist," and the "Serial Shooter" continue their rampages of terror, eluding police.
Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris and Mayor Phil Gordon urged residents Wednesday to call in any suspicious people or activities and to take the necessary measures to avoid becoming the next victim.
Both attackers have remained elusive. The composite sketch of the Baseline Killer is likely a disguise, and, in 14 months, nobody has actually seen the Serial Shooter.
"We need to rally all of you to be the eyes and ears for us," Harris said. "Let us know what you see that we should be looking into."
"Unfortunately," Gordon said, "it's not as easy as it is on TV where everything is wrapped up in an hour. It takes the community and the police working together to catch these monsters. . . . We will get them."
The Serial Shooter is now believed to be responsible for 34 shootings of people and animals since May 2005. Five people have been killed and 16 wounded. But although police say they believe the shootings are linked based on method, time of day and location, only four have been definitively connected by evidence.
The Baseline Killer has been raping, robbing and killing since last August. Police believe his first murder was a woman at a Tempe apartment complex last September. Since then, five more people have been killed in Phoenix. All the victims appear to be randomly chosen, and police say the killer actually may lurk in the area, sometimes even initiating contact with the victims, before he attacks.
Most recently, investigators think the Baseline Killer has targeted the central Phoenix area bounded by 24th and 40th streets and Thomas and Indian School roads.
Cindy Mejias said she no longer lets her two teenagers go out at night, unless it is next door or across the street. She brought her 17-year-old son with her to Wednesday's meeting so he could understand why.
"They think I'm overreacting," Mejias said. "That's why I have him here, so he doesn't think I'm just being paranoid."
Police say they are giving residents as much information as they can without jeopardizing their investigations. Thousands of fliers with a composite of the Baseline Killer and information on how to call in tips have been distributed to residents. Police have gone door to door with the information in some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods. Information is updated daily on the Silent Witness Web site, and a video segment has been produced for the city TV station, Channel 11.
On Wednesday night, Cmdr. Bill Louis laid out some of the information: The Serial Shooter usually strikes between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. His victims are always alone. Usually, there are multiple shootings on the same night. He probably watches victims to ensure there are no witnesses.
The Baseline Killer usually attacks in the early evening, after dark. He also is likely to be watching his victims before he attacks. He has worn disguises. Because of that, people should be more focused on suspicious behavior than the composite sketch, Louis said.
"The random nature of both of these has made them very difficult for us," Louis said.
It also is what has residents like Trimm so scared. She has bought Mace and is thinking about a self-defense class.
"This is going to be forever, a lifetime change," she said. "I'm going to have to keep being aware of my surroundings, even if they catch him. There'll always be somebody."
