In a horrific incident that shook many, a teenager brutally murdered a nine-year-old girl out of curiosity. Alyssa Bustamante enticed her neighbor, Elizabeth Olten, into the woods, where she strangled, then slashed the young girl before burying her in a shallow grave.
The tragic event took place one October evening in 2009 in St Martins, Missouri. Elizabeth went missing while playing with her friend, Emma, triggering a massive search effort involving the police and hundreds of locals scouring the wooded area.
Initially feared to be a victim of abduction by a sex offender, suspicions turned towards Alyssa, Emma’s half-sister, who had joined the girls that day. Authorities discovered an empty grave near Alyssa’s residence, which she confessed to digging for “fun.” Subsequent investigation of her home exposed disturbing evidence.
Alyssa’s bedroom was disturbingly adorned with unsettling scribbles and drawings, depicting graphic content and disturbing phrases like ‘I cut to see blood because I like it’. Her troubled background included a history of depression, self-harm, and suicide attempts, with a father in prison for violent crimes and a mother battling addiction and incarceration.
Raised by her grandparents, Alyssa had spent time in a psychiatric facility following a suicide attempt, leaving visible scars on her arms. Disturbing footage emerged showing her goading her younger siblings to touch an electrified fence for her amusement.
Her diary entries revealed darker deeds, including setting her grandparents’ house on fire. The last entry on the day of Elizabeth’s death detailed the gruesome murder, expressing a mix of excitement and nervousness.
Alyssa admitted guilt to second-degree murder at the age of 18, attributing her actions to mental health struggles and medication. Despite remorseful statements, prosecutors argued she meticulously planned the killing for personal satisfaction. In 2012, she received a life sentence with a minimum term of 35 years, acknowledging the inadequacy of words to convey her regret.
Patty Preiss, Elizabeth’s mother, condemned Alyssa as an “evil monster,” expressing deep hatred during the sentencing hearing.
