1.) 2020-2022: While earning his Masters in Criminal Justice as a 27 year old disrespected "rent-a-cop" with no "real world" experience in Criminal Justice.... he began day dreaming.

He has a type A personality. All or nothing perfectionist. Demands respect. Never fit in. Not the STEM crowd. Not the Jock crowd. Somehow he ended up in Criminal Justice. Couldn't be a cop. Not smart enough to be forensic scientist.

He begins to contemplate reality and compares that to his self identity. Begins to slowly think of himself as a failure. Thinks of ways to enter the Criminal Justice world and gain respect. But how?

2.) BREAKING NEWS: 2 Years After Horrific Murders WSU PHD Student Theory Proves Correct As Murder Weapon Finally Found

3.) 2022 March- Solve a murder as a PHD Student. Maybe he thought of doing it in PA? Maybe he thought of pinning the murder on an innocent. To risky? Let's make it a murder so gruesome and senseless it's International Headlines. PA too close to home. Applying to PHD programs. Need a murder weapon "untraceable" via a gift card?

4.) 2022 June to August- Still just an idea but driving around in a new world and thinking/dreaming of it excites him. He begins to break from reality... only slightly... as he would never commit to this plan unless he knows 100% certain he can get away with it. It's a FANTASY. It excites him... the closer he can get to the fantasy the more excited he gets.

2022 September- Classes start and his fantasy gets buried under the stress of being called a fake. The reality he won't accept. 27 year old man with no prospects. No talent. Socially alienated all his life. Classes reinforce his desire to prove everyone wrong. But stress keeps him home.

2022 October - He's alienated/crazy enough to go through with it. It doesn't matter who/when/where... just as long as he gets away with it. Classes calm down. He finds time to fantasize more. He convinces himself that once the deed is done he can disassociate himself from the crime/memories. Anyone or any people will do. But it must be gruesome. It must make headlines. A young girl? Two young girls? More?

2022 November - He picks a target. Stabs once. Goes apeshit. Follows the news. Realizes his fantasy didn't go as planned.

*Edit. He planned ahead of time. I believe the murder weapon is in some weird place ala "Murder She Wrote" or "Sherlock Holmes" story... so work backwards to find it. Cleared suspects? The weapon may have been planted there. IF he went into psychosis I feel the weapon would have been carelessly thrown away and found. Or the reality hit hours after the fact... and he somehow properly disposed of it.