Stalker law: Murdered daughter’s legacy lives on

Ten years ago (Feb. 26, 2010), at about 7:30 a.m., a stranger-stalker murdered my daughter 20 feet from the door of the Tacoma school where she taught.

Because of her death, the Jennifer Paulson Stalking Protection Order Act became Washington law about three years later, to help protect those who are stranger-stalked.

Under the new law, Pierce County District Court has issued 273 protection orders in the last 6 1/2 years. Statewide, the law places an importance with police and in the criminal justice system on stranger-stalking and provides for mental evaluations, ankle bracelets and real-time tracking.

How suddenly loss can come. Remember to love and enjoy your loved ones who are with you each day, for we know not what the next day holds.

This story was originally published February 26, 2020 at 1:59 PM with the headline "Stalker law: Murdered daughter’s legacy lives on."