Was PC Smith the catalyst?

[Abby Normal]

For the Stride murder?

The couple he walked past and saw. If that was them and the man the killer-did it make the man realize that his window was closing with Stride?
Did he think that he had maybe 15 minutes max before the cop would be back around on his beat, so he had better get her in that alley quick?
And when he tried, she refused one last time, and that set him off and he killed/attacked her out anger /frustration?

[Penhalion]

I'm not quite clear on what you think might have happened.

Do you think that the killer planned to kill Stride and was trying to coax her into the alleyway to do so and then became frustrated when she wouldn't go and so then killed her out of frustration? Do you think he intended to kill all along or that he did not originally intend to kill and but killed out of anger when she wouldn't cooperate? Since the Stride murder lacked any additional wounds/mutilation, it appears to be the least angry of the murders.

Even if PCSmith was due back in 15 minutes or so, why not just take a stroll down the street and around the corner and avoid him? Why did the murder have to be there?

[Abby Normal]

I'm not quite clear on what you think might have happened.

Do you think that the killer planned to kill Stride and was trying to coax her into the alleyway to do so and then became frustrated when she wouldn't go and so then killed her out of frustration? Do you think he intended to kill all along or that he did not originally intend to kill and but killed out of anger when she wouldn't cooperate? Since the Stride murder lacked any additional wounds/mutilation, it appears to be the least angry of the murders.

Even if PCSmith was due back in 15 minutes or so, why not just take a stroll down the street and around the corner and avoid him? Why did the murder have to be there?

Hi Pen

Do you think that the killer planned to kill Stride and was trying to coax her into the alleyway to do so and then became frustrated when she wouldn't go and so then killed her out of frustration? Do you think he intended to kill all along or that he did not originally intend to kill and but killed out of anger when she wouldn't cooperate?

yes I think he planned to kill her all along and was trying to get her somewhere secluded to do so.

Since the Stride murder lacked any additional wounds/mutilation, it appears to be the least angry of the murders.

I think the killer may have been spooked/interrupted before he could do further mutilations and the immediate reason for the attack was out of anger/frustration.

Even if PCSmith was due back in 15 minutes or so, why not just take a stroll down the street and around the corner and avoid him? Why did the murder have to be there?

Because I think the killer was getting impatient after being with her for a while and she wouldn't go to a secluded spot. And he didn't want to waste any more time-it was time to **** or get off the pot. So when he saw the PC walk by he thought it was now or never. Enough strolling.

[Rosella]

I think you may well be correct, Abby. It's my belief that the couple PC Smith saw were Stride and her killer. He and she had probably been walking around darkened streets in inclement weather for a while. Stride's companion may well have had his eye on the black depths beyond the gate of Dutfield's Yard but Stride did not want to go in and I think he was indeed getting impatient and angry. He wanted a quiet and quick kill, which the Yard provided and then be able to walk away satisfied. Unfortunately Diemshutz intruded and the episode didn't end the way he planned.