Kirsten Costas Bernadette Protti
Trial Hears Girl’s Confession of East Bay Slaying
Orinda Teenager Convicted Of Second-Degree Murder
Sentence in murder was “light”
Orinda woman convicted in 1984 murder is free on parole
Profile of a Murder Suspect
Wikipedia: Kirsten Costas
Find-a-Grave: Kirsten Costas
A JEALOUS PERSON IS A DANGEROUS PERSON
Five murders and the movies they inspired
“Death of a Cheerleader” aka “A Friend to Die For”
Bernadette Protti and Kirsten Costas Case
Bernadette Protti Found!
Movies/Documentaries
A Friend to Die For (aka: Death of a Cheerleader)
Landscape Suicide
August 15, 2008 at 8:56 am
NOT RIGHT!!!!!! 15 years old is old enough to know better. She should never gotten out.
August 19, 2008 at 5:58 am
At 15 yrs of age, we all know right from wrong. The two girls who were convicted of killing Michele Avila in 1985 havent been released from prison, why should Bernadette be allowed to be out?
August 31, 2008 at 9:47 am
I do not dismiss what Bernadette did and I think it is a tragedy that Kirsten was murdered; but I was bulled myself in high school and I understand how this kind of thing could really hurt and torment you. I am now in my forties and it took a long time for me to get over what happened to me in high school. And in some ways I am still
that little girl that everyone made fun of. I just pray that this
kind of thing doesn’t happen to another family. It is tragic
for both sides.
August 31, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Uh Rose….. BUT would you kill someone? That is the difference!!! She killed her in cold blood…. because she did not want her to tell people she was “weird?” ????!!!???
It may be easy for you to relate to being picked on….. but trying to relate to Bernadette Protti is a bit out there…. sure, sympathize with her feelings of being an outcast….. but to kill someone because you are being picked on?
As for a tragedy for both families….. well the Costas lost a daughter…. forever. The Protti’s daughter has gone on to college, gotten her masters, a nursing degree, married with kids, and is a well known writer for medical journals……. I would bet the Costas would have rather had the Protti tragedy.
September 23, 2008 at 6:48 pm
I suspect that violent crime among juveniles was still pretty rare back in 1984 compared to nowadyas; and hence she was tried and sentenced as a juvenile and subsequently released 8 years later. If such a crime were to happen today the killer would certainly be tried as an adult and face life in prison.
September 27, 2008 at 3:16 pm
NOTE FROM BLOG OWNER:
Please read my comment policy before posting a comment. Those comments removed violated it.
November 10, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Hey does anyone know the women’s name who with the help of her boyfriend murdered her parents in mid 80’s. She and here boyfriend were both in college or high school at the time. The parents were murdered in there home. I think she may be in a womens prison in virgina or somewhere around that area. Thanks. Please e-mail
nescafeblend43@hotmail.com
November 26, 2008 at 3:17 am
just reading about this, i remember seeing the movie on tv…i read that Protti changed her name…just saw a post that after she got out she is a nurse and a medical journal writer, what did she change her name too? just curious, marnie marniecat68 at yahoo.com
December 25, 2008 at 8:12 pm
This has got nothing to do with bullying. Bernadette was jealous, because Kirsten was prettier than her, wealthier and more popular and attracted more attention from boys. When it became obvious that Kirsten didn´t want to be friends with her, she became enraged.
Cases of Missy Avila, Shanda Sharer and the recent case, Adrianne Reynolds don´t differ much from this one. What they have in common is an attractive young female and a jealous, physically less attractive and mentally deranged friend or acquintance who decides to eliminate the prettier girl out of jealousy. It was the same pattern in the 80´s as it is now.
January 14, 2009 at 2:48 pm
This is a serious problem in our nation today. This occured during the 1980’s and was a rare thing then even though this bullying and peer abuse problem was rampant then as well. The scenario here is no different from the school shootings that we hear about every year. Bullying is behind those and was behind this case. Nothing justifies killing a person and Bernadette served her time for this. Please, educate yourself on this problem in society. This is the result of what bullying can lead to. We do not need to loose anyone else to this serious problem.
I was bullied for 27 years and now work to helping those being bullied. Despite that, I never would have gone as far as killing my bullies. At the same time, I think adults need to teach their children to stop this behavior and to learn to respect one another and their differences and stop feeding these Queen Bees power. Its toxic all around as this case has shown.
Take Care,
Elizabeth Bennett
January 21, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Wow…I remember watching the movie about this! It was so sad and bizarre. It just seems unfair that Kirsten is still dead and Bernadette just gets out of jail and gets to go on with her life. JMO..R.i.p. Kirsten.
February 19, 2009 at 2:18 pm
The Costas’ were my neighbors and I remember the murder happening on my other neighbor’s porch. We all ran out to see what was happening and this poor girl died right there. I was only 10 but it was a huge trauma to know that this girl was stabbed to death so viciously. It’s totally shameful that the murderer, who lured her out under false pretenses, went free in just a handful of years.
April 4, 2009 at 4:13 pm
How you lot can justify someone killing someone amazes me.I went to school with both Bernadette & Kirsten.How Kirsten was portrayed in the movie “death of a cheerleader” is totally inacurate.I was neither popular nor unpopular, my parents didn’t have much money & I most certainly wasn’t blessed with the looks that Kirsten had.Both Kirsten & Bernadette were friendly & nice.I do believe Bernadette should still be in prison & I also believe this murder was in cold blood.If not then why was she never able to tell Offiers whose party she had planned to take Kirsten to?Or who had invited her to this party?
RIP Kirsten X
April 11, 2009 at 4:03 pm
The decision to release Bernadette after serving eight years of a 9-year sentence is correct.
It is irrational to expect “total justice and fairness” after a murder trial: no sentence will ever bring back to life the victim. Hence, other criteria than complete satisfaction have to be considered.
Bernadette has been found fit to return to society by experts – a verdict we have to accept.
April 24, 2009 at 5:18 am
how many shooting and stabbing has there been and all for the same reason bullying its about all your schools and teachers and your parents think of the way they bring up kids to be cruel evil nasty and so full of yourselfs when there older they are nothing and god will puinish .
she did her sentance now let her live
god will puinish bullys so hopely good girls wont do go that far again america wake up bring your kids up better
June 15, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Alot of people get bullied and verbally abused as a kid, but they don’t kill when they feel like it. She stepped over the line, and to me that means she could do it again.
June 18, 2009 at 4:13 am
Both girls were very young and although killing is never the answer it just shows how traumatic bullying can be. One girl’s parents raised her to have so much confidence that she thought she could do or say anything and remain in the good graces of teachers and society despite how she treated people. The other raised by devout Catholics(?) who helped suppress their child’s confidence with guilt and fear etc.
So apparently it is up to our parents to teach us by example how to behave like respectable human beings. There is no reason to treat someone less popular, or less pretty, poorly. Why not appreciate that you were blessed with beauty and personality? It was luck of the draw, the bully does nothing to attain this beauty. They are born that way. No girl has any excuse here for her behavior but unfortunately and sadly, Kristen and her family lost the battle.
July 6, 2009 at 4:09 am
Hello.
On ethical grounds, I agree with everyone who said that Miss Protti should have served a longer sentence. I think Miss.Costas’s murder was premeditated, on some level. My father was a probabtion officer/counselor, etc for juvenille delinquents in Alameda County, CA and he believed this as well. Miss Costas did not die in vain;laws regarding juvenille murderers have been changed;please excuse me if that sounds unkind. I was 16 years old when this murder happened, utterly horrified and quite glad that I went to a small Roman Catholic prep school in another city.Jada, I knew two of your classmates. It would be inappropriate to name them.One was a fellow ballet student and not a very nice girl, but harmless. The other was a very sweet, intelligent, friendly, beautiful blonde girl who I met during Freshman Orientation week at USC in 1985.She exmplified the old saying “pretty is as pretty does.” We prayed for both girls daily during the 1984/1985 school year; please accept my condolences to the friends and family of Miss Costas even though I am 25 years late. Why on earth was Miss Protti allowed to become a NURSE? Is it not possible that she could kill someone again? We prayed for her at school along with the girl she killed. When our teachers were out of earshot, my friends and I felt she was a disgrace to humanity and to our Church, just like the segment of priests who violated children. If this any comfort at all, I intend to put Miss Coastas on my list for the Feast of All Souls. Peace to all.