If Ella could speak, she'd want to know what happened to her best friend Meredith.

They'd have to set her down and explain that Meredith won't ever be coming back. That something horrifying has happened to her, something that shouldn't happen to an animal, much less a good and true friend.

Ella would be heartbroken the rest of her life. But at least she'd know.

As it is, though, a Labrador mix is ill-equipped to comprehend the evil that exists in the human world. So, not only will she be heartbroken, she'll be tortured with longing and wondering the rest of her life: Where is Meredith? Where is Meredith?

Now that the rest of us know where -- her body having been found with the help of her suspected killer -- we have to wonder why. Even if Ella could understand, we might never be able to explain to her or anyone else the "why." Why a beautiful young woman minding her own business with her beloved dog couldn't enjoy a little bit of nature on a hike along the Freeman Trail in Georgia's Vogel State Park without being preyed upon for no reason.

Why, in supposedly the most civilized country on Earth, an innocent person can still be plucked by soulless predators and dragged into their pits of despair. Why we must all seriously consider arming ourselves for a mere walk in the woods.

The answer, in part, is that no matter what we think of the society we've built, the world will always be a dangerous place.

Mortal danger may occasionally be found in the wild, off the beaten path.

Just as often, it seems, you don't even have to get off the beaten path.