It is tough, but even Ted Bundy's mom loved him to the almost very end, sticking up for his innocence and finally realizing that he indeed was the serial killer of so many young women. It is natural to have blinders on when you have adult children and I think one reason that by some miracle you son or daughter will straighten out, parents have eternal hope, the way we are wired. Perhaps they thought his girlfriend would inspire him to be a good member of society, of course it probably would not have. Maybe his parents were terrified of him. Who knows, but I am sure for one thing, his parents are just as sad at the way things turned out. My question is why did not she not leave him, was she terrified to? I think that thankfully most of us have not had a sociopath in our family circle who is not only crazy but meaner than a junk your dog, and that can strike terror in anyone's heart because they often kill their own family members.