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A few years ago I read a sci-fi story (probably a novelette) in a known magazine of the genre. Unfortunately I am not sure about the magazine, although I have the impression it was the Asimov's.

The story was taking place in a southern US state and was about the victims of a killer and the efforts of a relative (maybe the father) to get some answers about the crime. I think the killer had been apprehended and he was waiting to be executed, as he had been sentenced to death.

The storyline expanded in a period of a few years (if I remember correctly) and at some point a new kind of technology is invented where the victims of murders come back after the killers are executed.

The story ends when after the execution of the person found guilty, the relatives of the protagonist don't come back and he finds out that the real perpetrator of the crime is another person (I think a child with some health issues).

The story was written with the intent to criticize the death penalty.

DavidW
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Stamatis
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1 Answers1

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This is likely "Murder Born" (2012) by Robert Reed. It was published in Asimov's, February 2012.

The protagonist's 15-year-old daughter Kaylee goes missing, along with the van she was camping in with her boyfriend, one night after they have a fight and he leaves her alone.

Shawn and his estranged wife Lauren try to find her, and fearing she might be dead try to find the evidence necessary to convict Jeremy, who they are convinced killed her.

In the event Jeremy kills Shawn, and after his execution only Shawn comes back, not Kaylee.

The story is interspersed with flashbacks and vignettes that show some of the ramifications of the technology. (The execution chambers that bring people back are called "Elysiums.")

DavidW
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  • Thank you very much for your answer. It does ring a bell, but I am not absolutely certain that this was the story. In any case, do you (or anyone else) have any idea if the story can be found somewhere online, so that I can re-read it? – Stamatis Jan 31 '23 at 12:42
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    I'll try to dig up some quotes or a link later today. – DavidW Jan 31 '23 at 12:50