Woman Speaks out about Sexual Abuse, Wants Suspect off the Streets, by Tania Francois, KSLA, October 17, 2008

Woman Speaks out about Sexual Abuse, Wants Suspect off the Streets

By Tania Francois
KSLA
October 17, 2008

http://www.ksla.com/Global/story.asp?S=9192282&nav=menu50_2

[with video]

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) - A woman who says for years she was abused by her father is speaking only to KSLA News 12. Amanda Law says from the time she was a small child until she was a freshman in high school, Terry Lynn Terry sexually abused her.

Law says, "This man is your best friend. He is the neighbor that helps your children with (their) homework. He is the best employee you could ever have. Very intelligent. Everyone loves him but he's a very manipulative man that befriends people and ruins lives."

Police have a warrant out for the arrest of Terry, 47. He's accused of molesting three children and investigators fear other victim's could be out there. Law says her father was an evangelist in a Shreveport Baptist church. She says it's in part because of her faith that she long forgave her father for the alleged abuse but then came forward when she discovered he was around other children. "I never thought just from the things he would say in a million years that he would ever hurt anyone else. Now that I know about this little girl, I'm sure that there is, it's been too many years."

Law wants to also send a message to victim's encouraging them to come forward about their abuse despite who the suspect may be. "If you tell someone it will be over and you can move on with your life and if someone doesn't believe you the first time you tell, tell someone else."

Caddo Assistant D.A. Hugo Holland says Terry needs to be off the streets before he could hurt someone else. "I think there are members of his immediate family that know where he is and if I find out that they know where he was and were helping him to avoid being arrested, I'm coming to get them too." Holland says there's a new law that prevents the family of suspects from contacting victims of crimes. He says he will use this law if anyone tries to contact Law.

If you have any information on where Terry Lynn Terry could be, you are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 673-7373.