the circumstances confronting him. He said that his client did not plan, plot or lie in wait for Alexandra Zapp. When Leahy was waiting for Zapp to come out of the restroom, Spillane said, he was deciding whether or not to rob her. Spillane said his client did not intend to hurt Zapp, and that the battle in the bathroom erupted spontaneously. He alleged the defendant was simply reacting to a situation that had spiraled out of control. On September 24, 2003 Paul Leahy was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole. The victim Alexandra Nicole Zapp (August 24, 1971 – July 18, 2002) was murdered in the women's room of a Burger King rest stop in Bridgewater, Massachusetts on July 18, 2002. Early life and education Born and raised in southwest Portland, Oregon, Zapp left Portland in 1988 to complete her high school education. She decided to return to the west coast to attend the University of Oregon for two years. She then accepted an editing position that took her to Boston, Massachusetts. Career In Boston, Zapp volunteered for charitable organizations including The French Library, The Boston Ballet and Courageous Sailing Center where she donated her time teaching children to sail. In November 2001, she decided to make a move to Newport, Rhode Island to take a job with US Sailing. At the time of her death, she had plans to relocate to New Zealand to realize a dream of sailing on an America's Cup boat. Legacy After Zapp's murder, her mother and stepfather, Andrea Casanova and Steven Stiles, moved from Portland to Boston and founded The ALLY Foundation in November 2002. The ALLY Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to prevent opportunities for violent sex offenses, to educate the public and advocate for necessary changes in culture, attitude and policy. One of the most critical responsibilities of The ALLY Foundation is to work for more comprehensive and evidence-based policies to effectively manage sex offenders as they move through the criminal justice system and the community. The ALLY Foundation is also known for their "for a Change" fund raising events such as the annual Sail for a Change Flip Flop Regatta held in Boston Harbor, Run for a Change (held in conjunction with the Boston Marathon), Ride for a Change, Faces for a Change, and Newport for a Change. References 2002 in