Texas Woman’s Viral Pokémon Go Story Has a Dark Twist

The Pokémon Go craze hit hard! I wasn't even into Pokémon but I'll admit that at the height of it all, even I was playing it. However, for me, playing the game never led to an episode of Dateline, but that was the case for this Austin, Texas woman.

Pokémon Go was supposed to be all about catching ‘em all, not catching the attention of a killer. But that’s exactly what almost happened to Alexandra Walker Kenyon from Austin, whose viral TikTok proves sometimes your best survival tool isn’t a Poké Ball, it’s your gut instinct.

Texas Woman Plays Pokémon Go, Ends Up on Dateline

In her storytime video, Alexandra (@takidaddi) breaks down a night that started with Dutch Bros and Pokémon hunting and ended with a brush against real danger. What felt like an ordinary high school weekend, driving through her community college campus with a friend, trying to snag a few more Pokémon, took a terrifying turn when a campus security guard pulled up behind them.

At first, Alexandra just chalked it up as a creepy encounter. But the real shock came days later when she turned on the news and saw a familiar face staring back at her. The same “security guard” who tried to coax her out of the car was arrested for murder.

Months later, Dateline confirmed her worst fears: not only was the man, Edwin Lara, a campus security officer, but he had been targeting women who looked just like her! Alexandra says the realization made her sick to her stomach, but it also cemented how important it was that she trusted her instincts that night.

Kaylee’s Law

That shocking arrest was tied to the tragic death of 23-year-old Kaylee Sawyer, who had accepted a ride from Lara while he was on duty. What she didn’t know was that once inside his patrol car, the doors were rigged so she couldn’t escape.

Kaylee’s story not only broke hearts across the country, it also sparked change. In Oregon, lawmakers passed Kaylee’s Law, which set tougher rules for campus security officers like stricter background checks, GPS tracking, and in-car cameras. The law also makes it clear that private campus officers don’t get police-style stop-and-frisk powers.

Looking back, Alexandra says she’ll never forget how listening to her gut may have saved her life.