ADA, OK -- It's been four years, since a young Ada teen was kidnapped and shot to death. Caitlin Wooten, 16, was murdered by her mother's ex-boyfriend.

Few people can forget the horrible details of Caitlin Wooten's murder. Many say the system failed young Caitlin, but her death changed that system. Legislation in Caitlin's name now helps prevent others from becoming victims of kidnapping, or victims of domestic abuse, and it allows her legacy to live on.

Cindy Wooten says Fall has always been her favorite season, but now, September 23rd, the second day of Autumn, is one of her most difficult days.

"That's the moment you remember that everything changed,” Cindy Wooten, Caitlin’s step-mother, explained.

City Wooten vividly remembers September 23rd, 2005. That afternoon, Caitlin, 16, was kidnapped and shot in the back of the head, at point blank range, by her biological mother’s ex-boyfriend - Jerry Savage. Savage was out on bond for kidnapping Caitlin's biological mother.

"There's no doubt that Caitlin was failed from every direction,” Wooten said.

While Wooten says part of her died when Caitlin was killed, she's helping ensure the young teen's life will never be forgotten.

"At some point you have to reconcile yourself to reality and you have to be able to say what am I going to do now?” Wooten said.

State Senator Susan Paddock helped pass Cailtin's Law, which enables a judge to deny bond to individuals accused of kidnapping, and provides funding to the Oklahoma Vine Program, which notifies victims if their attackers have been released from the prison system.

District Attorney Chris Ross says Caitlin's Law is actively keeping accused kidnappers behind bars right now.

"Everybody knows what the end result of getting kidnapped generally is, at best it's a sexual assault and generally though it's murder,” Ross said.

Prior to the passage of Catlin's Law, it was up to the District Attorney office to prove an accused former kidnapper, like Savage, was a threat. Thanks to Caitlin's Law, that's no longer the case.

"Now the law places it on the defendant in a kidnapping, he has to prove he's not a danger," Ross explained.

Wooten says while she wishes every day things would have been different for Caitlin, she takes comfort knowing Caitlin's legacy may help save other young women from a similar and tragic situation.

The latest numbers released this week from the Violence Policy Center - a non-profit in Washington DC - says 37 women were killed by men in 2007.

If you, or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse, call your local law enforcement for help.