UK UK - Kate Bushell, 14, Exeter, Devon, 15 Nov 1997

[benowens]

though the killings were ery simlar in some ways also some diffrence katie had her throat cut but lyn was stabbed so a fairly diffrent method of killing could still be the same person but engough difrence to make it posble it was 2 people

Quite a few serial killers have been known to use varying methods.

 

[mrC]

there is also the ages of the victems a 14 year old and a 40 year old thats a pretty diffrent victem type mind you it has been known to haopen

 

[benowens]

there is also the ages of the victems a 14 year old and a 40 year old thats a pretty diffrent victem type mind you it has been known to haopen

Richard Ramirez, Israel Keyes, Harold Shipman and some others chose victims indiscriminately.

 

[tes1984]

there is also the ages of the victems a 14 year old and a 40 year old thats a pretty diffrent victem type mind you it has been known to haopen

The Batman rapist had 17 victims, aged from 16 to 40.
The Uni phantom rapist had 21 victims, aged 12 to 44.

 

[mrC]

i acept it could be the same person im just pointing out that theres enough dinfrence for it to be 2 diffrent people certanly the cars were simlar in both cases asuming the cars belonged to the killer

 

[Eastend Eagle]

I don't think the dog provided any clues. From what I can remember, the dog was found unharmed in the area where the killer would have encountered Kate.

Kate was taken to an even more isolated spot, across a field and over two stiles. I'm not sure if the dog would or could have followed Kate and the killer.

Is it possible that someone the dog knew took over control of it while Kate was walked to the spot where she was killed?
Why didn't the dog return home if it was left by Kate and whoever else?
When the dog was found, was it in an agitated state like it had just witnessed a threatening abduction?

 

[mrC]

the police havent mentioned dna much wich is a bit strange becouse they musst have dna becouse they dna tested people if they have dna its rather odd that they cant say for certan weather both killings are linked or not

 

[mrC]

we dolnt know what katies normal routine was while while walking the dog she may have allways taken that route as she knew the area she have felt perectly safe going down there and normally she would of been.

 

[Eastend Eagle]

Is it possible that someone the dog knew took over control of it while Kate was walked to the spot where she was killed?
Why didn't the dog return home if it was left by Kate and whoever else?
When the dog was found, was it in an agitated state like it had just witnessed a threatening abduction?

It's striking there was no forensic evidence found on the dog. Though they are small dogs, wouldn't a feisty dog like a Jack Russell attack someone who was being obviously threatening to his friend Kate.
JMO/MOO

 

[tes1984]

Julia Webb was murdered in Cheshire, in similar circumstances, a few months after Kate.

Julia had a small, yappy dog. Julia's husband put forward the theory that the dog had annoyed a man, and the man became aggressive towards the dog, so Julia stepped in to try and protect her beloved companion.

 

[mrC]

there was no sex assult but the clothisng was disturbed that suggests to me ethere an assult gone wrong or the killers trying to make look like there was an assult to confuse things and distract from there real motive

 

[benowens]

there was no sex assult but the clothisng was disturbed that suggests to me ethere an assult gone wrong or the killers trying to make look like there was an assult to confuse things and distract from there real motive

Perhaps this would be the case if a family member was involved? I believe it was a stranger but just a thought

 

[tes1984]

there was no sex assult but the clothisng was disturbed that suggests to me ethere an assult gone wrong or the killers trying to make look like there was an assult to confuse things and distract from there real motive

There was certainly staging at the crime scene, but Detective Superintendent Mike Stephens gave a press conference shortly after Kate's murder, and said that a sexual attack had not been ruled out. I'm not sure if this view changed as the investigation went on.

 

[benowens]

There was certainly staging at the crime scene, but Detective Superintendent Mike Stephens gave a press conference shortly after Kate's murder, and said that a sexual attack had not been ruled out. I'm not sure if this view changed as the investigation went on.

I certainly can't take something said straight after the murder as a fact. <modsnip - rumor>

 

[Westchester76]

IMO it's definitely a sexually motivated murder. Kate was stripped below the waist and the forensics certainly suggest a sexual element.

A dog isn't going to be a threat to an armed maniac, unless it's an aggressive Doberman, German Shepherd, Rottweiler etc. There was a similar case in the region where a man was scared off by an Alsatian IIRC. However, most dogs will cower or be no match for an aggressive man.

There are many cases where commuter offenders travel to quiet locations, and wait for lone females. I don't think it has to have been a local man.

Or it was staged to look like it was a sexually motivated murder.

 

[tes1984]

Or it was staged to look like it was a sexually motivated murder.

What would the motivation be if it's not a sexual motive?

A mentally ill offender hearing voices?
Attempted robbery/mugging gone wrong?
Revenge against the Bushell family for some reason?

 

[mrC]

maybe she had seen somthing she wasnt supposed to

 

[tes1984]

maybe she had seen somthing she wasnt supposed to

That sounds possible. What do you think it could have been?

 

[mrC]

somone comiting some sort of serious crime maybe somone comitingsome sort of sex act they wouldent want other people to know about

 

[tes1984]

somone comiting some sort of serious crime maybe somone comitingsome sort of sex act they wouldent want other people to know about

Why would they have a huge knife with them in the first place though?