AK - Samantha Koenig, 18, Anchorage, 01 Feb 2012 - #7

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"Federal kidnapping charges were filed Wednesday"

"He was indicted and charged with the kidnapping that led to the death of Samantha Koenig."

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/1...d-against-contractor-in-missing-barista-case/


Is this different than 1st degree murder? I'm confused. It almost sounds like he handed her off to the killer.
Any attorneys here that could shed some light on the charges? TIA


Good question. The end of the indictment says:

NOTICE OF SPECIAL FINDINGS
The Grand Jury further finds that:
1. The allegations contained in Count 1 of this Indictment are hereby realleged
as if set forth herein for the purpose of giving notice of special findings as to defendant
ISRAEL KEYES.
2. As to Count 1 of this Indictment, the defendant ISRAEL KEYES:
a. was 18 years or older at the time of the offenses charged (18 U.S.C.
§ 3591(a));
b. intentionally killed Samantha Koenig (18 U.S.C. § 3591(a)(2)(A));
c. intentionally inflicted serious bodily injury that resulted in the death
of Samantha Koenig (18 U.S.C. § 3591(a)(2)(B));
d. intentionally participated in an act, contemplating that the life of a
person would be taken or intending that lethal force would be used in
connection with a person, other than one of the participants in the
offense, and Samantha Koenig died as a direct result of the act (18
U.S.C. § 3591(a)(2)(C));
e. intentionally and specifically engaged in an act of violence, knowing
that the act created a grave risk of death to a person, other than one
of the participants in the offense, such that participation in the act
constituted a reckless disregard for human life and Samantha Koenig
died as a direct result of the act (18 U.S.C. § 3591(a)(2)(D));
f. caused the death, or injury resulting in the death, of Samantha
Koenig during the commission of the offense of kidnapping, in
violation of Title 18, United States Code § 1201 (18 U.S.C.
§ 3592(c)(1));

I'm not familiar with these kinds of legal docs.. is it ALL of these things?
 
"Federal kidnapping charges were filed Wednesday"

"He was indicted and charged with the kidnapping that led to the death of Samantha Koenig."

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/1...d-against-contractor-in-missing-barista-case/


Is this different than 1st degree murder? I'm confused. It almost sounds like he handed her off to the killer. Any attorneys here that could shed some light on the charges? TIA

I wish so badly she could have been spared from this complete moron of a criminal.

I agree- there is a lot of wording that could go a few ways in my mind. An attorney's perspective would be great!
 
"Federal kidnapping charges were filed Wednesday"

"He was indicted and charged with the kidnapping that led to the death of Samantha Koenig."

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/1...d-against-contractor-in-missing-barista-case/


Is this different than 1st degree murder? I'm confused. It almost sounds like he handed her off to the killer. Any attorneys here that could shed some light on the charges? TIA

The indictment says: "On February 2, 2012, KEYES intentionally killed Samantha Koenig and then boarded a commercial airline flight from Anchorage, Alaska, to Houston, Texas."

My guess is that the reason the kidnapping is included is that it can be an aggravator distinguishing it from "regular" murder. Perhaps this means they can seek the death penalty.

On edit: I believe that the fact that the murder resulted from a kidnapping does let them seek the death penalty. Check out this link and notice 18 USC 1201 on the list: http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/federal-laws-providing-death-penalty

Further edit: First degree murder is also on the list, but for that they would have to prove that the killing was premeditated. It is probably easier just to prove that he kidnapped her and then killed her, rather than to prove that he kidnapped her with the specific intent to kill her. It's a subtle distinction but it might make a difference at trial.
 
Well this guy is either incredibly stupid, psychotic or strung out on drugs. What a sad pointless crime.
Again, APD did an amazing job and so did Sam's Dad for holding it all together, knowing what he knew. I always thought that LE thought Sam might be alive the whole time and this makes me think this even more. They probably were holding out hope that this was the case and their statements reflected this.
On the cold storage comment...are you assuming he didn't put her in the lake until after he returned from Texas the first time and kept her in the shed?
 
Well this guy is either incredibly stupid, psychotic or strung out on drugs. What a sad pointless crime.
Again, APD did an amazing job and so did Sam's Dad for holding it all together, knowing what he knew. I always thought that LE thought Sam might be alive the whole time and this makes me think this even more. They probably were holding out hope that this was the case and their statements reflected this.
On the cold storage comment...are you assuming he didn't put her in the lake until after he returned from Texas the first time and kept her in the shed?

I assume she was put into the shed and kept there until he returned and if this is the case, then my next question would be how much did KA know about the situation?
 
The indictment says: "On February 2, 2012, KEYES intentionally killed Samantha Koenig and then boarded a commercial airline flight from Anchorage, Alaska, to Houston, Texas."

My guess is that the reason the kidnapping is included is that it can be an aggravator distinguishing it from "regular" murder. Perhaps this means they can seek the death penalty.

On edit: I believe that the fact that the murder resulted from a kidnapping does let them seek the death penalty. Check out this link and notice 18 USC 1201 on the list: http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/federal-laws-providing-death-penalty

Further edit: First degree murder is also on the list, but for that they would have to prove that the killing was premeditated. It is probably easier just to prove that he kidnapped her and then killed her, rather than to prove that he kidnapped her with the specific intent to kill her. It's a subtle distinction but it might make a difference at trial.

Thanks for the clarification! I just now listened to the presser and LE says the penalty for these crimes could be a life or a death sentence. So capital punishment is a consideration. But capital punishment is an option for other crimes than just 1st degree murder. I hope tomorrow's arraignment makes the charges a little clearer.
 
It will be interesting to see what his motives were for her abduction in the first place. Sam seems an unlikely target for ransom money (seriously, if money is what you are after, there are plenty of better targets). I wonder if this is a sexually/power motivated crime. He may have done this in the past in areas of the country where there is a higher population and was able to get away with it. And he became over confident?
 
What still doesn't make sense is why, on the early morning of the 3rd, when JK or DT saw someone breaking into the truck, why wasn't 911 called then.. and why wasn't Sam reported missing THEN?

Maybe IK had contacted them and demanded ransom and told them not to call police? It explains Duane's story about being late to pick her up and his "stumble" in that first interview (saying he went to pick THEM up, instead of HER)..

Keyes forced Koenig out of the coffee stand about 8 p.m. on Feb. 1 and walked her to his pickup parked across Tudor Road at a Home Depot, the indictment says. He stole a debit card from a vehicle Koenig shared with someone else and sent text messages using her phone that were intended to conceal her abduction, the indictment says.

http://www.adn.com/2012/04/18/2429498/authorities-plan-announcement.html
What did he say in those text messages that night? It says *conceal her abduction*. Does that mean he was posing as Samantha?

The ransom demand (via text on her cell phone) did not happen until around February 24th and I think he got that idea from the media stories about a reward fund being started.

I'm stunned (but thankful) at how stupid IK was in making a ransom demand and then the cross-country withdrawals. Would he have gotten away with killing Sam had he not done that?

Another thing, did LE have them on video getting into his truck at Home Depot?
 
What did he say in those text messages that night? It says *conceal her abduction*. Does that mean he was posing as Samantha?

The ransom demand (via text on her cell phone) did not happen until around February 24th and I think he got that idea from the media stories about a reward fund being started.

I'm stunned (but thankful) at how stupid IK was in making a ransom demand and then the cross-country withdrawals. Would he have gotten away with killing Sam had he not done that?

Another thing, did LE have them on video getting into his truck at Home Depot?

I remember JK saying he rang her phone until the battery died. Was it "dead" because IK had it off? If he was posing as Sam, he could be sending texts posing as Sam saying she was in trouble with drug dealers or shady people, etc and that would explain why they were open about who she had been around in the past, etc...

If he was withdrawing ransom money, that may explain JK's reluctance to divulge amounts in the account...

I don't think IK is that lazy or stupid. I don't think this was about the money to start with. Perhaps, Sam tried to offer money as a bargaining chip at some point. And perhaps after the card was stolen and they tried to take money out, there was nothing there and he killed her in a fit of rage?

I still think this was a sexually motivated crime and IK has done this before ...and was overly confidant in his abilities due to previous "success".
 
I remember JK saying he rang her phone until the battery died. Was it "dead" because IK had it off? If he was posing as Sam, he could be sending texts posing as Sam saying she was in trouble with drug dealers or shady people, etc and that would explain why they were open about who she had been around in the past, etc...

If he was withdrawing ransom money, that may explain JK's reluctance to divulge amounts in the account...

I don't think IK is that lazy or stupid. I don't think this was about the money to start with. Perhaps, Sam tried to offer money as a bargaining chip at some point. And perhaps after the card was stolen and they tried to take money out, there was nothing there and he killed her in a fit of rage?

I still think this was a sexually motivated crime and IK has done this before ...and was overly confidant in his abilities due to previous "success".

JK's actions and facebook posts are now completely understandable.

I agree with you about this possibly being sexually motivated. If his goal was robbery, why would he have taken Sam? Just take the coffee shack money and be on your way. The benefit (money) he would gain in kidnapping her does not fit the risk. That part does not make sense to me.
 
Wow, I am shocked that he walked her across Tudor to the Home Depot parking lot. Tudor is a very busy street. Even in the middle of winter, even in the middle of a snowstorm, there would have been plenty of cars on that road. It's shocking that he could pull that off and truly sad that Samantha didn't try to get away.

Bear in mind I am not blaming Samantha at all, but this should serve as a valuable lesson for anyone in a kidnapping situation. GET AWAY IF YOU CAN!

I also cannot get over the fact that they walked down and across Tudor Road. Where would they have crossed? There would have been TONS of cars across four lanes.

Knox, I also wonder about how they know it was the Home Depot parking lot, unless he confessed. If he parked on the very perimeter of the lot I don't know if security cams would have picked it up.

"The investigation into Israel Keyes and his criminal activities continues," Chief Mew said. Is this a general statement or hinting that Keyes is involved in some other criminal enterprise (drugs? bank robbery?)

Ugggg, so many questions! All of these things make me think that she was targeted specifically. A preplanned kidnapping for ransom seems ridiculous considering her circumstances, but why would he keep her cell phone otherwise? If he just wanted to kill her, you'd think he would get rid of the phone immediately. He is obviously not the brightest bulb so maybe I'm over thinking things.
 
I also cannot get over the fact that they walked down and across Tudor Road. Where would they have crossed? There would have been TONS of cars across four lanes.

Knox, I also wonder about how they know it was the Home Depot parking lot, unless he confessed. If he parked on the very perimeter of the lot I don't know if security cams would have picked it up.

"The investigation into Israel Keyes and his criminal activities continues," Chief Mew said. Is this a general statement or hinting that Keyes is involved in some other criminal enterprise (drugs? bank robbery?)

Ugggg, so many questions! All of these things make me think that she was targeted specifically. A preplanned kidnapping for ransom seems ridiculous considering her circumstances, but why would he keep her cell phone otherwise? If he just wanted to kill her, you'd think he would get rid of the phone immediately. He is obviously not the brightest bulb so maybe I'm over thinking things.

I think he must've talked. That's really the only way they would've known where to find her body.. I think he told them everything (or most everything).
You're right though, still so many questions. And I also don't believe it was a random kidnapping for ransom.

Another question I have: Could they tell at this point if she WAS sexually assaulted by this guy before her death? I haven't followed other cases but maybe this has come up before. There were no sexual charges against him but maybe he still did rape her and there's no way to tell at this point? It would answer a few questions if that was his initial motivation, imo.
And will her cause of death ever be revealed, does anyone have an idea on that?
 
I think he must've talked. That's really the only way they would've known where to find her body.. I think he told them everything (or most everything).
You're right though, still so many questions. And I also don't believe it was a random kidnapping for ransom.

Another question I have: Could they tell at this point if she WAS sexually assaulted by this guy before her death? I haven't followed other cases but maybe this has come up before. There were no sexual charges against him but maybe he still did rape her and there's no way to tell at this point? It would answer a few questions if that was his initial motivation, imo.
And will her cause of death ever be revealed, does anyone have an idea on that?

Any chance they DID know each other before this? Any chance he did this to collect a debt and to scare someone into paying up? And there was no money, or something went wrong and she was killed...

If it was a sexual crime, I am sure he has done it before and gotten away with it.

If not, why wouldn't he wait until he went to Texas for the wedding to rob places...less chance of getting caught?
 
A new extended article:

A charging document revealed that Keyes had used the stolen debit card to steal about $2,400 from the bank account of an unnamed man. Koenig's father said the card was not his and, in a separate interview, said that his daughter shared a pickup with her boyfriend.

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2012/04/18/2429498/authorities-plan-announcement.html#storylink=cpy

So, I guess it was Duane's card? Why would she give up his card when the day before she was begging for gas money? It's so tragic she was just outside the family home while she was kidnapped. Her dad and boyfriend see the truck being broken into the same night Sam is missing. I hope they told LE straight away.
 
What did he say in those text messages that night? It says *conceal her abduction*. Does that mean he was posing as Samantha?

The ransom demand (via text on her cell phone) did not happen until around February 24th and I think he got that idea from the media stories about a reward fund being started.

I'm stunned (but thankful) at how stupid IK was in making a ransom demand and then the cross-country withdrawals. Would he have gotten away with killing Sam had he not done that?

Another thing, did LE have them on video getting into his truck at Home Depot?


I'm jumping off your post, Knox, because it brings up a few thoughts that are on my mind. The whole thing seems like a series of unplanned, desperate, irrational reactions. Sine we learned about Keyes, I've always felt that money was his motivation, and the key is in Texas. Gut Feelings' bank robbery theory seemed plausible from the beginning, and now that we know Keyes was in Texas on the 16th, it seems even more possible, IMO. As for the coffee shop, people who are really desperate don't always think rationally in weighing the benefits to the risks and/or consequences. He might have simply seen an opportunity and acted on it. When it turned out the coffee shop didn't have much cash on hand, he turned to plan B, and from there on to C and D, and so forth.

Apparently, he was posing as Samantha in the text messages, using made up excuses to ask for money. I don't know if LE had them on video at Home Depot, but he was on video at the coffee shop. IMO, LE wasn't convinced the abduction was for real, and I *think* it was something about the coffee shop video that caused them to question it. They might even have been influenced by some of the ugly rumors we heard early on. Poor JK must've known it wasn't really Sam sending the texts, but who would believe him? I doubt LE did until the ransom demands came, which I agree were spawned by the talk of a reward fund, which brought more rumors. Meanwhile, while LE was working to unravel the truth from the BS, Keyes was free to carry on. :tsktsk:

The indictment doesn't name any charges of sexual abuse. On the other hand, we don't know the cause or manner of death. Considering where her body was found and the length of time that passed in between, simple rape would be hard to determine, if not impossible. Other conditions that often go along with sadistic sexual abuse would have been evident, though. Based on the indictment, however, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that wasn't the case.

All JMO
 
I also cannot get over the fact that they walked down and across Tudor Road. Where would they have crossed? There would have been TONS of cars across four lanes.

Knox, I also wonder about how they know it was the Home Depot parking lot, unless he confessed. If he parked on the very perimeter of the lot I don't know if security cams would have picked it up.

"The investigation into Israel Keyes and his criminal activities continues," Chief Mew said. Is this a general statement or hinting that Keyes is involved in some other criminal enterprise (drugs? bank robbery?)

Ugggg, so many questions! All of these things make me think that she was targeted specifically. A preplanned kidnapping for ransom seems ridiculous considering her circumstances, but why would he keep her cell phone otherwise? If he just wanted to kill her, you'd think he would get rid of the phone immediately. He is obviously not the brightest bulb so maybe I'm over thinking things.

BBM - unless he was parked close enough to the Dairy Queen or IHOP that their cameras picked him up
 
A new extended article:

A charging document revealed that Keyes had used the stolen debit card to steal about $2,400 from the bank account of an unnamed man. Koenig's father said the card was not his and, in a separate interview, said that his daughter shared a pickup with her boyfriend.

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2012/04/18/2429498/authorities-plan-announcement.html#storylink=cpy

So, I guess it was Duane's card? Why would she give up his card when the day before she was begging for gas money? It's so tragic she was just outside the family home while she was kidnapped. Her dad and boyfriend see the truck being broken into the same night Sam is missing. I hope they told LE straight away.
In all likelihood, because he was holding a gun to her head, and she was scared to death. She would've given him anything if she thought it would save her life.
 
A new extended article:

A charging document revealed that Keyes had used the stolen debit card to steal about $2,400 from the bank account of an unnamed man. Koenig's father said the card was not his and, in a separate interview, said that his daughter shared a pickup with her boyfriend.

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2012/04/18/2429498/authorities-plan-announcement.html#storylink=cpy

So, I guess it was Duane's card? Why would she give up his card when the day before she was begging for gas money? It's so tragic she was just outside the family home while she was kidnapped. Her dad and boyfriend see the truck being broken into the same night Sam is missing. I hope they told LE straight away.

BBM. That is what I am trying to figure out. These young people did not have any money. Perhaps IK thought she was related to a famous Koenig. OR, Sam tried to convince IK she could "get money". Perhaps, she did attempt to try to stall IK or get herself back to a familiar area with hopes someone would see her by picking up that debit card. And maybe she hoped if she repeatedly tried to draw too much money out it would trigger some alarm at a bank. Only, IK didn't have HER draw it out?

I am confused though...they say she was abducted at 8 pm, yet was a couple of hours later. When was the card stolen? Was Sam there when it was? I can't imagine the guilt family must have if they witnessed this incident and now know she didn't live long after that...:-(
 
BBM - unless he was parked close enough to the Dairy Queen or IHOP that their cameras picked him up

True! The strange part about that is that LE asked for help from the public regarding the white truck after Keyes was arrested. If they saw the truck on the security video soon after she was abducted, and they were still working on the assumption Sam was alive, wouldn't they have released the info then?

Unless they didn't want to tip off IK. We don't know when he sent the initial text messages.
 
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