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

[bessie]

I would think the other scenario already mentioned here is much more plausible, where he used the shed as a temporary holding place until he could find a better place for her. --ugh, I don't even like to type that.

The local news just said "One of the most perplexing aspects of this case is that no matter how hard they try, they cannot find any connection between Sam & IK"

Yes, I agree. I don't think he went out on the lake that night. I wasn't sure if he could access it at all with the ice shack. After reading the comment I posted, I think it's a possibility.

I don't have a hard time believing the crime was strictly random because of IK's other behavior around the same time. Look how impulsively he behaved by running around the countryside getting money from ATM's with a stolen card. (If anything is hard to believe it's that he was able to access cash so many times, so long after he stole the card.) JMO, but I don't believe he's a career criminal. It seems like something snapped with this guy and sent him on a spree. Looking at it in that light, it's not hard to imagine that he made a split second decision to prey upon a perfect stranger who happened to be in a vulnerable position. IMO

503mpco, photos of the pertinient locations are always appreciated, so please feel free to post.

 

[503mpco]

You have got to be joking - they said they believed she was alive for 7 weeks? She died within hours like I assumed, Tell me where great policing came in there? With all due respect. There had better be an inquiry into this.

Sounds like they were saying they believed she was still alive because of the on going debit card activity. Would seem either they did indeed believe she could be alive and with him or they needed time to track him and catch him. I can't imagine short of having some kind of evidence in any case they aren't quick to say "we think she is probably deceased".

 

[GutFeeling!]

So they think this was all random?? In true form of this case from the start, I am more confused. I have a feeling I'm going to have been way off on what I was thinking happened.

I don't <3

 

[cluciano63]

LE always says they believe missing people are alive, until they know otherwise. They said it about Kyron, for example, for many months, if not longer. Now, they don't say anything either way. But it is very seldom that they say "we believe the person is not alive" unless they have a crime scene.

 

[GutFeeling!]

How heartbreaking! :tears:

Prayers going up for her family and friends. raying:

My dear sweet friend xoxoox <3 I am in Texas now lol Great to see you here.

 

[Whisperer]

Crimes are seldom complicated. He saw an opportunity and took it. I wish she didn't walk away with him and I don't know when people will learn. Parents need to drum this into children. Do not go with them. If you say it often enough, it will become part of their mindset. It is much better to die at the spot of confrontation than to leave with them.

R.I.P Samantha. I am so sorry this happened.

 

[Kavya01]

Oh Sam.
May the world get less hellish in honour of your memory. Rest in peace sweetheart

 

[503mpco]

I guess he could have taken an ice fishing hut out there but no way that shed they took from his home in my opinion.

If you google local ice fishing spots people don't talk about that lake at all. In fact there are several posts on like fish and game forums, etc. where people ask about ice fishing in that lake and it gets like one reply that says "good luck on that" or something similar. It certainly doesn't come up as a hot ice fishing lake on any of the online fishing things. ? But there are many lakes around there so maybe drilling from the lakes in general? Don't know. Just interesting he said that but I had been googling ice fishing on that lake to try to figure out if it was indeed the lake I was thinking of and hoping to find some reference photos and there is very little info on ice fishing there compared to discussions about ice fishing on other lakes around it. As far as lakes go for winter access this one would be more difficult than others. Maybe making it more appealing since it might be less used in the winter?

My prayer to the little girl that lived with IK's here in Alaska. Presumably the mother is left to explain this all to that young girl. How do you process that when you have been living with him for several years? Another innocent victim in this tragedy I would imagine.

 

[503mpco]

Crimes are seldom complicated. He saw an opportunity and took it. I wish she didn't walk away with him and I don't know when people will learn. Parents need to drum this into children. Do not go with them. If you say it often enough, it will become part of their mindset. It is much better to die at the spot of confrontation than to leave with them.

R.I.P Samantha. I am so sorry this happened.

I had this exact discussion with my young daughters over a tearful dinner tonight learning about Samantha's fate.

 

[Whisperer]

Well, the one good thing about this is "Keyes didn't have a Criminal Defense Attorney around to shut him up when he was arrested"! We have to be grateful for the small things around here.

:drink:

 

[saba]

This is just heartbreaking. I hope that LE takes a hard look at IK's background and all the places he has lived. If he did this, it's hard for me to believe that Samantha is his first victim.

Guess I better start upthread for the details.

 

[Whisperer]

With the climate there, all evidence will be preserved too...another thing to be grateful for..

How long does it take for Alaska to put them to death up there?

 

[Snowbunny]

My heart and prayers go out to the Koenig family and to all those that loved Samantha. My heart and prayers also go out to KA and IK's daughter. This just breaks my heart. I still remember being at this lake right after I found out I was pregnant with my daughter 25+ years ago. It was a beautiful place but at the time I hated being in Alaska because I had just found out my father had terminal cancer, but being at the lake gave me some peace. This lake was the last place I got to be with my dad in Alaska before he flew home to South Dakota and a short time later we found out he was sick. He thought this lake was one of the prettiest spots in Alaska. I just hope that LE checks out other locations that Keyes has been and see if there might be others that went missing around the same time frame he was there. Again, my heart and prayers go out tonight to James and his family for their loss. Samantha will be missed by all those who love her. May she RIP.

 

[cluciano63]

I really think Sam was his first victim, in this way. He may have stolen before, but he was far too careless and probably not thinking (luckily), when I feel he would have had a much cooler head if he had done this before. Using the cards was what got him caught, as far as well know. I don't think he would ever have been linked to Samantha otherwise.

Still, I am very curious about the video and what it shows that LE was so determined to hold back and wonder if we will ever know. If somehow they get him to plead guilty, since I believe he must have confessed, we may be left wondering forever.

 

[cluciano63]

On another note...we now know that continued searches would have proved fruitless. Sam would never have been found by any organized searches, and perhaps, never found at all.

I do think LE did a tremendous job with this case; I believe they had a line on this guy's personality once they captured him and knew it was a matter of time before he confessed. I do hope they offered a lawyer/read him his rights on camera and more than once, so that no doubt can arise there, or with the validity of the confession (I am presuming about the confession, but can't imagine they found her without one.)

The only thing a lawyer can do now, IMO, is first, try to get any confession tossed, and when he loses that, try for insanity, which we know won't fly.

All JMO

 

[bessie]

Reading the transcript of the presser, I found this of interest regarding the various LE agencies who assisted in the investigation.

"Likewise, when assistance was required in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, local, state and federal authorities moved quickly to support and move this investigation forward. In fact, were it not for the efforts of several very alert and dedicated Texas law enforcement officers, Samantha's abductor may still be at large."

http://media.adn.com/smedia/2012/04/02/19/21/s3T0q.So.7.pdf

So, did Arizona and New Mexico LE assist before or after IK hit the ATM's, or both?

Previous statements said investigators from Alaska were in Texas before his arrest. I wonder exactly when and where Texas LE spotted IK. For that matter, when did Anchorage police first identify him as a suspect? And why? Did they even know he was headed for Texas? Or did they only learn of it when Texas LE responded to a nationwide bulletin? I'm really curious to know how it all went down.

 

[anovelplan]

Hi everyone. New to the forum and an Anchorage local. So upset to hear the outcome but I too had a very bad feeling about this case. Just some thoughts. Standard procedure for a card reported stolen is that it is immediately deactivated. According to the local reports it was reported stolen relatively quickly. I think LE may have kept the card active to trace and apprehend IK. I suspect they had a good idea early on he might be involved.

There are cameras on many of the buildings in that location and entirely possible he was identifiable after viewing. Also, early reports described a truck parked not far from the coffee shop at the time of the abduction and I have wondered if it might have been his.

Also, I am inclined to think he tipped them off as to where she was. There are so many lakes in the area it would seem impossible to find her otherwise.

Just bouncing off some ideas. Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[z560]

I agree that he told them where she was.

The only other possibility is that someone saw his truck there. They did ask anyone who had seen the truck to contact the FBI, which indicates that they knew he had transferred her body in the truck. Maybe somebody called and said "I think I saw that truck out at the lake one night".

But they moved with purpose in searching that lake for her body, which makes me think they were virtually certain it was there.

 

[akmom02]

With the climate there, all evidence will be preserved too...another thing to be grateful for..

How long does it take for Alaska to put them to death up there?

Alaska does not have the death penalty.

 

[akmom02]

The guy from this article at ADN says he is used to hearing the sounds of ice fishing on the lake. It does seem to be a popular spot for ice fishing, so maybe you've got another lake in mind- there are a ton of them.

I don't think IK moved the shed from his house, I think he used it right where it stood and then used his truck to move Sam to Mat Lake.
http://www.adn.com/2012/04/02/2403943/police-fbi-plan-koenig-news-conference.html