AK - Samantha Koenig, 18, Anchorage, 1 Feb 2012 - #4

[TxLady2]

I agree that if he is guilty of kidnapping Samantha, he did it for his own reasons...this is too "big" of a crime to do for someone else, IMO...also I don't believe AK would send LEO's to TX unless they had really solid evidence linking him to the abduction. JMO

I agree, Clu. Even the very first news stories said his arrest and detainment was in connection with Sam's kidnapping. He won't be formally charged with that crime until he is returned to AK.
Even though LE doesn't confirm it, I strongly believe he used Sam's credit/debit card here and it's very possible they found that card in his possession during that traffic stop and that is what linked him to her disappearance. (I highly doubt that an 18 y.o. would have more than one credit/debit card, but it's possible.) If he pulled off the abduction for someone else, he has to be incredibly stupid.

 

[Snowbunny]

I really feel sorry for the Koenig family. I wonder how IK would have felt if this had been his daughter that had been kidnapped? I'm sure he would have been as frantic as Mr Koenig is wondering where his daughter is. Prayers for the Koenig family and prayers for the safe return of Samantha.

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

Hey, quick question: Where did you see the 134 W. 12th Street? I have not seen that address anywhere (the physical address is the only thing I see listed on the Keyes Construction site). Thanks

I am just jumping in from a weekend away...no internet...and I can't seem to find where I got these addresses. But... I will keep searching and will get back to you all when I find it!

 

[gliving]

I'm rereading some of the first articles for a timeline of events. Here's what I've got so far.

We have Samantha's dad talking to her on the phone about 1 1/2 hour before she's to get off work. Then Samantha's boyfriend planning to pick her up at 8pm, but when he arrives, she's not there. Next we have the early shift come to work and notice things are a little messy and the cash is gone. At some point that morning the owners review the surveillance video and notice "something that made them call police immediately".

So I assume the owners or police call Samantha's father at that time and he makes attempts to contact her without success.

Am I missing any tidbits I should consider? Do we have a timeline for Samantha? Sorry to backtrack, but there weren't any news items today.

TIA

 

[boaps]

Is it possible that her dad and bf knew she was missing and why but did not call the police because of the "why"... And then the shop owners became involved via the security tape and called the police themselves. It just strikes me that they were the ones that called, while her dad seems genuinely concerned it would be odd not to call the police unless there was some specific reason not to do so.

 

[katydid23]

I'm rereading some of the first articles for a timeline of events. Here's what I've got so far.

We have Samantha's dad talking to her on the phone about 1 1/2 hour before she's to get off work. Then Samantha's boyfriend planning to pick her up at 8pm, but when he arrives, she's not there. Next we have the early shift come to work and notice things are a little messy and the cash is gone. At some point that morning the owners review the surveillance video and notice "something that made them call police immediately".

So I assume the owners or police call Samantha's father at that time and he makes attempts to contact her without success.

Am I missing any tidbits I should consider? Do we have a timeline for Samantha? Sorry to backtrack, but there weren't any news items today.

TIA

Also, something else that is puzzling, imo, is that the boyfriend spoke to Sam and said he was running late. And that was just before 8 pm, so he KNEW she was relying upon him for her ride home. And so it is really odd that he was not more worried when she was not there when he arrived.

 

[boaps]

Also, something else that is puzzling, imo, is that the boyfriend spoke to Sam and said he was running late. And that was just before 8 pm, so he KNEW she was relying upon him for her ride home. And so it is really odd that he was not more worried when she was not there when he arrived.

But more likely IMO he was worried but for whatever reason being worried did not equal call the police like it would in a normal situation.

 

[z560]

Has there been any past violent or aggressive or felonious behavior dredged up from his past yet? He just seems like an unlikely suspect to have killed a young girl for petty cash from a register.

It does seem odd that he doesn't have much of a criminal record that we know of.

BUT, other than that, doesn't he possibly fit the profile of a serial criminal? He moves around a lot, it seems that not many people know much about him, he's self-employed so he is the only one who accounts for his actions, he's a contractor so he has reasons to be in a lot of different places...

I'm just thinking maybe there's a possibility this guy has been involved in the disappearance of other women.


Of course, another possibility that seems just as likely is that he wasn't involved in the abduction but somehow came across Sam's credit cards (maybe someone sold them to him or whatever). So he's just a scammer but didn't abduct anyone. The only thing is the police sure don't seem to be treating him that way.

 

[katydid23]

But more likely IMO he was worried but for whatever reason being worried did not equal call the police like it would in a normal situation.

So it makes me wonder what they DID about it , if anything.

Once the bf arrives at the empty hut, and waits around a little bit, he eventually realizes she is gone. Did he call her dad and her friends who might have picked her up?

And once he went back to her dad's house and realized that none of them picked her up or heard from her---then what? I can understand not calling 911 for a few hours. Maybe she got a ride from a friend or a customer or something. But once it hits midnight, with no word from her, then why not call LE for help?

But did they even call in the next morning? I think the boss at the hut was the one who called it in.

 

[boaps]

So it makes me wonder what they DID about it , if anything.

Once the bf arrives at the empty hut, and waits around a little bit, he eventually realizes she is gone. Did he call her dad and her friends who might have picked her up?

And once he went back to her dad's house and realized that none of them picked her up or heard from her---then what? I can understand not calling 911 for a few hours. Maybe she got a ride from a friend or a customer or something. But once it hits midnight, with no word from her, then why not call LE for help?

But did they even call in the next morning? I think the boss at the hut was the one who called it in.

Right, that's why IMO they KNEW something happened to her but specifically did NOT call the police. The shop owners did separately after looking at the video and seeing whatever it contained.
(my opinion only. Of course I do not know if they did orwould have called the police and I do not mean any disrespect for why they did or did not)

 

[z560]

So it makes me wonder what they DID about it , if anything.

Once the bf arrives at the empty hut, and waits around a little bit, he eventually realizes she is gone. Did he call her dad and her friends who might have picked her up?

And once he went back to her dad's house and realized that none of them picked her up or heard from her---then what? I can understand not calling 911 for a few hours. Maybe she got a ride from a friend or a customer or something. But once it hits midnight, with no word from her, then why not call LE for help?

But did they even call in the next morning? I think the boss at the hut was the one who called it in.

Well I can think of a couple possibilities, although this is all speculation of course...

We know from Mr. Koenig himself that Sam used to have an issue with drugs (note: I do not think it is slander to acknowledge this--everyone has made mistakes in their past). Maybe the BF shows up, she isn't there, he thinks to himself "oh great, she must've had a relapse" and assumes she is out partying somewhere. Thinks she'll come back in a couple days with her tail between her legs, so while he is pissed he certainly doesn't think there is a reason to nor would he want to call the cops.

Or maybe she and her boyfriend had some relationship issues and he thinks that she's off with another guy. Again, he is pissed but no need to call the cops.

I think the third likely possibility (already alluded to by someone else) is that they were concerned but didn't realize quite how serious it was and didn't want to involve the cops for whatever reason. Perhaps they'd have to explain to the cops something that they didn't really want to get in to.

 

[boaps]

It does seem odd that he doesn't have much of a criminal record that we know of.

BUT, other than that, doesn't he possibly fit the profile of a serial criminal? He moves around a lot, it seems that not many people know much about him, he's self-employed so he is the only one who accounts for his actions, he's a contractor so he has reasons to be in a lot of different places...

I'm just thinking maybe there's a possibility this guy has been involved in the disappearance of other women.


Of course, another possibility that seems just as likely is that he wasn't involved in the abduction but somehow came across Sam's credit cards (maybe someone sold them to him or whatever). So he's just a scammer but didn't abduct anyone. The only thing is the police sure don't seem to be treating him that way.

If the only thing he did was use her card then I would imagine AK LE would still take an interest if only to figure out how he got the card, from who, etc. I can't tell to what degree they are suspecting him based on the number if subpoenas, the staking out of his AK home and questioning his gf etc. Any ideas?

 

[katydid23]

It does seem odd that he doesn't have much of a criminal record that we know of.

BUT, other than that, doesn't he possibly fit the profile of a serial criminal? He moves around a lot, it seems that not many people know much about him, he's self-employed so he is the only one who accounts for his actions, he's a contractor so he has reasons to be in a lot of different places...

I'm just thinking maybe there's a possibility this guy has been involved in the disappearance of other women.


Of course, another possibility that seems just as likely is that he wasn't involved in the abduction but somehow came across Sam's credit cards (maybe someone sold them to him or whatever). So he's just a scammer but didn't abduct anyone. The only thing is the police sure don't seem to be treating him that way.

It just seems so odd that he would kidnap her and then knowing there is a huge manhunt going on, that he would then use her ATM card weeks later. He seems smarter than that.

 

[cluciano63]

It just seems so odd that he would kidnap her and then knowing there is a huge manhunt going on, that he would then use her ATM card weeks later. He seems smarter than that.

And yet he had things in his car 6 weeks later that tied him to her, in some way?

 

[z560]

If the only thing he did was use her card then I would imagine AK LE would still take an interest if only to figure out how he got the card, from who, etc. I can't tell to what degree they are suspecting him based on the number if subpoenas, the staking out of his AK home and questioning his gf etc. Any ideas?

I guess what makes me think that they highly suspect his involvement in the actual crime is the police's statement to the effect that he is the only person of interest at this time. They're basically saying this that guy is or very well could be THE GUY.

I don't think they'd say that if they thought that his only involvement was somehow coming across Sam's card and using it fraudulently. Certainly they would still be interested in that case because they'd want to know where he got the card from, but I don't think they'd go out of their way to portray it in the media as though he is the primary suspect.

Unless they are watching other persons and are trying to make them think they are safe from suspicion. If that were the case then I could see why the cops would say that Israel Keyes is the only suspect.

 

[z560]

It just seems so odd that he would kidnap her and then knowing there is a huge manhunt going on, that he would then use her ATM card weeks later. He seems smarter than that.

That is the part that doesn't make sense. If this guy is some kind of serial abductor who's operated uncaught for years, then clearly he would have to be smarter than to use Sam's card and/or still have evidence from her abduction on him in a different state weeks later.

(Although one thought I just had: maybe what he had on him was a memento from her? I think maybe I am going a little too into movie territory here, but maybe he likes to keep a little something to remind him of his victims. And the access fraud charge might not be related to her at all--it could just be a reason to keep him while building the case against him.)

 

[boaps]

And yet he had things in his car 6 weeks later that tied him to her, in some way?

I think there must have been much more than just what was in his car that tied him to the case otherwise LE would not have followed him allthe way to TX. (as apparently they were onto him before the traffic stop). So the stuff in his car could have been something small , that only tangentially tied to SK but still enough to charge him based on what else they know.

 

[gliving]

Her father says that he, Samantha and the boyfriend lived together and all worked the evening shift. He spoke to her earlier in the evening so probably knew her plans for later, boyfriend picking her up, supper plans, etc. Boyfriend shows up to pick her up, but she's not there. I assume boyfriend would try to call her? Next we have the father saying when he hadn't heard from Samantha by late Wednesday, he started calling her repeatedly.

"I called her cellphone until the battery finally died, and texted it and everything," James said. "It would ring until it went to voice mail. And then, noon yesterday, it just went to voice mail, straight out."

I guess this would be about the time the owners are calling the police.

It must have been a very scary time for him not knowing where his daughter was on a very cold Alaskan night. Without a car.

Not sure why this is nagging me, but it is. :waitasec:

 

[gliving]

And yet he had things in his car 6 weeks later that tied him to her, in some way?

Was this the car he drove in Alaska or a car he used only during his time in Texas?

"We haven't found evidence linking him to her," Markiewicz said. "We don't know if he knew her before (she disappeared)."

What was in the car??


http://www.adn.com/2012/03/15/2373079/arrest-made-in-koenigs-disappearance.html

 

[GutFeeling!]

I think there must have been much more than just what was in his car that tied him to the case otherwise LE would not have followed him allthe way to TX. (as apparently they were onto him before the traffic stop). So the stuff in his car could have been something small , that only tangentially tied to SK but still enough to charge him based on what else they know.

I agree, I think IK is the tip of the iceberg here. he is not fighting extradition at all. I think he realizes he is a small fish in this - he is involved but there are bigger players. LE followed him because he was the easier catch at this point.