GUILTY AL - Kathleen "Kat" West, 42, murdered, Calera, 13 Jan 2018 *husband arrested*

[BeachSky]

I've thought about that as well. But the neighbors heard nothing, and the location/position of the body seems odd. For me it all comes down to: where are her clothes?

Yes that and time of death...

 

[DAnthrplgst]

Mayor says announcement in the next 7-10 days. Must be waiting for test results. Still leaning towards accident.

Same here. I can't put my finger on why but I'm just not getting a murder vibe here, nothing about this case says murder. I know some of you think the husband might be good for this but as others have pointed out, the neighbors didn't hear any screaming and the position of her body would indicate she was moving towards her house, not away from it. If her husband had attacked her she would have been facing the neighbor's house with her legs in the road/head on the grass. Also, if the husband did kill her why would he just leave her body in front of his house to surely be discovered at first light. Finally, I can't see why they would need to wait for any sort of testing in order to arrest the husband on suspicion of murder. They don't need a toxicology test to prove murder due to blunt force trauma, maybe if they thought he poisoned her but it's clear she wasn't poisoned.

I'm wondering if her state of undress was because she had a hot flash for some reason (I'm a guy and this happens to me on occasion, usually at night, I'll be happily sleeping and suddenly wake up in a pool of sweat, hot as all get out) and decided to step outside to cool off where whatever happened, happened.

 

[Stratocaster]

Mayor says announcement in the next 7-10 days. Must be waiting for test results. Still leaning towards accident.

Agreed with waiting for forensic test results, they have things narrowed down to a suspect(s). It's been reported to be date night, so imo the daughter is not there. What does date night consists of, when you're married for a number of years, and you have 5k followers online.

Strange as reported the husband fails to mention in his statement to LE they stop for liquor, just out at the sports bar, and headed home. I have a feeling when this case is revealed, I will be giving accolades to the local LE for keeping tight chested, and doing their best to avoid the national media BS and proper conviction with proper policing. May justice be served.

 

[bwt42]

If they are waiting for forensic test results, I would assume it would be toxicology results. How could those results be used as evidence to charge a perp?

 

[Stratocaster]

If they are waiting for forensic test results, I would assume it would be toxicology results. How could those results be used as evidence to charge a perp?

Fingerprints on bottle/cell phone, closely monitored forensic autopsy, all samples fed into an international DNA data bank hoping to ID suspects. Electronic forensics also, cell texts deleted messages, cell tower pings etc...

 

[bwt42]

Fingerprints on bottle/cell phone, closely monitored forensic autopsy, all samples fed into an international DNA data bank hoping to ID suspects. Electronic forensics also, cell texts deleted messages, cell tower pings etc...

Then my assumption of toxicology results may be wrong. I would think the things you mentioned would have already happened. jmo

 

[Iwatchingeye]

Apparently I read the grand jury is coming up. I’ve seen speculation they are taking it to grand jury before an arrest. Is that possible?


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[Stratocaster]

Apparently I read the grand jury is coming up. I’ve seen speculation they are taking it to grand jury before an arrest. Is that possible?


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I wonder why it would go this route.

 

[DAnthrplgst]

I wonder why it would go this route.

From my understanding, and maybe a lawyer can step-in and correct me if I'm wrong, sometimes a prosecutor will present evidence to a grand jury as a sort of practice run for a trial. In other words, if a grand jury thinks there is enough evidence to prove guilt and they hand down an indictment then that makes the prosecution feel better about arresting someone and bringing them to trial and securing a conviction.

 

[bwt42]

From my understanding, and maybe a lawyer can step-in and correct me if I'm wrong, sometimes a prosecutor will present evidence to a grand jury as a sort of practice run for a trial. In other words, if a grand jury thinks there is enough evidence to prove guilt and they hand down an indictment then that makes the prosecution feel better about arresting someone and bringing them to trial and securing a conviction.

The evidence presented to secure an indicted is so minimal that I doubt a prosecutor would be encouraged by the indictment. jmo

 

[scapa]

If it's looking like an accident, or at least not definitively a homicide, should the thread title be changed?

 

[PetDetective]

If it's looking like an accident, or at least not definitively a homicide, should the thread title be changed?

I would think not, until it is ruled an accident....


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[fred&edna]

I've thought about that as well. But the neighbors heard nothing, and the location/position of the body seems odd. For me it all comes down to: where are her clothes?

You said everything I've been thinking, and yep... it's down to her ?missing? clothes.

Strange case.

 

[Stratocaster]

I see two scenarios with the clothes, imo cold night so her clothes wouldn't have been off for a long time, this happened fast and imo with rage. Were the clothes left in a vehicle, or across the street at home. Husband shows up on early morning scene, so he's involved in some way, imo

 

[PrairieWind]

Apparently I read the grand jury is coming up. I’ve seen speculation they are taking it to grand jury before an arrest. Is that possible?


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Where did you hear this? I'd like to see the context. Is there a grand jury specifically for this case or is it that there just happens to be a grand jury convening in this county? Alabama doesn't require grand jury indictment and this seems like perhaps an odd case for one. Could be that the DA is unsure whether to bring 2nd degree or manslaughter type charges.

 

[fred&edna]

Where did you hear this? I'd like to see the context. Is there a grand jury specifically for this case or is it that there just happens to be a grand jury convening in this county? Alabama doesn't require grand jury indictment and this seems like perhaps an odd case for one. Could be that the DA is unsure whether to bring 2nd degree or manslaughter type charges.

And, I'll just add... I thought there was usually an arrest before going to a grand jury (assuming of course that LE believes they know who committed the crime/has a suspect). I'm not an attorney/have no legal background so I could be entirely wrong.

 

[PrairieWind]

And, I'll just add... I thought there was usually an arrest before going to a grand jury (assuming of course that LE believes they know who committed the crime/has a suspect). I'm not an attorney/have no legal background so I could be entirely wrong.

No, the grand jury indictment would come before the arrest.

I am still about 50/50 as to whether the husband did it. But if he didn't, I am fairly certain he knows who did do it. If the second is true, he probably immediately gave the police the name, now the police are just trying to get the evidence necessary. It just seems to me that if the husband had done it, he would have been arrested by now.

 

[Stratocaster]

No, the grand jury indictment would come before the arrest.

I am still about 50/50 as to whether the husband did it. But if he didn't, I am fairly certain he knows who did do it. If the second is true, he probably immediately gave the police the name, now the police are just trying to get the evidence necessary. It just seems to me that if the husband had done it, he would have been arrested by now.

Exactly my thoughts, of the five W"s of this case, I still wonder about the 'why?'

 

[fred&edna]

No, the grand jury indictment would come before the arrest.

I am still about 50/50 as to whether the husband did it. But if he didn't, I am fairly certain he knows who did do it. If the second is true, he probably immediately gave the police the name, now the police are just trying to get the evidence necessary. It just seems to me that if the husband had done it, he would have been arrested by now.

Same here regarding 50/50. I would think someone would hear something if she was being chased out of her house and/or there was rage/anger. I'm perplexed.

And, WRT the the grand jury/arrest stuff... I just read these links :thinking: I must be reading all this incorrectly (which wouldn't be the first time! lol) Or maybe either scenario can occur.

http://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-law-basics/what-happens-when-you-re-charged-with-a-crime.html

"How does a criminal case get filed? First, there is an arrest and the police report that follows. The prosecutor then reads the police report and decides whether or not the arrested should be charged with a crime. Alternatively, the prosecutor can go to a grand jury and ask them to decide what criminal charges should be filed (an indictment). Finally, a judge holds a preliminary hearing where he or she decides whether there is enough evidence to proceed."

And, the "When and why does a case go to a grand jury?" part here:

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/6-your-questions-about-grand-juries-answered

 

[bwt42]

I'm not 100% sure the reporting of the liquor bottle on the phone was accurate. But if it was, think about it. If she was killed inside the home, the killer,decides not to make her disappear, but instead takes her to the curb & leaves her phone with the bottle on it. If she was killed by someone & dumped there out of a vehicle, why leave the phone & liquor bottle. Neither scenario seems plausible.jmo