GA - Katherine Janness, 40, fatally stabbed and dog killed, Piedmont Park, Atlanta, 28 Jul 2021 #3

[PrairieWind]

I know the police said Bowie was found about 50 feet inside the park. But do we know if he was in the street or on the foot path, etc?

 

[Doriansay]

I know the police said Bowie was found about 50 feet inside the park. But do we know if he was in the street or on the foot path, etc?

Good question but I have no idea. Journalists have said “the street” when describing bystander accounts, but I don’t think they were reporting with crime scene level accuracy. I think they could have used “street” and “footpath” interchangeably.

 

[ATLLady]

Good question but I have no idea. Journalists have said “the street” when describing bystander accounts, but I don’t think they were reporting with crime scene level accuracy. I think they could have used “street” and “footpath” interchangeably.

As I understand it, he was found on the ‘street’ in the park at the Charles Allen gate. It truly is a street and it’s the way that service vehicles/emergency vehicles can enter the park. There is normally a gate down so that no vehicles can enter off of 10th. So when they say ‘street’ in this case, it is accurate. It is wide enough for vehicles going in either direction.

 

[ATLLady]

Me too. I hate it because the “criminal mastermind” theory is more about people wanting to be Sherlock Holmes and always hinges on really irrational explanations like someone getting so angry about spilled coffee that they stake out a spot to mutilate the victim in a public place, and somehow miraculously the police can’t find someone with a grudge so blatantly obvious months later. Or worse, they blame the victim’s family despite common sense conclusions that someone so close involved would have been implicated by now.


I also hate how these theories rely on data taken out of context. Sure, people are mostly killed by people they know. But most of those deaths are domestic disputes involving firearms, and not grisly mutilations in public parks.

This is spot on.

 

[Quell]

What was Katherine’s profession?

Bartender.

I know the police said Bowie was found about 50 feet inside the park. But do we know if he was in the street or on the foot path, etc?

According to EC, Bowie was in the street.
When she first saw him she thought he might've been hit by a car. And by street, I mean the roadway inside PP where service vehicles, security are allowed to drive

 

[Doriansay]

I dont think its linked to one another. I think EC wants her name cleared because she is being tortured by the arm-chair detectives. People are calling her and sending her messages and voicemails. She is probably done with it all, done with being blamed. I think it was just coincidental. But you can never be too sure...LE does sneaky things.

Yes exactly. Online lynch mobs are disgusting, hence why people on scene haven’t spoken publicly other than Emma, who I feel incredibly sorry for.

 

[ELepo]

What was Katherine’s profession?

She was a bartender. She worked at a couple different places... but one is an LGBTQ owned place-- Campagnolo Restaurant

 

[Doriansay]

Someone brought up the Ryan Rogers case earlier and I think it’s interesting not only because it’s an example that proves that a random stranger can snap and take the life of another, but also because it shows how it’s possible for someone with little to no resources to commit a brutal act in public and then flee from the crime scene unnoticed.

The victim was riding his bicycle in Palm Beach Gardens (Fl) and this drifter with mental health issues stabbed him to death 14+ times and left him in the woods on November 15th. The boy’s body was found and his death ruled a homicide. People blamed the poor grieving mother because I guess that’s easier than admitting that random people really can have the urge to kill strangers.

Sure enough, a homeless man possibly suffering from a mental illness was arrested in Miami on December 3rd , the break only made when the police were able to find DNA at the crime scene and connect it to the suspect because he happened to have his DNA on file related to other crimes he had committed. This is what is most interesting though:

“Officials said while he was located in Miami, there is evidence that Williams traveled to Palm Beach County on Nov. 15 and returned to Miami the following day.”

Ok, Miami is a good hour from Palm Beach Gardens. It’s not like he escaped to a nearby neighborhood. Even more interesting:

“He has no ties that we can determine to Palm Beach Gardens or Palm Beach County — none whatsoever. It’s a mystery to us why this man was in our community, but we have evidence that places him on the scene and makes him responsible for the murder of this child,” Palm Beach Gardens Police Chief Clint Shannon said during a news conference. “It appears to be an absolute chance encounter between a child on a bike and an animal that probably should not be out on our streets.”

And to think, this guy wouldn’t have been caught had the state not had his DNA on hand to compare against DNA from the crime scene…

I also don’t think this guy has any ties to Katie’s murder but I guess my point is I think something vaguely similar could have happened to her.

 

[ElectricZZ]

I could go into graphic details about the dozens and dozens of other wounds the poor woman sustained, some of which are also sexual in nature, likely, but I'm not going to put it here, on a public forum. Imo, there were many wounds inflicted upon her that hint at what level of deranged individual committed this act.

To each his own. I agree that it displays the type of individual that committed this murder. I put that information out there for those who don't know anatomy and didn't bother to look it up. I find that that level of injury tells us a lot. She was obviously turned over for this injury to occur. Some also think that this type of injury could have occurred while Katie was crawling or fleeing to get away. I don't believe in that theory. 12 to 6 is a very deliberate cut and not as easy to do as one would think. Especially in the location where it exists. <modsnip>

 

[BGGS]

I also hate how these theories rely on data taken out of context. Sure, people are mostly killed by people they know. But most of those deaths are domestic disputes involving firearms, and not grisly mutilations in public parks.

This murder has all the signs of being intensely personal, though. The damage to her face and to her tattoo, especially, but also the sheer number of wounds. It was literally overkill.

 

[Doriansay]

This murder has all the signs of being intensely personal, though. The damage to her face and to her tattoo, especially, but also the sheer number of wounds. It was literally overkill.

“Overkill” can be just as likely impersonal as it can be “personal”. Pop psychology is irrelevant here.

 

[Yemelyan]

"Overkill" being equated to 1. An offender with a personal relationship to the victim, and 2. A "crime of passion" is a belief that seems logical (if we are trying to understand the motives of killers) but not necessarily empirically true IMO.

Sometimes "overkill" is predictive of multiple offenders present at the scene. Sometimes it's predictive of an offender who lost control of the situation because the victim put up more resistance that he planned. Sometimes it points to the psychological motivation/fantasy behind the crime. I don't think we have enough details here to say for sure what the overkill means in this situation.

 

[Doriansay]

"Overkill" being equated to 1. An offender with a personal relationship to the victim, and 2. A "crime of passion" is a belief that seems logical (if we are trying to understand the motives of killers) but not necessarily empirically true IMO.

Sometimes "overkill" is predictive of multiple offenders present at the scene. Sometimes it's predictive of an offender who lost control of the situation because the victim put up more resistance that he planned. Sometimes it points to the psychological motivation/fantasy behind the crime. I don't think we have enough details here to say for sure what the overkill means in this situation.

I guess that’s my point. If her body was found like in someone’s house, then maybe the connection between overkill and it being a crime of passion would make more sense. But this isn’t phrenology. It’s not like reading tea leaves. As you suggest, we don’t really have any reason to draw conclusions about killer’s motivation based on the mutilation alone. Based on other common sense conclusions, however, it seems unlikely to be personal.

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

As Katie's partner, EC is considered a victim under Websleuths victim friendly policy. Posts containing direct or indirect accusations or insinuations about a victim are not allowed.

VICTIM FRIENDLY

Websleuths is a victim friendly forum. Attacking or bashing a victim is not allowed. Discussing known victim behavior, good or bad is fine, but do so in a civil and constructive way, and only when such behavior is known to be relevant to the case.

The "victim friendly" rule extends to family members of victims and suspects. Sleuthing family members, friends, or others who have not been officially designated by law enforcement or in mainstream media as a Person of Interest or suspect is not allowed (i.e. Sleuthing out this type of information, and publicly posting their personal information, including names, addresses, and background data -- even if it is public is not allowed and such posts will be removed, along with any posts that encourage such sleuthing).

This does not mean, however, that statements made by family members and other third parties cannot come into discussion as the facts of the case are reported in the media. Members may reasonably discuss what is said in MSM by them or about them, but do not make random accusations, insinuations, suggest their involvement, trash, bash or attack them, or speculate negatively about them.

 

[Doriansay]

ADMIN NOTE:

As Katie's partner, EC is considered a victim under Websleuths victim friendly policy. Posts containing direct or indirect accusations or insinuations about a victim are not allowed.

VICTIM FRIENDLY

Websleuths is a victim friendly forum. Attacking or bashing a victim is not allowed. Discussing known victim behavior, good or bad is fine, but do so in a civil and constructive way, and only when such behavior is known to be relevant to the case.

The "victim friendly" rule extends to family members of victims and suspects. Sleuthing family members, friends, or others who have not been officially designated by law enforcement or in mainstream media as a Person of Interest or suspect is not allowed (i.e. Sleuthing out this type of information, and publicly posting their personal information, including names, addresses, and background data -- even if it is public is not allowed and such posts will be removed, along with any posts that encourage such sleuthing).

This does not mean, however, that statements made by family members and other third parties cannot come into discussion as the facts of the case are reported in the media. Members may reasonably discuss what is said in MSM by them or about them, but do not make random accusations, insinuations, suggest their involvement, trash, bash or attack them, or speculate negatively about them.

THANK YOU.

 

[Doriansay]

YES, this. He may have recorded the video on a previous date. I definitely think it’s worth tipping. I’d assume they are already looking into this guy as a potential suspect in this case (especially considering the FBI has some type of involvement with both cases), but one can never be too sure.

I don’t think the two are related per se, even if they are similar. This man hasn’t lived in ATL in over 4 years.

Also, LE does not need to be inundated with “tips” that are public knowledge. They get paid to make these connections. There is no connection that anyone can make here short of knowing the killer or observing something odd that would make a difference.

The whole point of tips is to provide information they might not be privy to. I know you are trying to help, but maybe this is not the best way.

 

[AtlantaBourne]

For those not familiar with PP & to hopefully help answer some recent questions I'm posting some pics from MSM reports & Google street view:

07/28/21 2 detectives at crime scene. Vase w/flowers & card where KJ was found. Notice lamp post on right side. The area known as the meadows in background.
Another angle of vase. Far in background is 10th St. going towards Monroe Dr.

View of where KJ found from 10th St

Charles Allen & 10th. Notice camera on left post where pics of jogger & other potential witnesses came from.

CA entrance to PP. Public RR bldg on right.

Another view of CA entrance showing gate.

 

[BGGS]

I guess that’s my point. If her body was found like in someone’s house, then maybe the connection between overkill and it being a crime of passion would make more sense. But this isn’t phrenology. It’s not like reading tea leaves. As you suggest, we don’t really have any reason to draw conclusions about killer’s motivation based on the mutilation alone. Based on other common sense conclusions, however, it seems unlikely to be personal.

What "common-sense conclusions" are you referring to?

 

[Doriansay]

What "common-sense conclusions" are you referring to?

Most people know their killers but most people are killed in their own home or in the parking lot of their job etc.

Most of these deaths also involve firearms, so these common preconceptions about the victim knowing the killer don’t apply here.

Also the timing involved is insane. Someone couldn’t plan to run into her like that even if they tried. It just seems coincidental.

Also when it comes to being ambushed in a park (which Katie probably was considering the ear bud found near her ear), the perpetrator is more likely to be random. There is also evidence this person lingered, something someone known to the victim would not do—and a fact that the DA said was unusual.

It would also be easy to whittle down a list of people in her life who had a known grudge against her, and they haven’t even named a person of interest 4 months later. I think this will be solved by a break in DNA—either through genetic genealogy or because the perp’s DNA is matched to another crime.

 

[BGGS]

Most people know their killers but most people are killed in their own home or in the parking lot of their job etc.

<Snip> I think this will be solved by a break in DNA—either through genetic genealogy or because the perp’s DNA is matched to another crime.

I do, too, at this point. I feel like if there was any helpful camera footage or other evidence, they'd have arrested someone by now. It's so frustrating that the DNA most likely hasn't been tested yet. I can't believe that this is the perpetrator's first crime, so I'm hoping his DNA is in the system.