GA - Katherine Janness, 40, fatally stabbed and dog killed, Piedmont Park, Atlanta, 28 July 2021 #2

[spicyrock]

Another look at the tree branch being loaded. And, can anyone tell me what appears to be sticking out of the ground (at approx :38) - nearer to the tree and just in front of the detectives' right leg, and yellow in color, I think? First glance I thought it was crime tape but no... it doesn't attach to anything. Also, I thought it could be an axe handle but the top is blurred. It doesn't look something just growing out of the ground. *ETA: If this thing is something simple that I should be able to identify... I'm gonna' feel extra silly. Also, it may be totally unimportant.

I can’t tell but it does look like it could be an axe handle, the angle is right … maybe they used it to get the limb down if it wasn’t already, like if it was partially broken or if they had to remove parts or had to cut it out of the tree entirely?

 

[spicyrock]

The stick/limb on the branch in the van looks skinnier than whatever axe-like thing that is sticking up from the ground in the video to me. It really does look like an axe handle with the axe head in a root of the tree or the ground. But that would be a weird thing for investigators to do at a crime scene it seems, and yeah these two don’t appear to have been chopping anything… it’s also possible I can’t see well enough on the small screen I’m using right now.

 

[googlethis04]

That's interesting. I suppose she could associate it with the side she was looking down on, though, which would actually be the anatomical opposite. Which hand did Emma use to make the motion? Maybe she just used her dominant hand in gesturing? Hard to say! What a horrible memory for her...

The ability to sneak up on, or even jump out at them, is made more surprising considering she had along a dog. That's why I wondered about the wind moving the scent away.

I also find it hard to consider the idea that the dog chased the killer, accounting for the approx. 100 ft distance between Bowie and Katie. Unless Bowie was off-leash and at a distance at the time of the attack on Katie, I don't think the perp would get 100 ft with Bowie in chase.

I was getting caught up and just saw this part of the thread. This is a really good point. Here is link to the interview again where Emma’s on video discussing it, if it helps:

Piedmont Park murder victim's partner speaks out

 

[Sillybilly]

I live here and I’m getting confused. So, the photo of Katie and the rainbow crosswalk she is walking from the direction of The flying biscuit toward Caribou coffee?

This may have been answered already, but based on matching up the lamp base behind Katie, and the vehicle stop line on her left, I believe she was walking north up Piedmont to cross 10th, going toward Caribou Coffee.

Feb 2021
Google Maps

 

[googlethis04]

I also kind of suspect the slash to her neck came from behind. This is really far reaching, I know, but I checked the weather almanac for midnight on July 28th and the wind was around 6 mph out of the NNW. That's not much of a wind, but if the killer was able to sneak up behind them, that might mean Bowie did not smell him coming.

So, does that put Katie and Bowie walking into the wind, heading NNW, with the killer behind them?

Or, did the killer and Bowie engage first, Katie ran, and the killer caught up with her from behind?

my question here is what would make Emma say in this interview linked below that she knew Katie was scared in her final moments unless she knew it wasn’t quick and there was a fight? I interpret as Katie was alive long enough to feel fear but could misunderstand what she’s trying to say

“It’s really sad for me to lose her, but I can’t even imagine how scared she was for that to happen,” she said. “She wasn’t an easily-scared person. She felt confident. She felt safe being in Midtown. In her final moments that was taken from her and that is what bothers me the most.”

EXCLUSIVE: Partner of woman killed in Piedmont Park speaks about victim's final moments

 

[ArmchairDefective]

my question here is what would make Emma say in this interview linked below that she knew Katie was scared in her final moments unless she knew it wasn’t quick and there was a fight? I interpret as Katie was alive long enough to feel fear but could misunderstand what she’s trying to say

“It’s really sad for me to lose her, but I can’t even imagine how scared she was for that to happen,” she said. “She wasn’t an easily-scared person. She felt confident. She felt safe being in Midtown. In her final moments that was taken from her and that is what bothers me the most.”

EXCLUSIVE: Partner of woman killed in Piedmont Park speaks about victim's final moments

There's also her dad's comment that he has no doubt that Katie put up a fight but I don't know if he's just saying that on conjecture because he thinks she was "a fighter" or because she had defensive wounds. It should be easy enough for an autopsy to tell if she was able to fight back at all (as opposed to being immediately incapacitated in a surprise attack from behind). If she was wearing earbuds, someone could have snuck up behind her, but it still seems unlikely to me as it seems that Bowie certainly would have noticed and turned around, alerting her to the killer's presence.

 

[Counttrarian]

This may have been answered already, but based on matching up the lamp base behind Katie, and the vehicle stop line on her left, I believe she was walking north up Piedmont to cross 10th, going toward Caribou Coffee.

Feb 2021
Google Maps

Yes, agreed. That corner but she was facing the other way towards Caribou.
Which brings up 2 interesting questions:
A) Why did she cross the street from Henry's? Is it possible she stopped by her work? (but that s very unlikely since we would have heard about it by now). Wouldn't read into it much, she could have just been avoiding firehouse or construction or wanting to walk on other side of st. where more people are at etc.
B) More importantly, UNLESS she cut across Willie's parking lot there may be a photo/video we're not being shown. She either would have had to cross 10th Street east to get to a 10th street park entrance in which case she should be shown in same rainbow sidewalk cam but going West to East. OR she entered on 12th St entrance which should have shown on 12th street cam.

 

[Sillybilly]

Yes, agreed. That corner but she was facing the other way towards Caribou.

<rsbm>

I couldn't get a screenshot that showed the direction while attempting to show the details that lined up with the image LE released (which was my intent).

 

[Tbone144]

my question here is what would make Emma say in this interview linked below that she knew Katie was scared in her final moments unless she knew it wasn’t quick and there was a fight? I interpret as Katie was alive long enough to feel fear but could misunderstand what she’s trying to say

“It’s really sad for me to lose her, but I can’t even imagine how scared she was for that to happen,” she said. “She wasn’t an easily-scared person. She felt confident. She felt safe being in Midtown. In her final moments that was taken from her and that is what bothers me the most.”

EXCLUSIVE: Partner of woman killed in Piedmont Park speaks about victim's final moments

I waiver between her being held at the same time as her dog was killed versus her dog being killed and then running and being chased down. Either scenario seem absolutely terrifying. I don’t have biological children and my pets are like my kids. To see one killed in front of me by a human predator who I know would have designs on me next would be horrifying. I’ve cried for days losing a duck to a hawk and that’s nature not a human going against nature.
IMOO

 

[K.jill]

<rsbm>

I couldn't get a screenshot that showed the direction while attempting to show the details that lined up with the image LE released (which was my intent).

If she passed by Caribou Coffee and walked straight down Piedmont her timing might have intersected with some of the witnesses from the photos released last week, the ones take it near the 12th St. entrance.

 

[Aubie007]

In Emma’s Exclusive interview linked above, she says Katie “liked to explore the neighborhood and didn’t necessarily have a set routine or time when walking the dogs and this was a later than normal night for them both.” That makes me think the person responsible was waiting inside the park for an opportunity to murder someone and happened to “choose” Katie. Im guessing the person knows this area well, because of what it took to pull this off in the manner in which they did. It feels random, but I can’t figure out why they would’ve chose someone with a pet…? I really hope LE get justice for Katie. I live one state over and we’ve barely heard a peep about this, not much steam behind it at all. There must be a lot LE is withholding from the public.

 

[MntnHiker]

Someone made a comment upthread that made me think (and I think several comments like this have been made): With how brutal this seems to be, we can't believe there weren't any witnesses who saw or heard anything.

But I suppose we could be wrong and witnesses just haven't come forward. I had asked locals about entering and exiting the park and they said it isn't fenced and there are many places you can enter/exit without being on a camera anywhere. We have the potential witnesses who DID get captured on camera, but for all we know, there were others in the park who did see or hear something, but perhaps have not come forward for personal protection...maybe they were doing something illegal in the park that night? Or maybe have had legal trouble in the past? There are a variety of reasons people may not come forward to talk to police.

I just hope if someone is out there who did witness something, they do come forward. They can contact Crime Stoppers and remain anonymous.

 

[ArmchairDefective]

Someone made a comment upthread that made me think (and I think several comments like this have been made): With how brutal this seems to be, we can't believe there weren't any witnesses who saw or heard anything.

But I suppose we could be wrong and witnesses just haven't come forward. I had asked locals about entering and exiting the park and they said it isn't fenced and there are many places you can enter/exit without being on a camera anywhere. We have the potential witnesses who DID get captured on camera, but for all we know, there were others in the park who did see or hear something, but perhaps have not come forward for personal protection...maybe they were doing something illegal in the park that night? Or maybe have had legal trouble in the past? There are a variety of reasons people may not come forward to talk to police.

I just hope if someone is out there who did witness something, they do come forward. They can contact Crime Stoppers and remain anonymous.

Good point that someone could have been in the park that didn't want people to know they were there. (I'm remembering in particular the DeKalb sheriff getting arrested for exposing himself and then running from the cops -- DeKalb sheriff vows to clear his name amid embarrassing allegations) I feel like if the reward money was higher, more people might come forward. Money is a big motivator for some people, and it might help some overcome their reluctance to talk.

 

[Sillybilly]

Someone made a comment upthread that made me think (and I think several comments like this have been made): With how brutal this seems to be, we can't believe there weren't any witnesses who saw or heard anything.

[...]

but for all we know, there were others in the park who did see or hear something

[...]

<rsbm>

It would not surprise me if there weren't any noises that would stand out to people in the area. If Bowie growled, nobody would hear. If he barked, it may have gone unnoticed because people don't pay much attention to a dog barking.

If Bowie was attacked first, I believe Katie would have been screaming and people would pay attention to a woman's screams. I strongly suspect Katie was attacked first and swiftly and was unable to make a sound. Dogs growl or bark as warnings but Bowie would have bypassed warning mode and gone to silent, instant attack.

No expert, but 30 years of owning GSDs and MOO

 

[Voxel]

Maybe I missed this: Why was Emma pinging Katie's phone in the first place? Did she frequently "follow along" on her walks with the dog? Was the walk taking an unusually long time? If Katie "likes to explore" and frequently took the dogs on walks at night, why would she feel the need to keep close tabs?

 

[AtlantaBourne]

Great find. That is likely the same tree branch they loaded up on the van (the rough end looks the same) and if it was that close to the crime scene it may very well have evidence on it.

Speculation: Could the killer have even used it to trip her?

Maybe the killer was hiding in a tree. Those trees look easy to climb...low to the ground. We always look around when being cautious..at bushes, etc. but how many of us look up into the trees? This would eliminate sneeking up on someone...just drop down from the tree.

 

[AtlantaBourne]

I can’t tell but it does look like it could be an axe handle, the angle is right … maybe they used it to get the limb down if it wasn’t already, like if it was partially broken or if they had to remove parts or had to cut it out of the tree entirely?

I have no idea what that is. Good eye & it being a hatchett to chop off the limb is also a logical possibility.
Now I want to know why the K9 officer is alerting to the silver box at 0:59 of this video.

 

[K.jill]

Maybe I missed this: Why was Emma pinging Katie's phone in the first place? Did she frequently "follow along" on her walks with the dog? Was the walk taking an unusually long time? If Katie "likes to explore" and frequently took the dogs on walks at night, why would she feel the need to keep close tabs?

The way I understand it is that Katie and bowie were going to walk for a bit and come back to walk Emma home. When they did not show at Henry’s as expected Emma went home expecting to find Katie there. Emma then called several times and got no answer. So she pinged the phone. Emma then noticed the phone was not moving. She then went yo the park. She thought Katie might have lost her phone.

If I had that wrong someone please correct me.

 

[Galadriel]

it seems apparent that whoever did this came equipped with some sort of knife that is probably not a regular knife normal people carry around.

Which (imo) points to a perp who is abnormal, someone who was at the park for the express purpose of murder. I don't think it was a snap decision, or that it was prompted by Bowie growling or lunging. I could see, as someone posted earlier, the killer lashing out after making a sexual advance and being rebuffed, but even so, why have the knife with you unless you're planning on using it?

 

[AtlantaBourne]

Maybe I missed this: Why was Emma pinging Katie's phone in the first place? Did she frequently "follow along" on her walks with the dog? Was the walk taking an unusually long time? If Katie "likes to explore" and frequently took the dogs on walks at night, why would she feel the need to keep close tabs?

When Emma got home from work she called & texted Katie several times and got no response from Katie. That was unusual she said Katie always answered her when she called. She stated she turned on the "find your phone" app because she was concerned. At some point she could tell the phone was in the park & was not moving. Also at some point she stated she started driving around looking for them. She stated that she thought Katie might have dropped the phone & didn't notice. She knew something wasn't right but did not realize just how serious it was.