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

[Rush4087]

Long post. Complete speculation.

Because there were some media reports (including one in the AJC) that Katie was planning to return to Henry’s and meet Emma when Emma got off work so the two of them could walk home together, when I first learned that Katie was seen crossing 10th St from south to north (Zocalos to Caribou’s - same direction she’d be traveling if coming from home to work or home to the park) at 12:09, I thought that Katie was about to take a left and head up 10th street to Henry’s. That would’ve gotten her there by 12:20 - 12:25. Ready to walk home..

But for some reason, instead of going left, I think (think) Katie went right, crossing Piedmont from west to east (from the Caribou side to the Flying Biscuit side) and then continued down the hill (or on the path just inside the park that parallels 10th) to the Charles Allen gate area. This is ALL just speculation.

But who knows? As K.jill posted earlier, maybe Katie stayed straight on Piedmont and maybe entered the park at 11th. It couldn’t have been 12th though, or she’d have been seen on camera. Plus, that’s a much longer way to get to the Charles Allen gate area of the park, and I think she was already pressed for time. I personally think she turned right on 10th and headed straight down 10th to the Charles Allen gate area, but that’s just my opinion.

It is puzzling to me though - if she did take that right. Because if she was planning to go down 10th to the Charles Allen gate area - and then reverse course and come all the way back up to Henry’s - I bet that round trip would take 25-30 minutes. There wasn’t enough time.

This wouldn’t have put her back at Henry’s until maybe 12:40 -12:45. If that was the plan, it might mean that either: Emma wasn’t originally planning to be off until at least 12:45, or that Katie wasn’t too concerned about being a few minutes late. All jmo

I think I’ve read that Emma first tried to reach Katie from Henry’s at about 12:30 (an hour or so from when she’d last seen her). Maybe Emma now thought she might be getting done with work a little earlier than she’d previously though and wanted to tell Katie and maybe get an eta from her. But no answer.

After her unsuccessful attempts to reach Katie from Henry’s, I think Emma might have walked home (it’s about a mile). She also could have gotten a ride home (maybe it’s been reported how she got home and I missed it, if anyone knows, please post)

I don’t think Emma’s car was at Henry’s though, as why would she and Katie have made plans earlier to walk home together? I am kind of surprised though that Emma didn’t wait another 5-10 minutes (till 12:50 or so)- just thinking maybe Katie had lost track of time or couldn’t hear her phone, etc. But I’m sure it was unnerving. They were going to walk home together. If (IF) Emma did then actually walk home, I’m guessing she arrived at around 12:55

After Emma got home I think she probably tried to reach Katie a few more times. I’m guesssing it was at around this time that she used the “find my phone” app and got into her car.

Apparently, even though Emma found Katie’s phone on the “find my phone” app (not moving, near the Charles Allen gate area), she tried to think of routes that Katie would typically take home from the Charles Allen gate area (thinking perhaps Katie had dropped her phone but didn’t realize it, and was at that moment walking home with Bowie). Then Emma found Bowie and Katie at the park a little after 1:05. Heartbreaking

All jmo, lots of speculation. Please note and correct any errors

 

[thebodyfarm]

Hitting someone in the cervical could potentially result in a complete spinal cord injury which, in turn, could even result in paralysis below the site of injury. But even if that happens, you can still speak, so Katherine could still scream for help. If he caught her off-guard and hit her, as I said, that would mean that she wouldn't have any defensive wounds or injuries. She wouldn't be able to protect herself or her dog.
Just a theory though

 

[Shellinaya]

Long post. Complete speculation.

Because there were some media reports (including one in the AJC) that Katie was planning to return to Henry’s and meet Emma when Emma got off work so the two of them could walk home together, when I first learned that Katie was seen crossing 10th St from south to north (Zocalos to Caribou’s - same direction she’d be traveling if coming from home to work or home to the park) at 12:09, I thought that Katie was about to take a left and head up 10th street to Henry’s. That would’ve gotten her there by 12:20 - 12:25. Ready to walk home..

But for some reason, instead of going left, I think (think) Katie went right, crossing Piedmont from west to east (from the Caribou side to the Flying Biscuit side) and then continued down the hill (or on the path just inside the park that parallels 10th) to the Charles Allen gate area. This is ALL just speculation.

But who knows? As K.jill posted earlier, maybe Katie stayed straight on Piedmont and maybe entered the park at 11th. It couldn’t have been 12th though, or she’d have been seen on camera. Plus, that’s a much longer way to get to the Charles Allen gate area of the park, and I think she was already pressed for time. I personally think she turned right on 10th and headed straight down 10th to the Charles Allen gate area, but that’s just my opinion.

It is puzzling to me though - if she did take that right. Because if she was planning to go down 10th to the Charles Allen gate area - and then reverse course and come all the way back up to Henry’s - I bet that round trip would take 25-30 minutes. There wasn’t enough time.

This wouldn’t have put her back at Henry’s until maybe 12:40 -12:45. If that was the plan, it might mean that either: Emma wasn’t originally planning to be off until at least 12:45, or that Katie wasn’t too concerned about being a few minutes late. All jmo

I think I’ve read that Emma first tried to reach Katie from Henry’s at about 12:30 (an hour or so from when she’d last seen her). Maybe Emma now thought she might be getting done with work a little earlier than she’d previously though and wanted to tell Katie and maybe get an eta from her. But no answer.

After her unsuccessful attempts to reach Katie from Henry’s, I think Emma might have walked home (it’s about a mile). She also could have gotten a ride home (maybe it’s been reported how she got home and I missed it, if anyone knows, please post)

I don’t think Emma’s car was at Henry’s though, as why would she and Katie have made plans earlier to walk home together? I am kind of surprised though that Emma didn’t wait another 5-10 minutes (till 12:50 or so)- just thinking maybe Katie had lost track of time or couldn’t hear her phone, etc. But I’m sure it was unnerving. They were going to walk home together. If (IF) Emma did then actually walk home, I’m guessing she arrived at around 12:55

After Emma got home I think she probably tried to reach Katie a few more times. I’m guesssing it was at around this time that she used the “find my phone” app and got into her car.

Apparently, even though Emma found Katie’s phone on the “find my phone” app (not moving, near the Charles Allen gate area), she tried to think of routes that Katie would typically take home from the Charles Allen gate area (thinking perhaps Katie had dropped her phone but didn’t realize it, and was at that moment walking home with Bowie). Then Emma found Bowie and Katie at the park a little after 1:05. Heartbreaking

All jmo, lots of speculation. Please note and correct any errors

I have not seen any articles where it said they were going to meet up again and Katie would walk her home. I don't know where that came from.
From Emma's interview, she just says that Katie simply came by to say hi with the dog, and that she'd see her later. About 3:18 at the video link below, she tells what happened the last night she saw her. Nowhere does she say they had plans for Katie to walk her home. She said about an hour after she saw her, she then tried to contact her and could not and then eventually tried to go find her, but that was all after she got home. She is not exact with time though.

Taken from this interview

 

[nao]

Moo.....I would never scream..I come from a volatile life...never have i screamed. If the attack happened on the path....I would run to gates or anywhere there was light. I would not run to the darkness where Katie was found......moo

 

[TL4S]

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?

I agree the killer was likely there for the express purpose of murder, because LE describes it as "unique" and "gruesome." But who knows? In this case below, the guy was trying to steal cash out of a car, and he didn't kill the woman, but I think a lot of people carry knives for a lot of reasons. Jmo.

LPD searching for man that stabbed dog - KLKN-TV

Also, I noted that in one MSM source (can't recall which), it was reported she had "some sort of stab wounds." I know a slash to the neck sounds like a knife, but with a lot of blood and darkness, Emma probably couldn't be sure. Maybe a branch was broken off the tree limb and used as a weapon. Not likely, but just using a random example to say we just don't know all the facts.

 

[everybodhi]

Moo.....I would never scream..I come from a volatile life...never have i screamed. If the attack happened on the path....I would run to gates or anywhere there was light. I would not run to the darkness where Katie was found......moo

It's been decades ago, but once I walked up on my home being burglarized, they opened my front door when I put the key in and three people came out, I tried to scream but no sound came out. The first one out knocked me to the ground immediately with a fist to my face.
They beat me pretty badly, I had a cracked sturnam from them stomping on my chest and a concussion from them slamming my head on the walkway.
I was surrounded by homes, close together, but no one heard the attack or the perps asking me, "are you gonna call the cops?", before they would hit me again.
I wasn't able to answer the question.
It's a well known phenomenon, it happens often during assaults and kidnappings, courts now recognize this and there are experts that back it up.
Asking a rape victim why they didn't scream is no longer considered evidence that it was consensual.
I still think of that weird sensation of losing my voice from terror and my silent scream.

 

[Aubie007]

Moo.....I would never scream..I come from a volatile life...never have i screamed. If the attack happened on the path....I would run to gates or anywhere there was light. I would not run to the darkness where Katie was found......moo

Maybe Katie was running towards where she saw people…? I don’t know. Would the killer carry Katie 100 ft (as Emma approximated) into the darkness from Bowie? Maybe. It does seem like the opposite direction for Katie to try to escape, unless for a good reason.

The distance between Katie and Bowie is perplexing. I wouldn’t suspect a dog to run away from an attacker like a human might, which makes me think everything started closer to where Bowie was found.

When LE describe it as a “unique and gruesome murder”, that sounds time consuming. How much time would something like this take? I FEEL like this area was picked because of the partial stone wall providing cover from the street and the access to darkness providing cover inside the park.

 

[DobbyRN]

I listened to a podcast called "Crime Stories with Nancy Grace" that talked about Katie and Bowie. I don't know if that is considered MSM but it was very interesting. I am still praying so hard that they find this perpetrator soon!!!

 

[MissUnderstood]

Was hoping for an arrest by now!!! Hoping it happens soon.
I agree with some other posters above, that this was a stranger, in the park, hiding and armed.
This perp could have been hiding and Bowie sniffed him out! Did any of the people around hear dog barks I wonder.
moo

 

[Yemelyan]

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 think it is an axe and the reason they have it there IMO is because they are trying to figure out if they can get the limb into the evidence van in one piece or if they'll have to chop it. If you look at the video (or the reporter's tweet) you'll see that they do get it in the van but it barely fits.

I'm not sure if this limb is big enough to have supported an adult's weight. But I definitely think it was used in the crime.

 

[Dub64]

It's a common thought that women scream when they're threatened or scared but that's not the case for me and maybe many others. For reference, @everybodhi and their horrific experience, whenever I've been scared or confronted physically, I've always and immediately fought back but I never screamed for help or anticipated being 'rescued'. Switching train of thought, and with the introduction of the tree branch, could it be a consideration that the weapon (sword, machete) took upward motions resulting in contact with the tree then downward leaving bark or residue on Katie's body.

 

[Peaches96]

It's been decades ago, but once I walked up on my home being burglarized, they opened my front door when I put the key in and three people came out, I tried to scream but no sound came out. The first one out knocked me to the ground immediately with a fist to my face.
They beat me pretty badly, I had a cracked sturnam from them stomping on my chest and a concussion from them slamming my head on the walkway.
I was surrounded by homes, close together, but no one heard the attack or the perps asking me, "are you gonna call the cops?", before they would hit me again.
I wasn't able to answer the question.
It's a well known phenomenon, it happens often during assaults and kidnappings, courts now recognize this and there are experts that back it up.
Asking a rape victim why they didn't scream is no longer considered evidence that it was consensual.
I still think of that weird sensation of losing my voice from terror and my silent scream.

Years ago my husband was going to playfully scare me. He was standing in our hallway at night so it was dark. I came up the stairs and caught a glance of him standing there and was so scared I couldn’t scream. I just silently fell to my knees. It was such a weird reaction. No scream, no curse words, nothing. I just lost my voice and fell to my knees. (We laugh about it now but my husband felt terrible and doesn’t scare me anymore LOL)
Anyway, I say all that to say if Katie was startled enough (which I’m sure she was) she very well could have lost her voice.
MOO

 

[dotr]

Choosing that particular park for an attack and leaving the brutalized bodies out in the open for everyone to see, some might wonder if the perp was making a statement to LE or the people of Atlanta. imo. speculation
rbbm.

Katherine Janness with her fiancé's 3-year-old pit bull Bowie (Family photo)

Calls for more cameras, better lighting after Piedmont Park murder
''ATLANTA - Many residents are flooding an Atlanta City Council woman's office with phone calls and emails following the murder of a woman and her dog in Piedmont Park.

Councilmember Jennifer Ide's Chief of Staff said the office has been inundated with correspondence regarding the safety and lighting at the city's crown jewel.

"This park is the heart of the city. This is Atlanta's playground. It's Atlanta's center. It's what brings everybody together," Lance Orchid commented. "It has shaken people to their core. There has been a significantly high outreach of residents who live around here, as well as residents in adjacent neighborhoods. And also leadership in the area and leadership at the high school."

 

[Voxel]

I have not seen any articles where it said they were going to meet up again and Katie would walk her home. I don't know where that came from.
From Emma's interview, she just says that Katie simply came by to say hi with the dog, and that she'd see her later. About 3:18 at the video link below, she tells what happened the last night she saw her. Nowhere does she say they had plans for Katie to walk her home. She said about an hour after she saw her, she then tried to contact her and could not and then eventually tried to go find her, but that was all after she got home. She is not exact with time though.

Taken from this interview

Thanks for the interview link.

I agree. I don't think Emma was expecting to meet up again after work. It was only when she returned home an hour later and found that Katie was not home that she thought something was amiss. Emma thought Katie should have definitely been home from walking the dog by the time she got home.

 

[MntnHiker]

I think people are getting the "returned to walk Emma home" thing from this article (and possibly others?)

"Late Tuesday, Janness had stopped by Henry’s Midtown Tavern, where Clark was working. After Janness and Bowie walked, they planned to return to meet Clark and walk home together. But when Clark was ready to head home, Janness didn’t answer her phone. And she wasn’t at home."

Woman killed at Piedmont Park remembered as intelligent, gentle, kind

Now I don't think I've seen a direct quote from Emma stating this, so it's possible this reporter/writer got it mixed up. But I knew I had read this before, so I went searching and found this article from back in thread 1.

 

[MntnHiker]

I have not seen any articles where it said they were going to meet up again and Katie would walk her home. I don't know where that came from.
From Emma's interview, she just says that Katie simply came by to say hi with the dog, and that she'd see her later. About 3:18 at the video link below, she tells what happened the last night she saw her. Nowhere does she say they had plans for Katie to walk her home. She said about an hour after she saw her, she then tried to contact her and could not and then eventually tried to go find her, but that was all after she got home. She is not exact with time though.

Taken from this interview

RBBM

It came from this article: Woman killed at Piedmont Park remembered as intelligent, gentle, kind

"Late Tuesday, Janness had stopped by Henry’s Midtown Tavern, where Clark was working. After Janness and Bowie walked, they planned to return to meet Clark and walk home together. But when Clark was ready to head home, Janness didn’t answer her phone. And she wasn’t at home."

But I haven't seen it as a direct quote from Emma, so it could be this reporter got things mixed up.

 

[everybodhi]

BBM

Years ago my husband was going to playfully scare me. He was standing in our hallway at night so it was dark. I came up the stairs and caught a glance of him standing there and was so scared I couldn’t scream. I just silently fell to my knees. It was such a weird reaction. No scream, no curse words, nothing. I just lost my voice and fell to my knees. (We laugh about it now but my husband felt terrible and doesn’t scare me anymore LOL)
Anyway, I say all that to say if Katie was startled enough (which I’m sure she was) she very well could have lost her voice.
MOO

Now they say the reactions are fight, flight, freeze and/or flop.
Flop: similar to freezing, except your muscles become loose and your body goes floppy. This is an automatic reaction that can reduce the pain of what's happening to you. Your mind can also shut down to protect itself.

 

[TL4S]

In order for the bystander we hear reacting in the background of the 911 call to see KJ's body (including enough detail to have that reaction), she must have been in an area lit enough to be visible from the trails. And Bowie was reportedly visible from the gate. I'm still just having a really hard time grasping that they could have lain dead there for 40+ minutes, or that the killer spent an extended amount of time committing the crime.

 

[user1123]

All in my own opinion based off what I've read. First and foremost RIP Katie and Bowie. I hope you get the justice you deserve. As a fellow ATLien this case is so disturbing.

I know LE is keeping specific details private for good reason. But, I also think they're down playing this. I get not wanting to cause public panic... but there is clearly someone VERY dangerous and disturbed out there. The public needs to be a little more informed, so this type of tragedy doesn't occur again.

I believe this was a random killing, not someone that knew her. After hearing the initial details I thought it's either A. Personal/someone that knew her or B. Random and most likely a serial. If it was someone that knew her they likely would have attacked at a more private place than Piedmont Park in my opinion. This location is very public and open. Even though it happened late night, there were still people around. This guy is clearly brazen and most likely will strike again if not caught. The killer was probably waiting on a female to walk in alone and she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, unfortunately.

I highly doubt this man would be bold enough to strike there again, because all eyes are on that park right now. So all parks, trails, and secluded areas need to be on alert. Everyone needs to be vigilant, stay in groups and try to avoid being out at night especially alone. There are similarities to the Little Rock stabbings so that also shouldn't be ruled out, although unlikely.

After reading some details of the crime scene online I believe this person is a sexual sadist. I think this is what happened.

Katie and Bowie went by Henrys (restaurant/bar Emma worked at) to visit Emma. They left walked to the park like they routinely did. Once Emma arrived home she knew something was wrong since they weren't back yet, so she tracked her. Find my iPhone causes the phone you're tracking to make a sound. It's likely the killer heard that sound and left close to the time Emma discovered her.

Because they took that giant tree branch as evidence in the CSI van.... The killer was probably waiting up in that tree branch out of visibility, for the right target when no one was around for a blitz attack. I still think it's very bizarre no one saw anything, but this person knew what they were doing it sounds like. I believe Katie and Bowie walked in and likely no one was around at that particular time so he went for it. Bowie likely was killed first trying to defend Katie (good boy, sweet Bowie!) After he was killed Katie most likely tried to run from the attacker, which is I assume is why they were found a good distance apart. But, like many of you are saying she probably was shocked and scared which kicks in adrenaline (fight or flight) and she probably was too shocked to scream (or if her throat was slashed like her partner, Emma said it would have been impossible to scream) and running was most likely hard especially away from someone that sick/who was likely stronger and faster.

The manner in which they were left in the open and mutilated I believe this guy is a sociopath who felt no remorse, got off to what he did and wanted fear to be instilled publicly. Maybe I watch too many crime shows, but everyone needs to be careful because I think this type of person will do it again.

The City of Atlanta should be held liable for wrongful death, and negligence due to the lack of security. 9 cameras in 187 acre park... are you kidding yet, god forbid you go through a red light and they have plenty of cameras for that because they profit off those tickets. Mayor Bottoms DO BETTER. This lady and her dog were killed in a public park and now it's difficult to solve and could possibly happen again because your cameras were old af from 07/08. Tax payers should be pissed. I hope they beat the brakes off the city of ATL with a lawsuit rightfully so with the unnecessary pain and suffering her, bowie, family, and friends are having to endure. It took something SO tragic to open your eyes. Just devastating.

 

[PrairieWind]

In order for the bystander we hear reacting in the background of the 911 call to see KJ's body (including enough detail to have that reaction), she must have been in an area lit enough to be visible from the trails. And Bowie was reportedly visible from the gate. I'm still just having a really hard time grasping that they could have lain dead there for 40+ minutes, or that the killer spent an extended amount of time committing the crime.

This is perplexing. There were people in and out of the park. Emma walked in and immediately saw Bowie, and pretty quickly saw Katie. Did no one else see them? It makes me think maybe she was killed closer to the time she was found. Or maybe she was killed in a more hidden area and her body drug to where it was found. Although that doesn't seem too likely I admit. Just some of the location/timeline things aren't making sense to me yet. Unless some people did see her and just kept walking and have since kept their mouths shut. Or maybe they have spoken to police and it just isn't public yet. I would be interested to know if the police have good idea of the time she was killed.