GA - Katherine Janness, 40, walking dog, both fatally stabbed, Piedmont Park, Atlanta, 28 July 2021

[Snoopster]

Thanks for the response. Adrenalin rush or psychotic break from fighting a dog would not be unheard of (especially if someone had had a prior bad experience with a dog), also apologies but I wasn't able to find solid reasons why a homeless person is unlikely.
If you exclude the above the alternatives the theory you leave us is that she was targeted (robbery would not fit per your mutilation statement).
Note, we have two sets of park entrance pictures, one from the Charles Allen entrance the other from 12th and Piedmont. Given that they were taken at differing times we can be fairly certain that those cameras were operational the whole evening. The fact that Katie was not seen in either of these locations gives me more confidence that she took a small unmarked entry further up on 10th Street per my previous post.
Unless someone (excluding Emma) specifically followed her in from 10th street between the rainbow crosswalk and the Charles Allen entrance it is much more likely that the perp was already in the park at the time she entered.

I suspect he was already in the park too, however, there is the aspect of the timeline between 11:30 and 12:09 at the crosswalk that is unaccounted for. Did KJ stop to chat with someone on a patio? Did someone take offense to something she said? I'm still leaning toward a stranger though. The attacker must have been prepared with a weapon.

 

[Counttrarian]

Eyewitness reports described the disfiguring as specific to women.

My understanding is that it was something done to her face/marking. Can you please link to the eyewitness statements or articles where an action specific to women is mentioned? tia
Also at the risk of being unpopular, though this may very well wind up being classified as a hate crime esp. given FBI involvement, the mere fact that a victim is female does not make it automatically fit the hate crime classification.
Learn About Hate Crimes

 

[K.jill]

Thanks for the link.
Are you sure that those are the bathrooms by Charles Allen entrance? The sidewalk doesn't match the view on Google Streetview (although that might not be up to date).

I believe the photos released today are taken on the beltline which connects with Piedmont Park.

 

[Counttrarian]

I suspect he was already in the park too, however, there is the aspect of the timeline between 11:30 and 12:09 at the crosswalk that is unaccounted for. Did KJ stop to chat with someone on a patio? Did someone take offense to something she said? I'm still leaning toward a stranger though. The attacker must have been prepared with a weapon.

I don't believe the leaving Henry's (which also appears to have a patio) at 11:30 timeline has been established and think it may have been closer to midnight.
If anyone has something indicating otherwise thanks in advance for correct me.

 

[Counttrarian]

Dupe reply with more info.
New photos of jogger likely from Beltline a path which circles Atlanta that connects to park at corner of park by 10th St and Monroe Drive

 

[Rush4087]

That would be a good point if this were a typical summer in Georgia but it has been quite a bit cooler than normal, especially at night, and rainy, and just generally not as hot as a usual summer.

I think it’s a good point no matter what kind of summer Atlanta is having. And I think Atlanta has had a relatively normal summer, at least temperature wise. Just my opinion.

I live just north of the city, and this year the high temps on every one of the the last nine days of July were over 90 degrees. I remember watching the late news on the 27th (my b’day was the next day) and seeing that local highs for the next four days were expected to be 98, 97, 97 and 97. Looking online, it appears that almost every one of those same nine days had lows in the mid-upper 70’s (early am), so at midnight in the park, it could’ve still been low-mid eighties. It’s been very humid as well.

Does that mean that nobody would wear a hoodie in that weather? No. But I agree with Silver_produce0 that “the attire seems odd for summertime in the south”. Again, just my opinion

 

[Quell]

My understanding is that it was something done to her face/marking. Can you please link to the eyewitness statements or articles where an action specific to women is mentioned? tia
Also at the risk of being unpopular, though this may very well wind up being classified as a hate crime esp. given FBI involvement, the mere fact that a victim is female does not make it automatically fit the hate crime classification.
Learn About Hate Crimes

The reporters tweet was deleted and I'm guessing it might've risked jeopardizing the case.

 

[Snoopster]

I don't believe the leaving Henry's (which also appears to have a patio) at 11:30 timeline has been established and think it may have been closer to midnight.
If anyone has something indicating otherwise thanks in advance for correct me.

I believe it was a comment from Emma in a news item. I can't find it now (as search isn't working for me and I don't have time right now to scroll through all of the pages). Hopefully someone else will have it at their fingertips.

Having said that, of course Emma could have been mistaken on the timing and might have just been guessing.

 

[K.jill]

My understanding is that it was something done to her face/marking. Can you please link to the eyewitness statements or articles where an action specific to women is mentioned? tia
Also at the risk of being unpopular, though this may very well wind up being classified as a hate crime esp. given FBI involvement, the mere fact that a victim is female does not make it automatically fit the hate crime classification.
Learn About Hate Crimes

I am curious where you got the info about a marking on her face. I know that WSB did a report they soon retracted kind of that relates but it did not say anything about the face. Not saying I think you’re wrong just curious.

 

[LotusPawprint]

My understanding is that it was something done to her face/marking. Can you please link to the eyewitness statements or articles where an action specific to women is mentioned? tia
Also at the risk of being unpopular, though this may very well wind up being classified as a hate crime esp. given FBI involvement, the mere fact that a victim is female does not make it automatically fit the hate crime classification.
Learn About Hate Crimes

Agree on both.
The most specific reference I recall reading reported was by her wife's father:
"Katie can’t be seen. You can’t look at her because of what they did to her."
Anything else should only be considered rumor.

On the second point , yes. One could argue that most murders are a result of deep seated anger/hatred, but that doesn't rise to the definition or standard for a hate crime. Violent, maladapted, premeditated, but not a hate crime on its own.

 

[Snoopster]

I suspect he was already in the park too, however, there is the aspect of the timeline between 11:30 and 12:09 at the crosswalk that is unaccounted for. Did KJ stop to chat with someone on a patio? Did someone take offense to something she said? I'm still leaning toward a stranger though. The attacker must have been prepared with a weapon.

Quoting my own post to add that, based on yesterday's presser, LE seems to think the attack wasn't personal, as they are advising that people only go out in groups of at least 3 or 4.

Piedmont Park stabbing | Fulton officials, Atlanta police update | 11alive.com

"Go out in public with several people with you," Willis said during Thursday's press conference. "Behave in a way that is safe."

The district attorney said that's the message she wants people across the county to leave with — urging citizens to travel to the park with a few friends and not alone late at night.

This is in contrast to the day prior when LE's tone wasn't so concerning for local residents.

 

[Counttrarian]

I am curious where you got the info about a marking on her face. I know that WSB did a report they soon retracted kind of that relates but it did not say anything about the face. Not saying I think you’re wrong just curious.

A couple of outlets/sources mentioned face, I'll try to see if I can provide links.
A mark or carving (possibly anti LGBT) was reported from local WSB reporter Michael Seiden. There having been rumors of missing body parts etc. as well, but cases like this are prone to sensationalism. The only thing that is known outside of LE, Emma, the perp/s and possibly by the witness on the 911 call is that the victim was stabbed, it as a gruesome crime scene and some degree of disfigurement took place.

 

[AtlRN]

I can’t place the stone wall behind the jogger in these new photos. They seem to be running in the opposite direction of the first photos where the street was on their right. I thought it might be down near the Botanical Gardens but the wall there doesn’t have uniform horizontal rows. I think it probably is the same person from the first photos and that the lighting and poor quality of the images accounts for any inconsistencies in their appearance.

Not sure but first thought seeing this was the picnic pavilion located near active oval on other side of lake Clara meer?

 

[Bonthetrack]

Not sure but first thought seeing this was the picnic pavilion located near active oval on other side of lake Clara meer?

I thought it was inside of the park past the split where the playgrounds are but I’m not sure

 

[Counttrarian]

I thought it was inside of the park past the split where the playgrounds are but I’m not sure

Pretty sure they were taken along beltline. See attached and compare to wall and manhole cover in LE/press photo (woman in attached image is a vestige of google maps and not in any way involved in this case). Given distance and path this fits the scenario that he may have briefly entered the park as a 'pit stop' and is a witness only as previously believed.

Edit: Added 2nd photo released today for comparison

 

[AtlRN]

It does not look like he used the bathrooms. There are new photos posted today in the news talking about the jogger now cooperating with police, and in the new photo (new to me anyway) he is seen running past the bathrooms into the park.

Second photo here

I believe the photos released today were recorded at an earlier time (or later, I don't know.. ) in the evening either elsewhere in the park or possibly on the belt line. The original footage taken from initial released photos shows clear time stamp of jogger taking left into Charles Allen entrance from 10th st. at 12:46:13 and exiting out of park at Charles Allen entrance taking left back onto 10th street at 12:46:54 (41 secs). The new photos released appear to be taken from entirely different cameras and are much sharper images. Not sure why this.

 

[Counttrarian]

The new photos released appear to be taken from entirely different cameras and are much sharper images. Not sure why this.

See attached for where/how the pic was likely taken.
Newer cameras on Beltine at a better vantage point, note wall on right and garbage cans forward right.

 

[LotusPawprint]

Excuse my stupidity but I'm looking for some clarification on the family tracking apps like the one Emma used.. That information is only available in real time, right? As opposed to recording the person's route for later use possibly with details on time?
That would be too easy.

 

[Counttrarian]

Excuse my stupidity but I'm looking for some clarification on the family tracking apps like the one Emma used.. That information is only available in real time, right? As opposed to recording the person's route for later use possibly with details on time?
That would be too easy.

Not sure what you mean specifically but from Apple's law enforcement guidelines:
"Device location services information is stored on each individual device and Apple cannot retrieve this information from any specific device. Location services information for a device located through the Find My feature is customer facing and Apple does not have content of maps or alerts transmitted through the service. The following support link provides information and steps that can be taken by a customer if an iOS device is lost or stolen: If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is lost or stolen. Find My connection logs are available for a period up to 25 days; and, if available, may be obtained with a subpoena or greater legal process. Find My transactional activity for requests to remotely lock or erase a device, if available, may be obtained with an order under 18 U.S.C. §2703(d), or a court order with the equivalent legal standard, or a search warrant."

 

[ArmchairDefective]

The only thing that is known outside of LE, Emma, the perp/s and possibly by the witness on the 911 call is that the victim was stabbed, it as a gruesome crime scene and some degree of disfigurement took place.

Have the authorities confirmed that they think any "disfigurement" was intentional? I'm just thinking that with multiple stab wounds, particularly if the killer was indiscriminately swinging in the dark, with enough blows it would be almost impossible for the aftermath to NOT be gruesome. It also strikes me as unlikely that the attack took place in an area that would have been well-lit enough for the killer to see what he was doing well enough leave any kind of deliberate "markings," but of course that's just going on the limited details that have been made publicly available.