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

[mickey2942]

I don't have a lot of faith in the Atlanta PD. Glad that the FBI is involved, right away. There seems to be a lot of extemporaneous issues involved with any crimes lately, that have very little to do with the victim or the crime.

Perpetrators have wanted to become "Victim of the Week", and claim their innocence, even after conviction. Two recent cases, Molly Tibbets and Samantha Josephson come to mind. Both of the perpetrators claimed that they were being framed for the crimes.

 

[Counttrarian]

I had not thought about this. If there are no more photos of her someone could have approached her further at 10th St. and she ran through the field dropped the leash and that’s why they were separated? I’m just thinking out loud here. But why would she run through the field instead of staying on the sidewalk where someone driving by could see her.
I have speculated to myself about if they could’ve been killed somewhere else and dropped off where they were. I cannot make that fit either.

I posted the path she may have taken, attached again for your convenience. Leaving out something nefarious, the reason why she took that path might be fairly straightforward; to let the dog run off the leash (vs. it running next to a street).

 

[spicyrock]

I thought this was an obsessive/stalker at first. I was picturing a probably non local bar patron, maybe a man who got angry at her social justice views. But it doesn’t make sense. A man like that would likely be triggered by a lot more than her especially in this neighborhood. He would have been noticed at the bar and on cameras. And why wouldn’t he have acted when the dog wasn’t there?

why would any stalker not wait for a time without the dog? That’s a real problem for me with the stalker theories.

 

[Counttrarian]

Are you asking about the use of knife or that a murderous person there?

The "Clearly there was a homicidal savage....who was going to attack someone, anyone that night."

 

[dotr]

I wonder if she happened to cross paths with someone who came onto her or made sexual comments to her, she rebuffed/rejected them and kept waking, this enraged the person so they went crazy and lashed out.

Complete speculation, thoughts at the moment. imo.

One might almost imagine a creepy intoxicated guy in the shadows making a smarmy remark to KJ and getting told to buzz off, or she completely ignores him. And he will not be ignored.

Enraged (thinks she is so tough huh with that pitbull, well i will show her ) in impotent frenzy he symbolically ''violates'' her with repeated stabbing.

 

[K.jill]

I posted the path she may have taken, attached again for your convenience. Leaving out something nefarious, the reason why she took that path might be fairly straightforward; to let the dog run off the leash (vs. it running next to a street).

Thank you.
I have thought of this as well and even posted about it several days ago. I am very familiar with the area. And also very familiar with having dogs in the city and feeling the need to let them runoff leash. So, I would understand if that’s what she was doing. What makes me question this is that Bowie was found very near the entrance at Charles Allen and 10th and 10th is a busy road anytime of the day. I think if he had been off leash and they were nearing that area or anywhere near the road she would’ve put him back on. The Grassy field area there along 10th would have been fairly dark and less you were close to the road. For that reason I don’t think she would’ve let him off for very long on their walk.

 

[AgentPuppyFeets]

I had not thought about this. If there are no more photos of her someone could have approached her further up 10th St. and she ran through the field dropped the leash and that’s why they were separated? I’m just thinking out loud here. But why would she run through the field instead of staying on the sidewalk where someone driving by could see her.
I have speculated to myself about if they could’ve been killed somewhere else and dropped off where they were. I cannot make that fit either.

Sometimes I let my dog decide her own route, especially after I am done with work, and want to burn off the stress of the day. Often, she takes me off of the sidewalk area, and into the field area. A lot of articles said Katie was really a good dog mom. Maybe Bowie took towards a certain direction and she was like "Eh, ok". IMO we won't know what truly happened, or where she was approached until either they catch the person, or the police release more info on that if they feel like it will help. Like maybe a business nearby comes forward with security footage or something.

 

[Quest701]

The "Clearly there was a homicidal savage....who was going to attack someone, anyone that night."

Not the person you are replying to but it’s self evident that this might be the case. It’s unlikely that anyone who knew her killed her because they probably wouldn’t have trouble finding leads were that the case. It’s also weird that someone looking to exact revenge would know she would be there at that exact time?

I can’t imagine it being drug related because why would someone risk getting caught even if they were trying to make a point? And there’s no evidence to suggest that she was involved with any such dealings. I also think it would be much much easier for the cops to trace an interaction like this.

It probably was a rando who wanted to satisfy some sick impulse to kill. He saw her and took his chance.

 

[spicyrock]

... I am wondering now, how did Bowie not “see” the guy if he was waiting, in a tree branch for example? Some of y’all know how much about how dog noses work- would a pit have necessarily smelled him in the shadows?

 

[LotusPawprint]

The "Clearly there was a homicidal savage....who was going to attack someone, anyone that night."

Because they had no qualms about viciously murdering this woman, mutilating her, and her dog in a seemingly random attack.
This wasn't someone who fired off a shot or two (justifiable or not).

 

[Counttrarian]

Not the person you are replying to but it’s self evident that this might be the case. It’s unlikely that anyone who knew her killed her because they probably wouldn’t have trouble finding leads were that the case. It’s also weird that someone looking to exact revenge would know she would be there at that exact time?

I can’t imagine it being drug related because why would someone risk getting caught even if they were trying to make a point? And there’s no evidence to suggest that she was involved with any such dealings. I also think it would be much much easier for the cops to trace an interaction like this.

It probably was a rando who wanted to satisfy some sick impulse to kill. He saw her and took his chance.

Or someone she or Bowie by chance encountered who had some sort of psychotic break due to one of their actions or a perceived action. Unfortunately, while a majority of homeless persons are peaceful, the incidence of mental illness, alcohol/drug use and violence is higher than in the general public (as is the use of knives/bladed weapons vs. guns).

 

[K.jill]

This is all speculation on my part : moo and imo-
I think that if the Killer was someone well known to Katie or someone she worked with we would have an arrest by now. Also, if the killer was spotted on camera coming or going we would know about it by now. I think this is going to be difficult to solve unless they have a good dna sample and can match it to someone.
When people kill by stabbing they often cut themselves, right?
And I do think Bowie was able to extract some DNA God bless him. But it has been 11 days and no new info.

 

[K.jill]

... I am wondering now, how did Bowie not “see” the guy if he was waiting, in a tree branch for example? Some of y’all know how much about how dog noses work- would a pit have necessarily smelled him in the shadows?

Yes I think that Bowie would’ve smelled him. There would be so many interesting smells for a dog there, food for sure. Actually, being a good dog mom she probably would not have let him runoff the leash in the park because of food! I had not thought about that!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A dog could get sick eating the junk food that is likely dropped. Anyway, even though I think there would be lots of smells competing The smell of this person likely stood out. There would probably be a nervous adrenaline smell at the very least. If someone was hiding in a tree in the dark he might have ran at the tree and barked at it but she did not see what he was barking at it.

 

[Ears]

The brutality, timing and high risk of this crime make me wonder if the perp was on drugs.
A human on some drugs (like pcp) can feel no pain, become stronger, feel no fear and explode with rage. Here is one awful example Big Lurch - Wikipedia

 

[spicyrock]

Or someone she or Bowie by chance encountered who had some sort of psychotic break due to one of their actions or a perceived action. Unfortunately, while a majority of homeless persons are peaceful, the incidence of mental illness, alcohol/drug use and violence is higher than in the general public (as is the use of knives/bladed weapons vs. guns).

I think it’s not likely this person is an established member of the local houseless community. I could easily see a psychopath using them for cover.

I also think it’s unlikely this was a psychotic break but admittedly my perspective is formed by my own experiences with people who have psychosis, and like most people with mental illness they are just regular people who get sick sometimes.

But more, I don’t see how someone who committed a murder like this in a psychotic break could still be uncaught.

edit for autocorrect

 

[Galadriel]

I am just trying to grasp at reasons why they picked her, with the pitbull.

rsbm. Bowie looks gray with a white chest and belly, and I think it's possible the attacker didn't notice him at first, especially if he was hyper-focused on Katie. I have a border collie with a similar color pattern (dark on top with white belly and legs), and he can be difficult to see in our backyard at night when he's not near house or street lights.

July 27 was only four days post-full moon, but if Bowie was snuffling in bushes or just in the shadows, he may have simply not been that visible.

 

[Quest701]

Or someone she or Bowie by chance encountered who had some sort of psychotic break due to one of their actions or a perceived action. Unfortunately, while a majority of homeless persons are peaceful, the incidence of mental illness, alcohol/drug use and violence is higher than in the general public (as is the use of knives/bladed weapons vs. guns).

Oh right. Yes I think this is also entirely possible. I misinterpreted your post as suggesting it wasn’t random period. But yes, it could have been a squatter that was mentally unwell and then snapped. I don’t mean to disparage the homeless population, but the fact that the homeless people in the area are mostly peaceful and non violent is pretty irrelevant to what any given person can do. Someone so detached from reality is likely experiencing problems that also make them more likely to be out on the prowl in the middle of the night without a place to go home to.

 

[K.jill]

I guess this is what I do now. Stay home on Saturday night and brainstorm about a heartbreaking murder and a very scary murderer. This can not be healthy for my mind!!!!

 

[Counttrarian]

I think it’s not likely this person is an established member of the local houseless community. I could easily see a psychopath using them for cover.

I also think it’s unlikely this was a psychotic break but admittedly my perspective is formed by my own experiences with people who have psychosis, and like most people with mental illness they are just regular people who get sick sometimes.

But more, I don’t see how someone who committed a murder like this in a psychotic break could still be uncaught.

edit for autocorrect

Thank you, I should have used better defined language, a psychotic episode (SIPD or organic) and by homeless I meant no known last address/transient.
You might find this research interesting:
Triggers for Violent Criminality in Patients With Psychotic Disorders

 

[AgentPuppyFeets]

... I am wondering now, how did Bowie not “see” the guy if he was waiting, in a tree branch for example? Some of y’all know how much about how dog noses work- would a pit have necessarily smelled him in the shadows?

I definitely think he smelled something. He may not have understood what he was smelling exactly. Kinda like when we leave something in Tupperware and are like "What was this'?
I wonder too about the tree and then taking a large part away. Was he in it? Did he carve something in it while he waited? I hope an arrest is made yesterday.