GUILTY IL - Katrina Smith, 30, beaten to death, Machesney Park, 23 Oct 2012 - #1

[nervous_nellie]

I'm a firm advocate of "innocent until proven guilty" and all, and I certainly don't raise an eyebrow over one short video "response" as any sign of anything more than POTENTIALLY lacking in genuine emotion. Maybe such goes in hand over his feeling "hurt" over public responses of distrust? Well, considering his less-than-stellar past (as recently as just 10 months ago), what would he expect?
Still, he IS innocent until proven otherwise. Just sayin'

well put - you are right. this is just not setting well with me. hope they find her soon.moo

 

[shefner]

If Mr. Smith was expecting Katrina to come home after a short errand and knew she had to be up for work the next morning, why did he not get concerned overnight when she didn't return? Wonder why he waited so long before reporting her missing?

These things, in addition to his past and present illegalities, trouble me much.

 

[Knox]

I guess he was treated at an inpatient facility after the fire.

http://www.swedishamerican.org/services/mental_health/

 

[shefner]

Wonder what was in the wallet that was found? Wonder if there were any fingerprints?

I'm sure that if they find prints from family members, it wouldn't show much...since they would probably have access to Katrina's belongings.

 

[scadder21]

We will know soon enough...Actually we won't because LE isn't giving many details of this at all. No pic of the vehicle, no information if it was just parked or if it looked out of sorts, no info on blood in the car. No mention if anything was stolen from the purse.

 

[StormyNights]

Just kind of thinking out loud here. What if we have a beginner serial killer who just happened to see Katrina that night? Maybe he/or even she is just toying or playing with the police by scattering her belongings about. I would bet you a dollar to a doughnut this person is indeed involved in the search and watching ANYTHING to do with Katrina's case. (Feels weird to say this as Katrina is my name) I could be totally wrong about all of this, but I just don't get the vibe that the hubs has ANYthing to do with this. Ie, murder for hire, he did it etc. Of course there is always that good old scenario that she took off and needed time away. Less likely in my opinion. I am just wracking my brain trying to come up with something plausible. I am coming up totally EMPTY!!! Me no likey!! Honestly, what are some REASONABLE explanations here?

 

[StormyNights]

We will know soon enough...Actually we won't because LE isn't giving many details of this at all. No pic of the vehicle, no information if it was just parked or if it looked out of sorts, no info on blood in the car. No mention if anything was stolen from the purse.

Isn't that pretty odd? Usually LE is putting as much as they can out there (without hindering the case) so the public can call in tips, look for vehicles, see if anything suspicious was reported. I again refer back to a FB post on the find Katrina page about someone's brother hearing a scream. Katrina's car was found behind her brother's house. Of course this was called into LE. I hope I am allowed to say this on here, if not, please let me know and I will edit it! MODS, PLEASE DON'T BEAT ME DOWN, I AM STILL A NEWBY!! lease:

 

[Elainera]

I hear you and feel the same way, but I remember feeling the same way watching Mickey Shunick's friend (the last one she saw) being interviewed. It felt incredibly fake. In the end it wasn't. So, who can tell? I sure can't.

Yea he (TS) does look a bit fake in that video. But then again, Clint Heichel smiled at the first press conference and many had him pegged - and were so wrong.

If Mr. Smith was expecting Katrina to come home after a short errand and knew she had to be up for work the next morning, why did he not get concerned overnight when she didn't return? Wonder why he waited so long before reporting her missing?

These things, in addition to his past and present illegalities, trouble me much.

I find it also somewhat troubling, he doesn't look like someone I would like to be married to or even aquainted with, but it's a big leap from arson and insurance scams to murder, isn't it? Don't the "career" profiles of murderers usually read differently? This could very well be an obsessed neighbour just as in the Heichel case.

Am still shocked that he's 44, he looks much younger imo.

Weird case, and it doesn't look hopeful imo.

 

[katydid23]

Maybe I missed it in all of these posts, but do we know if the stepdaughters were at the home when Katrina went out on her errand?

 

[cluciano63]

Maybe I missed it in all of these posts, but do we know if the stepdaughters were at the home when Katrina went out on her errand?

I read that they came home from college when they heard she was missing, so no, I guess.

 

[TravelingBug]

I read that they came home from college when they heard she was missing, so no, I guess.

Looks like one is in the B/N area based on FB.

 

[katydid23]

I still have my eye on the husband.

 

[HeinekenMan]

I hope they find Katrina alive today. I do not think the odds are in her favor, though.

By the way, the wallet could not have been placed later by someone close to Katrina. After all, there was likely a search of the home, vehicles, etc. So someone would have been taking a huge risk by keeping her wallet and planting it later on some street. My guess is that someone found the wallet and then tossed it in the street after taking out cash, etc.

 

[scadder21]

Isn't that pretty odd? Usually LE is putting as much as they can out there (without hindering the case) so the public can call in tips, look for vehicles, see if anything suspicious was reported. I again refer back to a FB post on the find Katrina page about someone's brother hearing a scream. Katrina's car was found behind her brother's house. Of course this was called into LE. I hope I am allowed to say this on here, if not, please let me know and I will edit it! MODS, PLEASE DON'T BEAT ME DOWN, I AM STILL A NEWBY!! lease:

Sorry I'm not finding anything about the being parked near brother's house anywhere or the scream. Where is this coming from?

 

[scadder21]

Yea he (TS) does look a bit fake in that video. But then again, Clint Heichel smiled at the first press conference and many had him pegged - and were so wrong.



I find it also somewhat troubling, he doesn't look like someone I would like to be married to or even aquainted with, but it's a big leap from arson and insurance scams to murder, isn't it? Don't the "career" profiles of murderers usually read differently? This could very well be an obsessed neighbour just as in the Heichel case.

Am still shocked that he's 44, he looks much younger imo.

Weird case, and it doesn't look hopeful imo.

Sorry but I don't think it's a stretch at all. What do both have in common? A lack of empathy or conscieous regarding the life of another human being. That arson I honestly consider attempted murder. He was 17 at the time, Austin Sigg is now 17. Hard to write off trying to blow up your house as youthful in discretions. The insurance scam also shows that he doesn't care how his actions effect others. What type of person can take part in stealing the elderly's money?

Both show an extreme lack of empathy and an ability to plan ahead to get what he wants.

 

[summer_breeze]

http://www.wrex.com/story/19947893/startling-info-about-missing-machesney-park-womans-husband

Posted: Oct 29, 2012 8:09 PM EDT
By Rebecca Klopf

WINNEBAGO COUNTY (WREX) -Disturbing information is uncovered about the husband of a missing Machesney Park woman. Court records show he burned down his family's home two decades ago while they were inside it.

 

[sleuthin4fun]

Has anyone posted this? It's the info on the fire he caused via an insurance suit that stemmed from the claim on the damage to the house:

http://il.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.19890519_0000767.IL.htm/qx

His statement about running away from home and then going back, leading to him causing the fire:

"Things were ok for a couple of days but things went back to the same old routeen [ sic ], nagging and yelling at me. I tried everything that I could so I thought I would try my scare tacktic [ sic ] or whatever you want to call it."

The remainder of Todd's statement describes the formulation and implementation of his plan to scare his mother by removing the plug from the gas line in the basement.

Ok, if my comment is not acceptable please feel free to delete it. From the get go my hinky meter went crazy when I read about this case. I then realized that I know someone very close to this family. I have been told some things that I can not post here at this point. All I can say though is that this probably will not end wee, and the lives of 3 girls will never be the same. Very sad.

 

[shefner]

The profile of someone who murders a man's much younger wife is usually consistent with the husband....who happens to be the last one who saw her (and has a shady past...and present).

 

[kmartin96]

This is one of those "close to home" cases for me (just 40 minutes away). I was so relieved that she is still listed as missing (versus the worse alternative), but I'm also very disappointed that there isn't more info out there! Not a lot of coverage in my area! Praying for good news!

 

[Elainera]

Sorry but I don't think it's a stretch at all. What do both have in common? A lack of empathy or conscieous regarding the life of another human being. That arson I honestly consider attempted murder. He was 17 at the time, Austin Sigg is now 17. Hard to write off trying to blow up your house as youthful in discretions. The insurance scam also shows that he doesn't care how his actions effect others. What type of person can take part in stealing the elderly's money?

Both show an extreme lack of empathy and an ability to plan ahead to get what he wants.

Of course you are right. I was thinking more about statistics, but I'm no expert in this matter. I remember vaguely that I read somewhere that murderers are more likely to have engaged in violent behaviour such as robbery, assaults, domestic violence, rape, etc, in the past, but not in white collar crime. I'm not sure where arson would fit in, and I could be completely wrong. In fact after reading sleuthin4fun's post I'm doubting my own words.