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

[Knox]

Are the paper towels, or better: the blood on them tested for DNA?

Is it possible to add the locations where her purse and the paper towels were found to the map? I would like to know how close/far they were from the vehicle.

Friday, Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Chief Dominic Iasparro revealed Smith’s purse was recovered Wednesday, a short distance from where her blue 2012 four-door Chevrolet Cruze was found Tuesday night at Obispo Road and Ventura Boulevard. Her cell phone was recovered Thursday in the 700 block of Ralston Road.

Iasparro said it was volunteers who found bloody paper towels Thursday in the vicinity of the vehicle. Authorities are waiting lab results to determine if the blood belonged to Smith.

The location of the paper towels not specifically identified. But I will map the location of the cell phone on Ralston.

A-Husband's home
B-Location Car Was Found
C-Shopping Location
D-Location Cell Phone Was Found

http://goo.gl/maps/gvoCR

 

[Elainera]

The location of the paper towels not specifically identified. But I will map the location of the cell phone on Ralston.

A-Husband's home
B-Location Car Was Found
C-Shopping Location
D-Location Cell Phone Was Found

http://goo.gl/maps/gvoCR

Thank you Knox!

Cell phone in the purse? Or was the purse found elsewhere?

Looks likely what someone earlier speculated that she was carjacked, cell phone thrown out the window, and forced to drive further to the location where the car was found.

 

[Elainera]

The car is less than 100m from the river. Is the river easily accessible from where the car is parked?

 

[WideOpen]

I grew up a bit north west of Rockton/Roscoe but in the general area as a young adult. We often made our way to the mall that was there in Machesney Park and that side of Rockford always seemed fairly safe. I do not know about the area so much anymore. My son works with some guys who build & race race cars in Machesney area about 8-10 miles further south on 251 and I was there this summer visiting. Their shop had been broken into and they told me it wasnt the safest area and there were pockets of crime.

ETa; after looking at the map provided, (thanks!) I am going to say from my experience this is not a crime ridden location. I wouldn't be scared to stop and shop or get food or gas in that area at 9 or 10 at night.

JMO
Praying for this woman and her family!

 

[Elainera]

The car is less than 100m from the river. Is the river easily accessible from where the car is parked?

Looking at google streetview, yes, the way to the river seems unobstructed. But there are also several houses, did nobody hear anything?

 

[katydid23]

I am still looking sideways at the husband. What errands would she be doing at 9 pm? Nothing much is open but gas stations and convenience stores.

She was not living with him in their residence for a reason. I wonder what that reason was. I also wonder if she might have told him that she wanted to make their separation permanent. That is the most dangerous time in a volatile relationship. Either that or she might have told him she was pregnant.

We have no evidence of any prior Domestic Violence issues, but she was living somewhere else. So something was bothering her.

I just find it too convenient of a coincidence when a wife who is separated, goes missing when visiting her husband. What a co-inkydink.

 

[nervous_nellie]

I am still looking sideways at the husband. What errands would she be doing at 9 pm? Nothing much is open but gas stations and convenience stores.

She was not living with him in their residence for a reason. I wonder what that reason was. I also wonder if she might have told him that she wanted to make their separation permanent. That is the most dangerous time in a volatile relationship. Either that or she might have told him she was pregnant.

We have no evidence of any prior Domestic Violence issues, but she was living somewhere else. So something was bothering her.

I just find it too convenient of a coincidence when a wife who is separated, goes missing when visiting her husband. What a co-inkydink.

these are my thoughts as well, but im still wondering who the friend is with the condo shes been staying at.... maybe she was going to get back with her husband and someone didnt want that to happen? i know, its reaching - just spit balling... the other thing that seems out of place are the paper towels unless she was known to carry paper towels in her car...what perp carries paper towels to a carjacking? moo

 

[B4igo2it]

Facebook post a little less than an hour ago:

We saw 3 guys in a fishing boat this morning early by the bridge on 173 over the river and police have been there now most of the day in the same spot dredging.

https://www.facebook.com/Findkatrinasmith

 

[TeenyTaurus]

Nothing immediately says SHE was in her vehicle and got out where it was found. Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't her purse and cell phone found leading AWAY from the river, then the bloody paper towels (if linked here) even further away? Makes me wonder if that car parked, etc may have been staged in a hurry? Maybe to look as if she were car-jacked/attacked there? MOO and I could be WAY off here.

 

[B4igo2it]

30 minutes ago per facebook:

It looked like they were pulling boats out of the water there is ambulances an unmarks surrounding the area

https://www.facebook.com/Findkatrinasmith

 

[TeenyTaurus]

The people closest to the victim are always the first to be looked at... 'cause they usually are involved. It usually is someone known to the victim. Makes me also think, however, she doesn't work that far away. Any known issues with co-workers? She's in Human Resources. Anyone unhappy there lately?

 

[nervous_nellie]

Her Missing Facebook post a little less than an hour ago:
We saw 3 guys in a fishing boat this morning early by the bridge on 173 over the river and police have been there now most of the day in the same spot dredging.

so there is a possible 3 perps...if they took the body to put in the river i wonder why they wouldnt have dumped the purse, phone & towels in the river too? heck why not just sink the car and everything off a boat ramp? again, just thinking out loud.

and if these guys were saw this morning then they would have been hiding her body for almost 6 days..thats a long time imo...

 

[nervous_nellie]

The people closest to the victim are always the first to be looked at... 'cause they usually are involved. It usually is someone known to the victim. Makes me also think, however, she doesn't work that far away. Any known issues with co-workers? She's in Human Resources. Anyone unhappy there lately?

good point...maybe some recently lost their job--disgruntled employee?

 

[nervous_nellie]

anyone up here know how to do a rewind downstairs?

 

[TravelingBug]

Other interesting comment down near the bottom of that post about the search being wrapped up, one gal saying a man was observing from the bushes and she got his plates b/c he was being weird.

 

[nervous_nellie]

Nothing immediately says SHE was in her vehicle and got out where it was found. Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't her purse and cell phone found leading AWAY from the river, then the bloody paper towels (if linked here) even further away? Makes me wonder if that car parked, etc may have been staged in a hurry? Maybe to look as if she were car-jacked/attacked there? MOO and I could be WAY off here.

nope, i totally agree... i think if whoever it was, was going to put her in the river i think all her stuff would have went in the river with her. moo

 

[TeenyTaurus]

I swear, is October 2012 "National Weirdos Who Commit Heinous Crimes Month"?? It just seems it's been crawling out of the woodwork like crazy lately :notgood:

 

[TxLady2]

Sounds like it was an amicable separation, she didn't appear to be scared of him if she was at the home getting more of her things and he was there. But that doesn't prove anything either.

If it was a carjacking.... don't they normally just steal the car? Somebody was either after her in particular or just itching to kill somebody.

Don't have a good feeling about this... she's going to be found dead, I predict.

 

[katydid23]

these are my thoughts as well, but im still wondering who the friend is with the condo shes been staying at.... maybe she was going to get back with her husband and someone didnt want that to happen? i know, its reaching - just spit balling... the other thing that seems out of place are the paper towels unless she was known to carry paper towels in her car...what perp carries paper towels to a carjacking? moo

The paper towels make me think it was someone who cared about her. It's like when someone wraps the body in a comfy blanket instead of a garbage bag.

I don't think a random carjacker is going to clean her wounds off with a paper towel.

I agree with you about the condo owner. Who is it and what is the relationship?

 

[Coldpizza]

According to an investigation by Winnebago County Sheriff's Detectives, Smith was shopping at stores in the area of North 2nd Street and 173 between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m. Monday night. They say she then returned to her home in Machesney Park before leaving again around 9:00 p.m. to run more errands.

http://www.wrex.com/story/19925314/purse-and-cell-phone-of-missing-machesney-park-woman-found

This is the part that is bothering me. If she was staying at a condo and was estranged from her husband and she returned to their home(perhaps to get some things) and then she was reported to leave again to run an errand. Was she planning on staying the night with her husband and coming back?

I can understand this just simply being a situation of needing some space and she is living back and forth between the 2 places. I think the key question is
was she coming back and how do we know? So far we only have the husband saying that.

I hate to be jaded here, but I hope they have looked in to his online activity, cell phone pings, her cell phone pings and can validate his whereabouts between 9:00 pm and the time he reported her missing.

I'm also trying to give him the benefit of doubt. It's possible she met up with foul play of a new acquaintance or a mere stranger or stalker.
imo